Jonah and the Threat of Christian Nationalism
Choosing Between Jonah and Jesus
Jonah and the Threat of Christian Nationalism
Choosing Between Jonah and Jesus
Christian nationalism is one of the greatest threats to the gospel in our time.
Christian nationalism distorts faith into:
A tool for power,
A justification for exclusion, and
A weapon against outsiders.
Instead of embodying Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom of God, a reign of love, mercy, and justice for all people, Christian nationalism seeks to merge faith with national identity, political power, and cultural dominance.
But this is not a new problem.
It is as old as Jonah.
Jonah was a prophet, but he was not a Kingdom prophet.
Jonah was a nationalist prophet, a man who cared more about the glory of his nation than the mercy of God. Jonah believed Israel was chosen for privilege, not to bless the nations. And when God called him to bring good news to his enemies, he resisted, fled, and raged against God’s mercy.
Jonah’s story is not just about a man swallowed by a fish.
It is a warning to every generation about what happens when religious identity becomes:
More about tribalism than transformation,
More about vengeance than mercy,
More about winning than loving.
And right now, that warning could not be more relevant.
Jonah: The Nationalist Prophet
Jonah’s story reveals the mindset of religious nationalism in three key ways:
1. Jonah Wanted His Enemies to Suffer, Not Repent
When God called Jonah to preach to Nineveh, he ran in the opposite direction (Jonah 1:3).
He wasn’t afraid that they wouldn’t listen, he was afraid they would.
He knew God was merciful and didn’t want Nineveh to experience that mercy.
He wanted justice for his people, vengeance for his enemies.
Modern Parallel:
Christian nationalism thrives on enemy-making:
Painting outsiders as threats,
Reveling in their suffering, and
Resisting grace for those deemed unworthy.
Whether it’s immigrants, political opponents, or entire religious groups,
Christian nationalism defines itself not by who it loves, but by who it opposes.
2. Jonah Was More Devoted to His Nation Than to God’s Mission
Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, Israel’s brutal enemy.
Jonah saw national identity as a reason to withhold mercy.
He wanted a God who blessed Israel but condemned its enemies, a tribal deity, not a universal King.
Modern Parallel:
Christian nationalism merges faith with nationalism,
Creating an “us vs. them” theology,
Where God’s favor is tied to a specific nation, race, or political ideology.
It sees divine blessing as exclusive and
God’s love as conditional,
Reserved for those who belong to the right group.
3. Jonah Was Angry When God Showed Mercy
When Nineveh repented, Jonah was furious (Jonah 4:1-3).
He sat outside the city, waiting for God to change His mind and destroy them.
He couldn’t handle a world where God’s grace extended beyond his tribe.
Modern Parallel:
Christian nationalism struggles with a God who is:
Bigger than its borders,
Bigger than its ideology,
Bigger than its power.
It resists a Kingdom:
Where the last are first,
Where enemies are loved, and
Where outsiders are invited in.
It wants a God of domination, not reconciliation.
Jesus: The Kingdom Prophet
Jonah’s mindset stands in stark contrast to
Jesus, the true prophet of God’s Kingdom.
Jonah believes God’s love is for “us” and against “them.”
Jesus believes God’s love is for all nations, all people.
Jonah sees divine justice as punishment for enemies.
Jesus sees divine justice as restoration for all.
Jonah resents mercy for outsiders.
Jesus extends mercy to all, especially outsiders.
Jonah is willing to sacrifice others for his cause.
Jesus is willing to sacrifice himself for others.
This is why Jesus says the only sign He will give is the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39-41).
Not because Jonah is a hero.
But because Jesus is the anti-Jonah.
Jesus is the prophet:
Who runs toward enemies, not away from them,
Who dies for sinners rather than demanding their death,
Who proclaims a Kingdom that transcends every nation, race, and ideology.
Christian Nationalism: A Modern Jonah Problem
Christian nationalism is not Christianity.
Christian nationalism is Jonah’s religion, not Jesus’.
Christian nationalism is a faith that seeks power over enemies rather than transformation through love.
It is a religion of borders, not bridges.
It is a faith more devoted to a flag than a cross.
And like Jonah, it is a distortion of God’s mission.
Signs of Christian Nationalism in Today’s Church:
Defining Christianity by who we oppose rather than how we love.
Merging faith and national identity, making them indistinguishable.
Equating God’s will with political power and legislative dominance.
Demonizing outsiders rather than welcoming them.
Preaching retribution over restoration, celebrating punishment rather than repentance.
The Prophetic Choice: Jonah or Jesus?
Every generation must choose which kind of prophet it will follow.
Jonah wanted Nineveh destroyed.
Jesus wanted Jerusalem saved.
Jonah sat outside the city waiting for wrath.
Jesus wept over the city and died to redeem it.
Jonah wanted to limit God’s mercy.
Jesus blew the doors of grace wide open.
Right now, in America and beyond, the church is at a crossroads.
Will we cling to a faith that seeks:
Dominance,
Power, and
Vengeance?
Or will we embrace a Kingdom that:
Welcomes,
Forgives, and
Transforms?
Will we follow the angry nationalism of Jonah?
Or will we follow the radical, enemy-loving Jesus?
One leads to resentment.
The other leads to resurrection.
One fuels division.
The other brings reconciliation.
One builds walls.
The other builds a Kingdom.
The choice is before us. Which prophet will we follow?
What do you think? How do we resist the pull of Christian nationalism and embrace the Kingdom? Let’s talk.
Note: this post was originally published in March 2025, but I decided to make a few edits and send it back out because it is still relevant.