Michael John Sutton

Following Jesus Michael John Sutton

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Can a person follow Jesus and not attend church? Are you free as a Christian to vote for whomever you want? Can faith and flag go together? Is Christian Nationalism a valid Christian approach to politics? Is America witnessing the rise of the ancient enemy of fascism? Is it the duty of the Christian to oppose the flaming arrows of the Left? Are socially conservative values, Christian values, the only home for Christian political witness? Has the church lost its way? American Christianity stands at a crossroads, it is in rapid decline, and the choice is no longer between faith and flag but between witness and oblivion. When Christians give up on God, they always become fascists, and it is no coincidence that the collapse of Christian witness in America is related to the rise of what many call 'Christian Nationalism.' There is nothing Christian about it. Why don't we call it by its real name? Christian Nationalism is fascism.
True fascism comes from the church, and it is, in essence, the blending of faith and flag. This has been the curse of the West for over a thousand years, built on the bodies of millions of innocent people murdered by the church, or various national forms of it, waving their flags, defending their nations, and killing their people. True Christians follow Jesus, counterfeit Christians promote a Christian nation. It is time for the faithful to choose, and you need to take a side, either follow Christ or the church, either take up your cross or your sword, either seek God's kingdom or build man's kingdom. Your Christian nation will fall, your moral crusade will collapse, and your kingdoms on earth will crumble. All that matters is the freedom, liberty, and joy that comes from knowing God and being known by God through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, where Jesus stood in our place, and died for our sins, so we might be reconciled to God. The rest is background noise. For the fascists, the good news is a footnote to their Culture War, but for Christians, Christ is everything and the light of Jesus shines even in the darkest places for all people who seek hope and who want to be free.

Table of Contents

1 Return of an Ancient Enemy
2 Be Strong in the Lord
3 Put on the Full Armor of God
4 Our Struggle
5 We Do Not Wrestle Against Flesh and Blood
6 Is God a Republican?
7 Following Jesus When the Church has Lost its Way
8 When the Church Gives Up on Christ, it Returns to Fascism
show more