Patriot Day and the Christian Patriot

Reuben, our beloved 7 year old son, came home from school with some papers that described and spoke about Patriot Day. In the United States of America, Patriot Day, falls annually on September 11, in memory of the nearly 3000 people killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But who is a Patriot? The dictionary defines the word ‘Patriot’ as ‘a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.‘

A Patriot is therefore someone who loves, supports and defends (fights) for his or her country and its interests, not lackadaisically but with fervor and devotion.

It is certainly Biblical and commendable that the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, pray for the authority that God has instituted over us (1 Timothy 2:1-3) and the love we have for our country is expressed in its defense against any threat, domestic or foreign.

In like manner, it is also essential to be a Christian Patriot. A Christian Patriot is one who loves God and loves his neighbor (Matthew 22:37,39), supports those who are weak (Acts 20:35; 1 Thessalonians 5:14), and defends his citizenship which is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and its interests, with devotion by earnestly contending (fighting) for the faith that was given to the saints upon salvation (Jude 1:3).

Points to ponder:
When we need to give an account to the Lord God, could it be said of us that we loved God totally and we loved our neighbor as ourselves; we supported those who could not support themselves and fought earnestly to keep the faith? Could it be said of us, that we were Christian Patriots? Are you/Am I a Christian Patriot?

Matthew 22:37-40 (KJV)
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Acts 20:35 (KJV)
35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Philippians 3:20 (NLT)
20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

Jude 1:3 (KJV)
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.