When we hear about tariffs, sanctions, or foreign policy clashes in the news, we tend to respond in one of three ways.
Some swell with patriotic pride, viewing economic nationalism as a stand for sovereignty. Others panic—worrying about our retirement accounts, supply chains, or the price of milk. Most of us, if we’re honest, just shrug and go back to scrolling.
But major political and economic shifts cannot be shrugged off. They can result in seismic cultural change far beyond the market. They expose our assumptions, our priorities—and sometimes, our theology.
One of the false assumptions we often carry is that the world will always operate under the same rules of global trade and soft borders. We treat the globalist status quo as permanent and moral. But Scripture challenges that vision.
The Tower of Babel: Globalism 1.0
Genesis 11 recounts humanity’s first unified effort at building a single civilization apart from God. The builders of Babel wanted to stay together, speak one language, and exalt themselves with a city and tower. Their efforts were far more insidious than a standard infrastructure initiative; it was outright rebellion against God’s command to spread out and subdue the earth. The Lord responded by scattering them and confusing their language. In doing so, he didn’t merely curse mankind with language barriers but also preserved his initial design to diversify and spread human nations abroad. Distinct nations, cultures, and languages are thus an intentional part of God’s ordering of the world.
In the world as it exists, nations are not equal. They act in their own interests. They protect their people. They compete for influence. Such realpolitik may not sit well with modern sensibilities, but as the name suggests, this state of affairs is the reality of life under the sun—and it reflects something God-given, albeit imperfectly.
Romans 13 teaches that rulers are servants of God for the good of their people. Proverbs 29:4 tells us that justice in leadership brings about national stability. Throughout Scripture, we see faithful rulers act in the interest of their own people; Joseph leveraging Egypt’s resources to bless his family and Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem both come to mind. A nation’s leaders are not charged with saving the whole world but with governing their people well. Thus, it is right for them to act accordingly.
Christians Should Desire the Good of Their Nation—and All Nations
So what about the believer who wants to honor Christ, love his or her country, and also care about the peoples of the world? First, we shouldn’t be ashamed to want our nation to prosper. It is natural and even godly to seek the good of one’s people.
But Christian maturity doesn’t stop there. We are called to desire that all nations come under the rule and reign of Christ. Both instincts—patriotic and missional—belong in the heart of a faithful Christian.
Part of that means looking honestly at the world we live in. We enjoy a life of unprecedented access to goods made across the world, often in harsh and unjust conditions. Even if we can’t unwind the entire system overnight, we should ask what this constant convenience is doing to us.
Virtue is not formed through comfort. A godly man or woman is capable, skillful, and willing to sacrifice. Likewise, a godly society—while not totally independent—tends to value responsibility, work ethic, and resilience.
So, we need to ask: Is the way we live helping us grow in godliness—or eroding it?
The High Cost of Consumerism
Our global trade system depends on consumption. Other nations produce, and America buys. This system is propped up by the habits of our own culture.
But consumption for its own sake stands in contrast to the way of Christ. The Christian life is marked by self-denial and obedience. Jesus calls his followers to die to self, not to indulge every impulse. We are called to serve, not to stockpile.
To obey the Great Commission, we need mature disciples—Christian men and women who are competent, virtuous, self-controlled, and willing to suffer in service of Christ’s cause. Such people don’t depend on ease but walk in endurance.
We Need a Gospel Trade Deficit
That’s why our greatest export should be the gospel—to the nations that don’t have it.
America will win some trade wars and lose others. That’s the nature of geopolitics. But there’s a different kind of imbalance that should weigh more heavily on the conscience of the church: We are awash in gospel resources—Bibles, churches, seminaries, podcasts, books, and conferences—while entire nations remain in darkness, with little to no access to the saving truth of Christ.
This spiritual asymmetry demands action. If there’s one kind of deficit Christians should welcome, it’s a gospel trade deficit. We should be sending far more spiritual capital—missionaries, Scripture, teaching, prayer, and support—out to the nations than we ever receive in return. We’ve been entrusted with much. And to whom much is given, much will be required.
So let the nations conduct themselves as nations. But let the church act like the church. Let us send, proclaim, and suffer for Christ’s sake. Let us export the truth that saves, not just the goods that perish. Let us give away what we cannot keep to offer what the world cannot find without the gospel.
Author: Alex Kocman | https://abwe.org/blog/what-trade-wars-teach-us-about-gods-plans-for-the-nations/
