Nationalism

Rahab the Canaanite believed in the God of Israel, and was welcomed into Israel. Ruth the Moabite the same. These two were early examples of a principle that was clear in the Law of Moses, and was then made very clear in the New Testament. The nationality we’re born into does not matter. What matters is faith in the God of Israel, extended in the New Testament to include His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter was sent by the Lord to a Roman soldier named Cornelius, as a demonstration. Peter himself had to be convinced, but ultimately he declared, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34-35)

At the time, this was a radical idea. Arguably it shouldn’t have been. Yes, Jesus came as the Jewish Messiah, in fulfillment of promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the forefathers of the nation of Israel. Mostly Jesus did operate within the land promised to those patriarchs and to the nation. However on several occasions, Jesus himself interacted with, healed and even praised faithful Gentiles. (John 4:5-42, Matthew 15:21-28, Matthew 8:5-13, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 17:11-19) Jesus had also commissioned his apostles to spread the gospel message to all nations. (Mark 16:15-16, Acts 1:8)

The apostles ought to have gotten the hint. They didn’t, hence the powerful demonstration the Lord provided through Cornelius and his family and friends. Most of the believers got it: “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:18)

Unfortunately, there was a stubborn core within the early church, who insisted that non-Jews become Jews first, by means of circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses—only then could they be Christians. These folks made trouble through the rest of the New Testament. Paul in particular had to deal with this over and over. (Galatians 3, Acts 15:1-21, Ephesians 2:11-22)

But nationality and social status simply do not matter to Jesus Christ. Paul put it plainly: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11)

I can hear you thinking, “Yeah, yeah, so what’s your point?” I’m pretty sure none of this is new for you.

Here’s the point. The folks who were making trouble over these distinctions, weren’t unbelievers. They were brothers and sisters in Christ, members of the church—but they were still carrying baggage they’d brought in from their previous lives. It put them on the wrong side of the work of Christ, and that’s a place we don’t want to be.

We may not like to admit it, but we humans are prone to this problem. The world around us vigorously promotes nationalism. Could some of that baggage get carried in? Of course it could. You may have seen it.

We want to be on the right side of the work of Christ. The great “faith chapter” shows us what it looks like:

For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:14-16)

No earthly nation claimed their loyalty. Their hearts belonged only to the heavenly one.

Love, Paul