ryan retweeted
This may seem like a churchy catchphrase, but when it comes to how we approach politics, it absolutely is a Christian value to say your government should put “[insert your nation here] first.
Just as it would be fundamentally unjust and wicked for a father, at the behest of some elite benefactor, to overlook the needs of his own children in order to give their inheritance to others who are not his, it is similarly wicked for a nation’s rulers to sell out the needs of their own citizens for the benefit of foreign interests.
God gave us the best design for ordered societies, and in it, the role of government is protecting its people.
First, the Bible teaches that God sovereignly establishes nations with defined boundaries and purposes. This means each nation has a responsibility to maintain its integrity and care for its citizens. Acts 17:26 states that God "made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place."
This divine ordination of borders suggests that nations are not arbitrary but part of God's order, and dissolving them through unchecked immigration undermines that design.
Similarly, in the Old Testament, God delineates specific borders for Israel (Numbers 34:1-12), and leaders like Nehemiah prioritize rebuilding walls to protect the nation's people from external threats and disorder (Nehemiah 2:17; 4:13-14). This gives us a model that secure borders are essential to national well-being and a reproach when neglected.
Second, Scripture assigns governments a God-given role to act as ministers for the good of their people, which includes protecting citizens, maintaining order, and enforcing laws. Romans 13:1-4 describes governing authorities as "God's servant for your good," bearing the sword to punish wrongdoing and promote justice.
This mandate implies prioritizing the security and welfare of those under their jurisdiction—citizens—over outsiders, as failing to do so could invite chaos, crime, or exploitation.
In the Old Testament, kings are instructed to uphold the law for the protection of their people (Deuteronomy 17:18-19), and examples like the Israelites respecting other nations' borders (Numbers 20:17-21) show that sovereignty demands control over who enters, without obligation to unrestricted access.
Third, we have the principle of ordered charity—or *ordo amoris* in Christian ethics. This supports prioritizing one's own before extending help to others. 1 Timothy 5:8 warns, "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
While this directly applies to families, it extends analogously to communities and nations, as early Christian thinkers like Thomas Aquinas argued that charity demands greater care for those closest, such as fellow countrymen, before foreigners.
A government that neglects its citizens' needs, such as housing, resources, or security, to favor non-citizens fails this biblical duty, harming the common good it is called to uphold.
Finally, while the Bible commands compassion for foreigners (e.g., "You shall not oppress a sojourner" in Exodus 22:21 and treating them as natives in Leviticus 19:33-34), this is balanced with requirements for assimilation and lawful entry. Foreigners must abide by the same laws as citizens (Exodus 12:49; Leviticus 24:22), and nations retain the right to limit access or exclude those who do not integrate or respect the host society's values.
Unregulated entry is likened to theft in John 10:1, where entering "not by the door" marks one as a robber, underscoring the need for orderly processes.
So well, I would never take part in the ethnic hatred that some who use the phrase and endorse, as a general political position, yes, it is perfectly Christian for the American government to see its duty as “America First.”
Jesus didn’t come to stand with the marginalized. He came to stand for all of humanity, because every one of us is poor, blind, and broken in need of grace.
ryan retweeted
In a culture that devalues men, God is still looking for mighty men.
Men of honor, men of humility, men of great faith, men who are servant leaders, men who would lay down their lives like Christ did.
We live in a world that is loosing its sense of history and normalcy. In fact, it’s nearly gone.
This is vital for the Church—and probably many conservatives—to understand.
Henri Nouwen said, “we have to realize that most Christian preaching is still based on the presupposition that man sees himself as meaningfully integrated with a history in which God came to us in the past, is living under us in the present, and will come to liberate us in the future. But when man's historical consciousness is broken, the whole Christian message seems like a lecture about the great pioneers to a boy on an acid trip.”
We cannot start with the presumption that people have a cultural and historical grasp on Jesus, the Church, and morality. We have to take a step back and patiently and calmly build a foundation of understanding.
We can’t assume our culture thinks like we do. This only leads to anger and frustration for both the listener and the preacher and devolves into a “how can they think that way” dead end.
Like a missionary first learns the language of the people he is preaching to, so must we now in a foreign-thinking society learn the language of culture.
This is not bowing down to our culture, this is serving those held captive by it.
When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.
—Proverbs 29:2
*cue groaning sound
Never was a big believer in the shroud of Turin but this is interesting.. 🤔
newsweek.com/turin-shroud-st…
The schemes of the enemy always come down to three main attacks against God’s creation: steal, kill, and destroy.
If a philosophy elevates robing a person of something, reducing population in any way, or destroying the fruit of those created in the image of God, we know where it comes from.
ryan retweeted
BREAKING: DNC Attendees Will Have Opportunities For Free Vasectomies & Abortions
“Attendees at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago will have the opportunity to receive free vasectomies and abortions blocks away from the proceedings at the United Center” - DC
