Christian Nationalism vs. the Kingdom of God

Chad Potts (Rev Rx)
Apr 7
3 min read

The Tension We Feel

A lot of Christians today feel stuck between two worlds.

On one hand, we see a culture drifting—fast.

Values shifting. Truth becoming subjective.

And there’s a natural response:

“We need to fix this.”

So we look to politics.

We look to laws.

We look to power.

But on the other hand, we read Scripture…

and something doesn’t quite line up.

Because Jesus didn’t start a political movement.

He started a kingdom.

What Is Christian Nationalism?

At its core, Christian nationalism is the belief that a nation—usually the United States—has a special relationship with God and that nation should align its laws and identity with Christianity.

Now let’s be clear:

👉 Christians should absolutely care about how society functions

👉 Christians should vote, engage, and pursue good

👉 Christians should influence culture

That’s not the issue.

The problem comes when we start treating a nation like it has a redemptive role.

Like somehow if we are patriotic enough, love our country enough, that's equivalent to following Jesus - and therefore, we will be saved as a result of it.

When that line gets crossed, we begin trusting political power more than spiritual transformation. And that can turn dangerous quickly.

The Kingdom Works Differently

Jesus made this clear:

“My kingdom is not of this world.”

The kingdom of God doesn’t advance through force.

It doesn’t grow through elections.

It doesn’t depend on who sits in office.

It grows through:

Changed hearts
Transformed lives
Faithful obedience
Sacrificial love

The early church didn’t take over Rome with votes.

They changed the world because their lives looked different.

They loved when others hated.

They gave when others took.

They stayed faithful when it cost them everything.

And people noticed.

You Can’t Legislate Holiness

This is where a lot of us get tripped up.

Laws can restrain evil. But they can’t create goodness.

Only the gospel does that.

You can make something illegal…

but you can’t make someone love what is right.

That’s a heart issue.

And that’s kingdom work.

The Real Mission

Jesus didn’t say, “Go win elections.”

He said:

“Go make disciples.”

That’s the mission.

We don’t build the kingdom by grabbing power.

We build it by surrendering our lives.

Where We’ve Drifted

If we’re honest, a lot of us have lived like this:

Faith on Sunday
Real life the rest of the week

We’ve treated Jesus like an add-on… not the center.

That’s where the problem starts.

Because the gospel was never meant to be:

👉 Personal but private

👉 Believed but not lived

👉 Known but not practiced

It was meant to shape everything. EVERYTHING.

So What Do We Do?

This is where it gets practical.

If you want to live this out:

1. Get rooted in God’s Word

Not occasionally. Daily.

You don’t drift into truth.

You anchor into it.

2. Build real habits

Prayer. Scripture. Repentance.

Not out of guilt—out of dependence, realizing that only Jesus satisfies. We are nothing without Him guiding and directing our lives.

3. Live your faith out loud

Your life should make people curious. If you look just like the world... something's wrong! You should stand out, be different, and make others want what you have in Christ.

4. Stay engaged—but not consumed

Care about culture. Vote. Be informed.

But don’t confuse politics with the mission.

A strong Christian nation will not save you. Only Jesus can do that.

The Bottom Line

The kingdom of God is already here, inaugurated by Jesus' first coming.

And it’s still coming in its' fullness, when Jesus comes again.

It's 'already', but 'not yet'.

So the question isn’t: “How do we take control?”

It’s “How do we live like Jesus right where we are?”