NATIONALISM... or GLOBALISM?

 

NATIONALISM OR GLOBALISM?

Pastor Terry l. Reese, 10/31/24

 

 “He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, that they should seek the Lord…”—Acts 17:26-27a:

"Europa" rising from the midst of nations; outside EU Parliament.

The EU's "Tower of Babel" Parliament Building.

 

In his Farewell Address, President George Washington warned the American people about entering into long-term alliances with foreigners (e.g., NATO), which he believed would have a toxic influence upon our Republic.

 

For a century, we more-or-less observed this counsel—until the rise of modern crusading Progressivism. Both Wilsonian Idealists and Neocons have convinced generations of Americans—both left & right—that it is our “mission” to depose foreign regimes if their philosophy of governance is disagreeable to our own. Thus, in 2003 Americans conquered a sovereign Arab republic (Iraq) in a well-meaning but nonetheless ill-advised attempt to impose “American values” upon a nation whose people were culturally unprepared for it—with sadly predictable results!

 

Addressing the Athenians (Acts 17), Paul observes that God created diverse nations with their own appointed times and borders. This arose out of the disaster of Babel, when sinful men, under the leadership of Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-12), ignored God’s directive to “fill the earth” (Gen. 9:1) and initiated a one-world government (Gen. 11:1-4). In judgment, God confused their languages and dispersed the nations—thus delivering mankind from the boundless evils (Gen. 11:6) and tyranny (Rev. 13) that would have accompanied such an Antichrist global-regime.

 

True, nations still engage in petty rivalries, warring against one another—and will do so until the Lord returns (Matt. 24:6-7). But the organization of peoples into distinct sovereign nation-states is far preferable to the alternative—which is one-world government!

 

Many evangelicals in recent years have been taught by Progressives to fear the specter and bogeyman of so-called "Christian Nationalism." But in response, let us observe the following:

 

1) Patriotism—properly observed—is a godly pilgrim virtue (Jer. 29:7)!

 

2) Borders are by Divine design!

 

3) Even in the Millennium (Micah 4:2, Isa. 19:25) and in the Eternal State (Rev. 21:24, 22:2) national distinctions remain!

 

4) The diffusion of temporal power amongst separate nations has been providentially conducive to the advance of the Gospel. 

"Christian Nationalism" is NOT the historic Christian Church's problem--but Progressive, left-leaning worldly Evangelicalism most certainly is!