Nations are made up of people.
When those people are baptized and taught to obey Christ's commandments, and return to their vocations as, the case may be, faithful legislators and rulers—the result is Christian nations, and that's a good thing.
False dichotomy.
Matthew 28:19 commands us to disciple πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (“all nations”). That is indisputable.
But the grammatical shift from neuter ἔθνη to masculine αὐτούς (“them”), together with the participles “baptizing” and “teaching,” identifies the recipients of discipleship as people.
Matthew makes the same grammatical shift in 25:32, where the nations are gathered, but individuals are separated in judgment.
The Great Commission is not a mandate to Christianize nation-states. It is Christ’s command to make disciples among all peoples, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything He commanded.
To confuse peoples with nation-states is not exegesis. It is reading your political theology into the text and pretending Christ put it there.
Should Christian statesmen make their arguments and appeals only on the basis of "natural revelation"?
"I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame."
- Psalm 119:46
Correct; but I'll note that scripted prayers are not unique to Catholics.
Nothing wrong with scripted prayers. They are often a better and more reverent way to approach speaking to the God of the universe. Would you just wing a statement before Congress?
"Many, who profess a respect unto the Divine Being and the worship thereof, seem to have little regard unto the person of the Son in all their religion... To honor the Son as we ought to honor the Father, is that which makes us Christians, and which nothing else will so do."
I have voted in five states now, three purple (FL, GA, NC), one lopsidedly red (MS), and this time one lopsidedly blue (MD).
Then explain why he is seated on the throne of heaven, crowned with many crowns, shepherding his flock by his word and Spirit, discipling the nations into obedience, and bringing many sons to glory.
A more important question, though, is:
How can we *most* honor and reverence Christ in accordance with the institution as he instituted it?
I doubt this is it.
If you mock or belittle other Christians for the manner in which they receive the wine (or juice) and the bread, you are treating the material form as more important than the work of Christ.
Christ is truly received by faith through the Spirit, not by the physical properties of the elements. They do not validate communion by their alcohol content or packaging.
Honor Christ. Don’t think yourself better than others just because they do things differently.
Matthew was the disciples’ chief note-taker and published his own Gospel by the mid-40’s. Peter had copies of the notes, and his own recollections which Mark used, Luke also used that material. John had his own memories and maybe his own notes as well.
This is the way.
As your IQ drops, the greatness of this point increases proportionately.
Single-digit IQ holders in particular will find it spectacularly brilliant.
