In the world created by a loving God, there was one people, one language, and one set of first parents from whom the human race descended. The earth was continually being filled with people who knew their roots, and every genealogy led back to Adam and Eve. Adam means humanity; Eve means life. You and I were also present in these first people. And if we trace the line of all our ancestors, we will all arrive at Noah and then at Adam, and between them we will meet all our forefathers whose names are recorded in the Bible.
Whether we want it or not, in reality all of us human beings are brothers and sisters, for we have one Father and the same Creators. Genesis 1:26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...”
Because of lawlessness, the whole world was destroyed by the Flood, but Noah and his family were saved from death. All those now living on earth descended from these people.
There was one nation and one language. God promised that He would never again bring a flood upon the whole earth. But the people decided to build themselves a refuge and began erecting a tower. They also sought to make a name for themselves by means of this structure. Genesis 11:4: “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” But God intervened in human affairs and brought about division. Genesis 11:7: “Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
From that moment, all humanity was divided by languages. This is where all tribes, peoples, and races originated.
The enemy of the soul understood that under these circumstances he would not be able to unite all people once again in a common rebellion against God, so he began instilling in people the idea of their national exceptionalism. He sought to convince everyone of the superiority of his own people over others. And since people believe they are better than everyone else, they consider themselves worthy of special honor. Others must serve them or even be their slaves. And the spirit of pride, envy, and love of money drove people into internal conflicts and wars.
Such a spirit was refined over the centuries and has reached us through the experience of past years. It suggests to us the thought of our exceptional status and leads us to regard ourselves as special and superior to others, using the achievements and successes of our ancestors as evidence. There were also those who invented the idea of a master race. And although they are no longer alive, their ideas still trouble many minds.
And where do the spirits of racism and nationalism lead? To a particular kind of pride that hinders spiritual growth and a proper understanding of God’s character.
God once chose Abram in order to bring forth a people from him. Through this nation, the Lord desired to reveal to the world the beauty of God’s law and character. From this nation, He sought to give the world the Savior, in Whom all people would once again become one family and one people.
And this plan of God went into effect and was fulfilled. The whole world received a clear testimony concerning God’s requirements and laws. The true character of God was revealed in the life of Jesus. Those who believed in Christ became one multinational family, having God as their Father while retaining the distinctive features of their own people and race.
But the proud spirit of national exceptionalism does not die. It finds disciples through whom it convinces people that they are special, exceptional, and better than others, while the language barrier makes this task very easy.
But God resisteth the proud. He becomes the Enemy of all who exalt themselves above others in this way.
The language barrier creates certain difficulties in communicating with people. It takes a great deal of time to learn a foreign language and acquire the ability to speak and understand it. Some people know several languages from childhood and can communicate freely in each of them. The enemy of the soul tries to persuade me that those who do not understand me are inferior to me.
The color of my skin may also cause me to regard myself as a representative of a special race. I may begin to take pride in being different from people of another skin color.
Where does national or racial exceptionalism lead me? By exalting myself above others, even without saying a single word, I may approve the destruction of people who are unlike me. We know many examples from history in which entire nations and peoples were eradicated because someone began to exalt himself above them and teach his compatriots to do the same. Unfortunately, this spirit still finds followers in our time.
Love does not boast, does not exalt itself, and does not behave itself unseemly. Its vocabulary contains no insulting words such as “churka,” “black,” “Moskal,” “katsap,” “khokhol,” “kike,” and others. Love respects every person regardless of his language, skin color, or nationality. God created us with these differences, and He saves each of us in our native language. God understands prayers in every tongue and knows how to speak each one. The angels also know all the languages of the world and can communicate in them. Love may encounter difficulties in expressing itself in words, but it possesses the spirit and deeds of love, which are understood in every language. Love is friendly toward all people, and it is ready to serve everyone who comes within its sphere of influence. It is ready to give itself to everyone who will receive it. It loves every person because that is its nature, and it cannot be otherwise.
Love is international, and among every people it reveals itself in accordance with God’s character and the requirements of His law. Its purposes are pure, and it builds no barriers in relationships.
Love has enemies that it hates: sin and carnal thinking, subjects of the kingdom of darkness. Love deals mercilessly with them and destroys them wherever it comes to establish God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven.
The kingdom of love is an everlasting kingdom. In this country lives a special people, born again in order to love. These people speak different languages of agape, but they do not divide anyone into better and worse. They regard everyone as worthy of love, and everyone will receive it if he so desires.
And love seeks new friends in order to make them part of its people and gladden their hearts throughout their lives and all Eternity. No one has ever died from love in all the days of human history. And love has always been the effective solution to every conflict and war, through which everything ended peacefully.
Where there is love, there are joy, happiness, and friendship. Where God is, there are life and love, for He is Love.
But where nationalism and racism are, there is death. And pride gives me the right to death, which will become my reward for all my works of the flesh.
Each time, I can choose which path I will follow today and whom I will serve. I choose love.
Homework 63
Please read Genesis 11:1–9; Romans 2:28–29; Romans 8:14; and Galatians 3:26–29, and consider these verses in the light of our lesson. What revelations did you receive while studying this subject? What did you understand from this lesson? From what source do nationalism and racism come? Why did God command Israel to drive out or destroy certain peoples? See Numbers 33:55. How should I fight this vice if I see it within myself? And what should I do if I see it in a friend? Are racism and nationalism always evil?