Brief Thoughts on a New Testament Christian Nationalism

³Be gracious to us, LORD, be gracious to us, for we have had much more than enough of contempt. ⁴Our soul has had much more than enough of the scoffing of those who are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud. — Psalm 123:3-4

Passage Context

While the exact historical context of Psalm 123 is uncertain, most scholars believe it was written during the post-exilic period when the Israelites were returning from Babylonian captivity. The contempt they experienced likely came from those who had remained in the land during the exile, particularly the Samaritans and other neighboring groups who opposed the rebuilding efforts. A crucial aspect of Old Testament Israel is that national and religious identity were inseparably intertwined—rebuilding the nation was simultaneously an act of religious faithfulness. This makes the contrast with New Testament theology particularly striking, as the church under the New Covenant operates on fundamentally different principles regarding the relationship between faith and nationhood.

Key Differences Between Old and New Covenants

Old Testament Israel: A Theocratic Nation-State

  • Geographic territory: Promised Land with defined borders
  • Ethnic identity: Descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob
  • Political structure: Kings, judges, priests governing a nation
  • Religious and national identity were one: To be Israelite was both ethnic and religious
  • God's presence localized: Temple in Jerusalem

New Testament Church: A Spiritual, Transnational Kingdom

  • No geographic territory: "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36)
  • Multi-ethnic: "There is neither Jew nor Greek" (Galatians 3:28)
  • No political structure: Church leadership is spiritual, not governmental
  • Identity as exiles: Christians are "sojourners and exiles" (1 Peter 2:11)
  • Citizenship in heaven: "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20)
  • God's presence in believers: The church as the temple of the Holy Spirit

Why Christian Nationalism Doesn't Track

  1. The Kingdom's Nature Has Changed
    Jesus explicitly stated His kingdom doesn't operate through worldly power structures or military/political force (John 18:36). When offered earthly kingdoms, He refused (Matthew 4:8-10).

  2. The Church Is Intentionally Scattered
    Rather than gathering in one nation, the Great Commission sends Christians to "all nations" (Matthew 28:19). The church is meant to be a minority presence as "salt and light" dispersed throughout the world.

  3. The Means Have Changed

  • Old Testament: Conquest, law enforcement, theocratic rule
  • New Testament: Persuasion, witness, suffering love, martyrdom
  1. The Enemy Has Changed
  • Old Testament: Physical enemies (Canaanites, Philistines, etc.)
  • New Testament: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12)

The Irony You've Identified

You're absolutely right that for returning exiles in Psalm 123, rebuilding Jerusalem was inseparable from their covenant identity—God had commanded them to rebuild the city and temple. Their religious faithfulness required nation-building.

But for Christians to apply this same logic would be to miss the radical shift that occurred in Christ. The New Covenant specifically de-territorializes and de-nationalizes God's people. Attempting to create a "Christian nation" would actually be a step backward from the New Covenant into Old Covenant categories that have been fulfilled and transcended.

As one theologian put it: Christians are called to be a faithful presence within nations, working for the common good and praying for authorities (Jeremiah 29:7; 1 Timothy 2:1-2), but not to impose Christian faith through political power—which would contradict the very nature of faith as a free response to grace.