In the ’80s, Ronald Reagan said he wanted to make America great again. No, really … he did. Decades later, “make America great again” became the mantra of one Donald J. Trump, the Wish.com version of an already problematic individual (don’t shoot me, conservatives). Now, this phrase is the battle cry of most all Christian Nationalists, who see the United States of America as a once great Christian nation that will one day be made great again (for whom? We all know!).
In this article, I’d like to contribute my two cents to the conversation, and offer a biblically-based guide for how Christians can make America great (for the first time!).
- Do not mistreat foreigners (Exodus 22:21)
- Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18)
- Welcome the immigrant (Leviticus 19:33)
- Love the immigrant as yourself (Leviticus 19:34)
- Repurpose weapons as farm equipment (Isaiah 2:4)
- Do not mock others (Isaiah 28:22)
- Desire mercy over sacrifice (Hosea 6:6)
- Do not love money (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
- Do not plot harm against your neighbor (Proverbs 3:29)
- Do not be a fool who rages and scoffs in court (Proverbs 29:8-9)
- Bring good news to the poor (Luke 4:18)
- Heal the blind (Luke 4:18)
- Set free the oppressed (Luke 4:18)
- Be merciful as God is merciful (Luke 6:36)
- Do not judge others in any way other than how you judge yourself (Luke 6:37)
- View the sins of others as a speck in the eye and your own as a log (Luke 6:42)
- Help those in need (Luke 10:25-37)
- Be willing to change your mind (Matthew 4:17)
- Do not resist evildoers (Matthew 5:39)
- Turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39)
- Offer your clothes to others (Matthew 5:39)
- Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43)
- Forgive 70 x 7 times (Matthew 18:21)
- Sell your possessions and give everything to the poor (Matthew 19:21)
- Put away your weapons (Matthew 26:52)
- Turn from sin (Acts 3:19)
- Share everything with others (Acts 4:35)
- Reject gender dividing lines (Galatians 3:28)
- Reject racial dividing lines (Galatians 3:28)
- Reject religious diving lines (Galatians 3:28)
- Reject socioeconomic dividing lines (Galatians 3:28)
- Have self control (Galatians 5:23)
- Let all that you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 16:14)
- Comfort the afflicted (2 Corinthians 1:4)
- Do not repay evil with evil (1 Peter 3:9)
- Be humble (1 Peter 5:6)
- Be compassionate (Colossians 3:12)
- Be kind (Colossians 3:12)
- Be gentle (Colossians 3:12)
- Be patient (Colossians 3:12)
- Bear others in love (Ephesians 4:2)
- Be gentle and not violent (1 Timothy 3:3)
- Do not be quarrelsome (1 Timothy 3:3)
- Be considerate in all you do (Philippians 4:5)
- Slander no one (Titus 3:2)
Christians, if you apply these things, you will indeed make this a great nation, one that Christ himself would be proud of. Let me know what your thoughts are, and when we can go about implementing this 45-step plan. Until then, act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.
Also, if you’ve been digging my work on here, and want to see me be able to continue writing as close to full-time as humanly possible, please take a look at my Patreon page at www.patreon.com/mjdistefano. Even $1 a month helps bigly!
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