I live in multi-cultural area. And it is a fantastic place to be. I am exposed and interact with people form all faiths, cultures, and nationalities. Where as others see danger, I see opportunity. Today’s blog is more for my brethren here in the United States. The Holy Spirit through scripture reminds us:
We are commanded not to oppress the alien / foreigner / sojourner:
- Jeremiah 7:6 NASB – 6 [if] you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin,
- Ezekiel 22:7-8 NASB – 7 “They have treated father and mother lightly within you. The alien they have oppressed in your midst; the fatherless and the widow they have wronged in you. 8 “You have despised My holy things and profaned My sabbaths.
- Malachi 3:5 NASB – 5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.
Because as the household of faith we were:
- Acts 7:6 NASB – 6 “But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.
- Acts 7:29 NASB – 29 “At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he became the father of two sons.
- Hebrews 11:9 NASB – 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign [land,] dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
And as the household of faith we are to consider ourselves:
- 1 Peter 1:1 NASB – 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
- 1 Peter 2:11 NASB – 11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Therefore God wants us to welcome the alien into our midst:
- Mark 16:15 NASB – 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
- Zechariah 8:22 ESV – 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.
- Revelation 15:4 ESV – 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
The unspoken theology of the modern church in America is that the alien is to be feared. Yet the number one command of scripture is to “Fear not.” The reality is either we are praying “Here I am Lord send me” or God will bring the foreigner to us. The real stranger danger is that we will be a danger to the stranger. Are there those who would want to due us harm out of envy, of course. But as our own struggle against racism has shown, one does not have to be a foreigner to be a danger to our safety and well being. History has shown that the overwhelming majority who have come to the United States do so to escape tyranny, not to bring it.
President Regan did not see a wall was needed to make America Great Again, instead, quite the opposite:
“Through this Golden Door has come millions of men and women. These families came here to work. Others came to America and often harrowing conditions. They didn’t ask what this country could do for them but what they could do to make this refuge the greatest home of freedom in history. They brought with them courage and the values of family, work, and freedom. Let us pledge to each other that we can make America great again.”
But instead of trying so hard as Christians in the United states trying to make the United States Great Again, instead how about we work to make God’s Name known amongst the nations as Great Again!
- Psalm 2:8 NASB – 8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the [very] ends of the earth as Your possession.
Because all the earth is the Lord’s not just those who reside in the United States.
- Exodus 19:5-6 NASB – 5 ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
Unspoken Theology 