Is it actually okay to be a patriot ... to love your country, your people, your language?
Yes.
Absolutely, yes.
The Bible is full of it: Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, Paul saying he could almost wish himself cut off from God if it would save his people, Nehemiah in tears over a broken city.
Passionate, loyal, particular love of your own people and place is honoured in Scripture.
But there is a line. And this Super Short Thought is about where that line is.
The moment your nation becomes your God, the moment preserving your way of life feels like a religious duty that trumps everything else, the moment you assume God must be on your side simply because you are on your side: you have crossed over from love into something much closer to worship.
Revelation 5 makes this structural. No single nation is named. Every nation is simply one instance of a universal category. Ultimately no tribe gets to claim special treatment for itself.
So love your people. Cherish your language. Be proud of your history. But do not by worshipping it confuse the tribe you love with the One who is worthy of worship.
👉 Want to read Mark's Gospel for yourself? Get a free digital copy here:
https://live.bible.is/bible/ENGNLH/MRK/1
There's more on this channel this week on Christian Nationalism and Patriotism, on WelshRev.com and (for the really deep dives) on my substack here:
https://substack.com/@simonbowkett331045
Want to read Mark's Gospel for yourself? Here's a free digital copy: https://live.bible.is/bible/ENGNLH/MRK/1
Word for the Week is produced by WelshRev for Y Grwp (Grace Rural Wales Partnership) ... rooted in the farming communities and chapels of rural Wales.
0:00 The question
0:18 Biblical examples of love for your people
0:45 The line you must not cross
1:10 What Revelation 5 says about nations
1:30 The distinction that matters
Q: According to this video, what is the key line between loving your nation and something dangerous?
A) Celebrating your national history
B) Treating your nation as if it were your God
C) Feeling proud of your language and culture
D) Praying for your own people
Answer: B
2. According to this post, where is the line between love of nation and something dangerous?
a) When you feel pride in your history
b) When you pray for your own people
c) When your nation begins to function as your God, the thing of ultimate loyalty
d) When you learn your own language
Answer: c
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