--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: any suggestion that God has returned to…" description: "\"“any suggestion that God has returned to his Old Testament theocratic mode of operation—as in raising up America as a uniquely favored nation—is not on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/gregory-a-boyd-9424_bible_any-suggestion-that-god-has-returned-to_1468889.jpg" --- # any suggestion that God has returned to his Old Testament… ![“any suggestion that God has returned to his Old Testament theocratic mode of operation—as in raising up America as a uniquely favored nation—is not only unwarranted, it is a direct assault on the distinct holiness of Jesus Christ and the kingdom he died to establish.” quote by Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/gregory-a-boyd-9424_bible_any-suggestion-that-god-has-returned-to_1468889.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/gregory-a-boyd-9424_bible_any-suggestion-that-god-has-returned-to_1468889.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/221/gregory-a-boyd-9424_bible_any-suggestion-that-god-has-returned-to_1468889.jpg) > ““any suggestion that God has returned to his Old Testament theocratic mode of operation—as in raising up America as a uniquely favored nation—is not only unwarranted, it is a direct assault on the distinct holiness of Jesus Christ and the kingdom he died to establish.”” [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The claim that America is a modern theocracy undermines Jesus’ unique holiness and the kingdom he intended to establish. **In simple terms:** America as a theocracy threatens Jesus’ holiness. Key Takeaway Recognize the distinct mission of Christ beyond national narratives. Themes theology politics religion national identity Mood reflective critical Type theological political When to use this quote - church teaching - political discourse - public policy - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts theocratic claims holiness kingdom purpose Questions to Reflect On - How does national identity affect religious interpretation? - What does “kingdom” mean beyond politics? A Different Perspective It can oversimplify complex historical and theological realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Single mothers are raising more of America's children than ever before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/single-mothers-are-raising-more-of-america-s-children-than-ever-before/) [Gayle Tzemach Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-tzemach-lemmon/) > [“New political systems and philosophies were imported into the Near East under the general term democracy and grafted artificially into a society which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-de-gaury/new-political-systems-and-philosophies-were-imported-into-the-near/) Gerald De Gaury > [Academic institutions in Britain have been infiltrated for years by dangerous theocratic fantasists. 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He preached, instead of democracy, a version of theocratic rule within a framework given by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/in-politics-joseph-smith-was-something-of-a-radical-he-preached/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [When you claim to have the truth, as opposed to the truth as you perceive it, then you move us toward a theocratic view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-robinson/when-you-claim-to-have-the-truth-as-opposed-to-the-truth-as-you/) [Gene Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-robinson/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“When we connect the death of Christ to the Old Testament, as Paul tells us we should,45 we can see the destruction of Jerusalem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright-2/when-we-connect-the-death-of-christ-to-the-old-testament-as-paul/) [Christopher J.H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright-2/) > [“In the end, ethical interpretation of the Bible means to think critically about how our practices of textual engagement might help us to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-brueggemann/in-the-end-ethical-interpretation-of-the-bible-means-to-think/) [Walter Brueggemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-brueggemann/) > [Who wrote the Bible? Current scholarship, to my knowledge, assumes that the material that constitutes the Old Testament was put together from various oral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/who-wrote-the-bible-current-scholarship-to-my-knowledge-assumes-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“‎A careful reading of the Old and New Testaments shows that idolatry is nothing like the crude picture that springs to mind of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-keyes/a-careful-reading-of-the-old-and-new-testaments-shows-that-idolatry/) Richard Keyes > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) Twe Stephens > [“May Christ, indeed, be the theme of your song. CONCLUSION If you are like me, this may be the first thing in the book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-christ-indeed-be-the-theme-of-your-song-conclusion-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Jesus was not just a man filled with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or blessed with the presence of God, like the prophets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-g-norris/jesus-was-not-just-a-man-filled-with-the-baptism-of-the-holy-spirit/) S.G. Norris > [“Jesus and Paul knew the Old Testament completely. Their comments about divorce were meant to add to, not replace or change, what was already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-abbott/jesus-and-paul-knew-the-old-testament-completely-their-comments-about/) Caroline Abbott > [“days of the earliest Church? I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## More by Gregory A. Boyd > [“Consider these questions: Did Jesus ever suggest by word of example that we should aspire to acquire, let alone take over, the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/consider-these-questions-did-jesus-ever-suggest-by-word-of-example/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God as a radical alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, whether they declare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-came-to-establish-the-kingdom-of-god-as-a-radical-alternative/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“God took on our humanity, our sin, and the just punishment that sin deserves, dying a God-forsaken, hellish death on the cross, because only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/god-took-on-our-humanity-our-sin-and-the-just-punishment-that-sin/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [The holiness of the kingdom of God must be preserved. If Jesus refused to acknowledge and fight for Israel as God's favored nation- even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-holiness-of-the-kingdom-of-god-must-be-preserved-if-jesus-refused/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Coming under others has a power to do what laws and bullets and bombs can never do—namely, bring about transformation in an enemy’s heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/coming-under-others-has-a-power-to-do-what-laws-and-bullets-and-bombs/) [Gregory A. 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Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Accommodation is a central aspect of the cross-centered interpretation of violent portraits of God that I'm advocating. Like everything else in Cross Vision, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/accommodation-is-a-central-aspect-of-the-cross-centered/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Second, if you disbelieve in the reality of good and evil spirit agents, you fundamentally change the narrative of Scripture. The motif of spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/second-if-you-disbelieve-in-the-reality-of-good-and-evil-spirit/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“many people have trouble passionately loving and living for God because they have a mental picture of him that inspires anything but passion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-people-have-trouble-passionately-loving-and-living-for-god/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“I believe a significant segment of American evangelicalism is guilty of nationalistic and political idolatry. To a frightful degree, I think, evangelicals fuse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/i-believe-a-significant-segment-of-american-evangelicalism-is-guilty/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Our central job is not to solve the world’s problems. Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/our-central-job-is-not-to-solve-the-world-s-problems-our-job-is-to/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“So too, since Christ has in principle defeated the fallen "gods" (principalities and powers) who have for ages inspired injustice, cruelty and apathy toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/so-too-since-christ-has-in-principle-defeated-the-fallen-gods/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“the reason God now calls kingdom people to remain separate from the ways of the kingdom-of-the-world is not to isolate them from their culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-reason-god-now-calls-kingdom-people-to-remain-separate-from-the/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) [Explore all 73 Gregory A. Boyd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. 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