Beware Christian Nationalism

I recently saw the following on Facebook. It is from a sermon Swiss theologian Karl Barth preached in August of 1914, three weeks into the first World War. It is an appropriate word of caution should we be tempted by any appeal to Christian nationalism.

"It is simply out of the question that God 'helps' the Germans or the French or the English. God does not even 'help' us Swiss. God helps justice and love. God helps the kingdom of heaven, and that exists across all national boundaries. 'God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth' (John 4:24). The foolish mixing of patriotism, war enthusiasm, and Christian faith could one day lead to the bitterest disappointment. 'He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision' (Ps. 2:4). We will not join in drinking this intoxicating potion. We want to look steadfastly and unwaveringly here to God, who loves everyone equally, who is above all the nations, from whom all have similarly departed, and from whose glory they have fallen short (see Rom. 3:23) -- the God who in like manner wants to draw all people to himself and gather them under the rule of his good and holy will."