SPIRITUAL GLOBALISM

Globalism has become increasingly popular. It represents the dream of achieving world unity through a borderless and nation-less world. This ideal has also elbowed its way into the Church. Spiritual globalism promises that if we merely raise our vision above our own defensive tribal boundaries and strive to love all equally, we can move in the direction of world unity and peace.

Brian McLaren, of the Emergent Church movement, exemplifies this hope:

• Christians have been taught to see in "us vs. them" terms for centuries, and it will take time to reorient faithful people in a new direction -- "us with them," working for the common good (Huffington Post Religion Blog, 2/19/03).

I don’t think that "us vs. them" is an accurate description of the Christian stance. We are certainly not against the world. We are instructed to pray for all. We also believe in loving all as God has loved us:

·       And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10 ESV)

However, this quotation ends by instructing us to begin with “the household of faith.” Younger Christians, who have grown up with the globalistic worldview, feel uncomfortable with this Biblical teaching. They are convinced that we shouldn’t make any distinctions between people. To them, this is merely a form of tribalism, which inevitably leads to conflict. However, the Bible is packed full of such distinctions, and I think that they are necessary.

For example, we are instructed to honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12; 1 Timothy 5:8). What would happen if we honored and cared for all fathers and mothers equally? Such ingratitude towards our own parents would divide families and cause bitterness. It might also undermine parental commitment to their children, if they anticipate such treatment. As a result, some are purposely aborting female babies, because when they marry, they enter the husband’s household, and this household becomes their primary commitment.

The same principle also pertains to marriage, another Biblically sanctioned distinction and institution:

·       Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

·       Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25, 28)

This principle of oneness and mutual commitment is the health of the family and the community. If, instead, I became a spiritual globalist, I should then love my neighbors’ wives equally, as I do my own wife. This would inevitably cause problems, and would undermine the peace and joy of the family, diminishing our ability and desire to truly “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Luke 10:27). A healthy family can also become giving neighbors.

Consequently, the Biblical model recognizes the need for love to grow out from the center – from those with whom we are intimately connected. If it doesn’t start with our own families, then our love is just an imitation of the real thing. Besides, nature tells us it must start with those with whom we are intimate. If we love the neighbor’s children as much as we do our own, it will breed resentment and suspicion of our motives. We will also be viewed as hypocrites.

Loving everyone equally without distinction might be an attractive ideal, but it is a deadly one. It destroys those who embrace this ideal, unless they come to their senses. For two years, I had lived on various Israeli Kibbutzim of the ultra-Marxist movement, Hashomer Hatziar. They believed that anything that separated people should be eliminated. Therefore, everything was designed communally – child-rearing, eating, and the laundry. Even clothes weren’t individually owned. Instead, when you needed some clean clothing, you simply went to the communal laundry and picked out the pieces you found appealing for that week.

The family was also regarded with suspicion, as an illegitimate form of ownership, which would undermine the unity of the community. The same pertained to marriage. Sex was to be spread equally among the membership along with the jobs in order to prevent the formation of any tribal groupings - classes.

However, human nature would not allow for the continuation of such an ideal. Marxist globalism surrendered to God-designed nature. Eventually, in every community marriages were contracted and the biological children would return to visit their parents for an hour or two in the evenings. Even communal child-rearing is becoming a thing-of-the-past.

Nature demands that love begins at home, and when it does, it extends out to others. I think that this same principle also pertains to both nations and neighborhoods. If I refuse to get involved in my neighborhood improvement effort and instead enlist with a neighborhood some miles away, it will likely breed jealousy and resentment within my own neighborhood. How much better to improve my own neighborhood first! Once it has been improved, to then extend ourselves out to the next neighborhood.

“Tribalism” might lead to zenophobia and suspicion, but it can also lead outreach.