Biblical Law is the moral character of our Savior. It’s the revelation of God. It’s not confined to words on the pages of Scripture, but is the impact of God’s Presence in your soul, and the driving conviction to serve Him.
Dig into the issue of human nature and history itself will tell you that humans are tribal by instinct. Wise men can tell you that when you mix people together in a cosmopolitan atmosphere, each identity group will advocate for their own advantages. If they vote, then each group will vote for their own welfare, and precious few will think in terms of what’s in the best interest of the whole society. They may even claim that their tribal interest is in everyone’s best interest. Who in their right mind could want anything different? It can be racial, ethnic, religion, or something else, but people will support the agenda of whatever group they identify with most.
However, this is not simply human nature; this is Biblical Law. It shouldn’t be mere instinct, but should be conscious and forthright. The whole range of Law Covenants in the Bible presume that you must stick with your tribe and care for their unique needs and interests. If you don’t, you are a traitor or a spy. You actually belong to some other identity group and you are faking it. What the Bible does require is an honest confession of allegiance.
So anyone who tries to suggest that we should be conditioned and educated to support some cosmopolitan agenda is not just stupid — they are defying God. It’s damned evil; it’s the message of Satan. You cannot possibly have peace with God if you are forsaking a genuine tribal bond for some mythical cosmopolitan agenda.
In our parish, we naturally presume that those who care about Biblical Law will pray to God for guidance as to what their tribal identity should be. To whom do we belong in this world? What is the identity He requires for each of us? It cannot possibly be the same answer for all of us.
That is, it cannot be the same unless you seek to become a part of heart-led mysticism. Sure, root for your favorite sports team, hold fondness for your alma mater, and vote in elections for your home boy or girl. But once you join the family of Christ, all of those things take a back seat. They don’t disappear; they fade from your focus. The cares of this life remain below while your heart of conviction rises to the Spirit Realm.
And the longer that holds, as you progress in subjecting your whole life to the agenda of Heaven, the dimmer those things will be for you. It’s like the chorus of an hold hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
In a certain sense, we don’t care about your ethnic background, your homeland, or any formal religious identity. We don’t care about human laws and political agendas. I’ll tell you what I think about such worldly things, but holding a different opinion won’t affect our fellowship. What we care about is that you are walking the heart-led way and committed to Christ. That makes you part of our tribe, however much you want to be a part. It’s the highest loyalty we have.
