Who Are The Refugees?

John 5: 24

Why do people who claim to love the God who was revealed to mankind through Yeshua Christ (the Messiah) have a hard time looking past political lines?

Hypocrisy, confusion and identity-crisis are three terms that come to mind.

Isn't a political line something derived from man's imagination?

Let's look at what was written in the Law of Moses regarding foreigners (some parts of the law being specifically for Israel and for a set time) and what it talks about:

When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I Am the Lord your God. 

- Leviticus 19: 33-34

Although Israel was commanded by God not to intermingle with other peoples / tribes / nations, it seems the Israelites had an open-door policy towards incoming peoples.

Doesn't it speak to the manner one is to treat those who are not related, or not of the same identifying demographic?

It is always a good reminder that the old testament's lawful requirements have been fulfilled in Christ.
When we look at the old way for instruction, not everything is applicable under the new covenant (the new Way), while some things do continue; the moral codes.

That passage in Leviticus 19 is exactly what Jesus was pointing to when His followers considered being 'leaders' over others.

Identity has a lot to do with human beings; how they seem themselves and how they view others.

God set Israel apart to establish Himself in the psyche of that people and to exemplify many things to those on the outside.

Israel's identity was realized through God.

However, as time pressed on, some Israelites eventually developed an identity of their own apart from God's commands.

Some began to make up rules for themselves and their religious practices drifted from obedience to God's commands to based on superficial things, like identity, their thoughts and the manner they saw things, not how God called things.

Yeshua restored God-centered identity, now being defined beyond a bloodline (which was the purpose of God to reveal His Messiah), now brought through new birth by the Spirit through and among all of mankind (Gentiles and Jews).

When people look at politics, they are tempted to identify with exterior identifiers, like a flag, or a narrative in history, a certain heritage, but not as children of God (which supersedes all identities, tribes, groups of people, etc., according to God).

There are no political lines in the kingdom of God, but only light shining among the darkness.

The confusion happens all the time when people desire to label themselves and others, instead of submitting to what God has called them to; being one family in Christ.

Is Yeshua an American, or even a 'Christian' as people look at Christians from outside the invisible kingdom within?

People assume a nation is "Christian" when that notion is on the surface of things.

But is there such a thing as a political manifestation of a Christian nation when “the kingdom of God is within you” ?

No man can tell who is or isn't a part of the kingdom...although people like to judge by appearances and say “you are not a U.S. citizen” or “you are not a Christian”.

People cannot see another person's heart, thus they cannot physically perceive the kingdom of God inside another human being...nor can they foretell who will and who will not receive the kingdom.

Political ideas are things made up by men, but the kingdom of God is something beyond what men can understand in human terms.

People who move / migrate to a new place for whatever reason, do so to avoid death, persecution, war or something else.

The disciples who fled the earliest persecutions were refugees by definition.

They carried with them the knowledge of the kingdom of God; a renewed identity that went beyond the political borders of Israel, and included all peoples on earth beyond the heritage of Jacob (who was later called Israel).

The “Christian” who denies people from moving to a new place are confused; they are beholden to a faulty and humanistic view of themselves and of others.

They are confused by the political game and the teachings of men (what befell Israel of old) and have yet to realize what God has established and continues to build.

One obvious good work from America, among the many and which is a continuation of the Greek and Roman empires, is that the idea of democracy, freedoms and such, is one of the American Empire's major exports to the world.

The culture that sparks new ideas, as the new covenant had sparked a new way of viewing all of humankind, continues to forward and build upon what God had long intended...yet men rebel against God's hand.

These are ideas that have been a part of God's plan to bring the entire world under the head of Christ.

Notice how this effort continues forward despite incidences of wickedness, or injury...and good is being derived from bad in all its wondrous paradox.

This is why people on the other side of the world love their blue jeans, and desire to not only dress like the west, but imitate the expressions of peace, freedom, respect and love that is hidden beyond the veil of their ideological and religious leanings.

What God continues to do and establish is typically lost among the religious, who are confused by their adherence to political propaganda, racist ideologies and confusing messages in culture and their hearts.

Please do not be deceived into thinking the land you currently reside on is “yours” or that it is the “promised land”, when it is very clear God has promised His faithful not an earthly abode, but a heavenly destination.

Realize the peaceful reality that has been prescribed and destined for you:

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. 

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 

- 1 Peter 2: 11-17

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Yeshua Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. 

- Philippians 3: 20-21

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God... 

Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. 

- Hebrews 11: 9-10, 16

Notice how God grew a people from a single man (Abraham), and then brought that identity of sonship onto the rest of world...a reality that no single place on earth can contain.

Be not confused in fighting over dirt which was called by one name yesterday, and may be called by another name tomorrow.

Be not of the wicked in preventing those who may be seeking the Lord you worship, by being an example of the hostility they are fleeing from.

Your home, your kingdom, is not of this world.

Let the wicked fight over the things of this world.