We live in a time of profound dislocation. The God-ordained institutions of family and church have both been relentlessly attacked, leaving many unrooted and transient. The natural affections that once bound people to one another have been eroded, replaced by cold individualism or destructive ideologies. Our age mirrors the grim reality described in 2 Timothy 3: people are “without natural affection.” Even the concept of a nation has been redefined as a mere abstraction, severed from the bonds of a shared people and place. These fractures in society reflect a deeper spiritual disorder, making it imperative for Christians to recover a biblical understanding of natural affections and their role in God’s providential design.

Good doctrine is not merely an intellectual exercise; it must aim at love. As the Apostle Paul wrote, the goal of our instruction is “love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). True doctrine strengthens our faith in Christ, convicts us of sin, and calls us to repentance, leading to a clear conscience before God. From this foundation, believers grow in love for God and neighbor, fulfilling the two greatest commandments. A proper understanding of natural affections—those God-given loves for family, community, and nation—supports this aim, orienting us to love rightly in accordance with God’s will.

In a world increasingly defined by ideologies—some that exploit natural affections for sinful purposes and others that seek to erase or undermine them altogether—Christians must stand firmly on the unchanging truths of God. The doctrine of natural affection, rooted in Nature, upheld in Scripture, and reflective of God’s providential order, provides the framework for rightly ordering our loves: love for God above all, love for His Church, and love for the natural relationships He has ordained, such as family and nation.

This statement is a response to the confusion, distortions, and challenges of our time. It aims to affirm the biblical foundations of natural affection, to reject the sinful ideologies that twist or deny these truths, and to call Christians to exercise wisdom, discernment, and faithfulness in their duties to God and neighbor. I am under no delusions that this statement says all that could be said or even needs to be said on this topic. I also recognize that there may still be areas of disagreement among faithful brothers who might sign this document, particularly in how its truths are applied or in areas it does not directly address. Furthermore, I acknowledge that this statement lacks ecclesiastical binding power and may benefit from improvement.

That said, while it may not be timeless in the way that the great creeds and confessions of the Church are, I believe it is timely. And where it accurately reflects biblical truth, those truths are indeed timeless. You are therefore invited to sign and share the document. Feel free to articulate additional areas of application.

Therefore, may God use this statement to bring clarity to this issue and foster unity among brothers in Christ who are wrestling with these matters. May the name of Christ be honored, and may we all grow in true affection for our neighbors, to the glory of God.

Sincerely,

I affirm that God created man, male and female, in His image, and that all peoples share in this divine imprint (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:4-6).

I affirm that the gospel is the power of salvation for all who believe—Jew and Gentile alike (Romans 1:16; Galatians 3:28).

I affirm that my highest loyalty and ultimate duty are to the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who is the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of all things (Matthew 22:37-38).

I affirm that God has ordained natural relationships, such as family and nation, and that I have God-given duties and loyalties to these relationships (Exodus 20:12; Romans 13:1-7).

I affirm that God has also established spiritual relationships in His Church, and I have duties and loyalties to the body of Christ, which includes fellow brothers and sisters in the faith (Ephesians 2:19-22).

I affirm that the Church relationship does not destroy or negate the duties and loyalties I owe to my natural relationships but transforms and orders them rightly under God’s law (Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Timothy 5:8).

I affirm that there are times when competing loyalties and duties arise, and it takes wisdom, guided by God’s Word, to discern which relationship or duty must take precedence in a given circumstance (Matthew 10:34-37; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35).

I affirm that there are times when my duties and loyalties to the Church and to fellow Christians override those to my natural family or nation, as obedience to God must always take precedence (Acts 5:29; Matthew 12:50).

I affirm that there are also times when my duties and loyalties to my natural family or nation must take precedence over duties to the visible Church, as God commands me to honor these relationships and fulfill my responsibilities within them (1 Timothy 5:4).

I affirm that I can love and have genuine concern for believers in other nations while maintaining a greater concern, care, loyalty, and duty to my immediate neighbors, even those who are unbelieving (Luke 10:27-37; Galatians 6:10).

I affirm that natural affection for one’s own people—one’s family, tribe, or nation—is a God-given virtue, rooted in the command to love one’s neighbor, starting with those nearest to you (1 Timothy 5:8).

I affirm that nations, like families, are ordained by God, and it is natural and right for a man to love his people as he loves his own household. The instinct to protect one’s own is not a sin but a reflection of God’s providential order (Acts 17:26-27).

I affirm that the Biblical and natural order presents nations as people groups with shared land, lineage, language, laws, loves, and liturgies (religion). Nations have always been more than merely land and lineage, but biblically, they have never been less. I further affirm, however, that even innate characteristics such as lineage can adapt over time. (Gen 10-12).

I affirm that assimilation into a nation is possible through providence, legal allowance, intentional effort, and time - full assimilation, often requiring more than one generation. Decisions by civil authorities to regulate assimilation do not inherently constitute sinful ethnic bias (Ruth 1:16-17, Deuteronomy 23:7-8).

I affirm that every nation is unique in its culture, history, and place under God, and it is right to celebrate the distinctiveness of one’s own nation, so long as those distinctions are not in contradiction to the Scripture, without disparaging others (Revelation 7:9).

I affirm that a true Christian seeks the good of one’s nation through justice, mercy, and humble submission to God, not through sinful expressions of racial vainglory, racial subjugation, or hatred of others which contradict the law of God (Micah 6:8).

I affirm that a truthful and proportionate delight in, and thankfulness for, the excellent gifts of nature and grace given to one’s own people does not constitute sin (Psalm 144:15). On the contrary, a lack of natural affection for one’s own family, community, and nation is indeed a sin, as indicated in Scripture (2 Timothy 3:2-3, Romans 1:31).

I affirm that, as the Apostle Paul noted in his letter to Titus, families, nations, races, and other people groups can exhibit sinful proclivities and distinct cultural tendencies, reflecting the effects of the Fall in unique ways (Titus 1:12-13). These tendencies, however, do not diminish the eternal value, dignity, or worth of any individual or group, as all are made in the image of God and equally in need of salvation through Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:27; Acts 17:26-27).

I affirm that these differences serve to remind us of our universal dependence on God’s grace and the transformative power of the gospel.

I affirm that while natural affections for one’s family, community, and nation are God-given and rooted in His providential order, sinful ideologies have arisen that either twist and exploit these affections for ungodly, anti-Christian purposes, or oppose and seek to undermine them altogether (2 Timothy 3:2-4).

I affirm that Nazism was, and is, an anti-Christian ideology that exalts the state as savior and god. Examples of anti-Christian National Socialist ideology which I condemn include denial or denigration of the Judaic ancestry of Jesus Christ, denial or deemphasis of the Old Testament Scriptures as authoritative and inerrant Scripture, and appeals to state authority and national will to justify abuses of state power. Examples of abuses of state power include rescinding the legitimate civil rights of innocent political dissenters and minorities, unjustified acts of aggression against neighboring nations, and the intentional killing of civilian noncombatants (Psalm 2; Matthew 5:17-18; Romans 9:5; Matthew 1:1; Jeremiah 22:3; Isaiah 10:1-2) .

I affirm that while the Allied powers rightly opposed the evils of Nazis, that some of their actions violated Christian principles of justice and morality. Additionally, I reject the egalitarian ideologies of communism and secular liberalism promoted by some Allied powers, as these are contrary to biblical truth (Proverbs 11:1; Colossians 2:8).

I affirm that the “woke” social justice movement is an anti-Christian ideology that distorts the biblical call for justice and mercy by promoting envy, division, and rebellion against God’s ordained order and fostering hatred under the guise of equity (Galatians 5:19-21).

I affirm that God created marriage as a covenantal union between one man and one woman, instituted for His glory, for mutual help, procreation, fighting temptation and the demonstration of Christ’s love for His Church (Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:31-32).

I affirm that marriage can lawfully occur between people of different ethnicities and races, as there is no biblical prohibition against such unions, and all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 41:45, Acts 17:26).

I affirm that wisdom should always be pursued when deciding whom to marry, including a careful consideration of spiritual maturity, shared values, and potential cultural differences that could affect the unity of the marriage (Proverbs 4:7; Amos 3:3).

I affirm that it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Amos 3:3).

I affirm that children of mixed race are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God, possessing equal dignity, value, and worth as any other human (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:14; Galatians 3:28).

I deny that it is sinful to marry someone of a different ethnicity or race, as such unions are not forbidden by Scripture and are consistent with God’s design for marriage (Genesis 41:45, Numbers 12:1-8).

I deny that it is always unwise to marry someone of a different ethnicity or race, as wisdom is situational and depends on the maturity, love, and commitment of the individuals involved (James 1:5; Proverbs 3:5-4; Proverbs 19:14).

I deny that those who profess Christ should marry an unbeliever or that the godly should marry such that are notoriously wicked or maintain damnable heresies (2 Corinthians 6:14-15; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Ezra 9:14).

I deny that the spiritual relationships established in the Church destroy or nullify my duties and loyalties to my natural relationships, as God has ordained both for His glory and my good (1 Corinthians 7:12-14).

I deny that my natural relationships, such as family and nation, are always of higher loyalty and duty than my spiritual relationships in Christ, as loyalty to God must come first, and his Word is the ultimate guide for determining where to devote my time, energy, and resources in each situation (Matthew 10:37-39).

I deny that my love for the Church, including its members in other nations, diminishes my responsibility to love and care for my local community, including my unbelieving neighbors (Romans 13:8-10).

I deny that competing loyalties and duties can be resolved without wisdom, prayer, and reliance on Scripture, as the prioritization of these duties depends on the specific circumstances under God’s providence (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I deny ideologies such as liberalism that reduce nations to abstract propositions like equality, or Darwinian determinism that reduces nations to biological features alone (Acts 17:26; Deuteronomy 32:8).

I deny that Hitler was a Christian prince or that Nazism was a Christian nationalist project (Matthew 7:15-16; Romans 12:9; Exodus 20:13).

I deny that the crimes of modern globalism or cultural Marxism excuse or justify adherence to Nazism or its ideals. To fight one devil by bowing to another is the act of a fool (Romans 12:21; Proverbs 17:15; Ephesians 5:11)..

I deny that the Jewish people are beyond the reach of God’s mercy. We proclaim Christ crucified as the Savior of all who repent and believe, Jew and Gentile alike (Romans 1:16; Ephesians 2:14-16; John 3:16.).

I deny that acknowledging the sinful proclivities or cultural tendencies of a specific group necessarily constitutes racial hatred, provided such observations are made with humility, truthfulness, and a desire to call all people to repentance and faith in Christ (Matthew 7:1-5; Acts 17:30; Titus 1:12-13).

I deny that these sinful proclivities are insurmountable or determinative, as the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to redeem and transform individuals and cultures, bringing them into obedience to Christ for His glory (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 1:16).

I deny that generalizations and stereotypes, even when employed for legitimate pastoral or evangelistic purposes, should ever provide cover for racial arrogance, hatred, bitterness, or malicious slander. The misuse of Scripture, including passages like Titus 1:12, to justify wicked agendas stands in direct opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which calls all people to repentance, reconciliation, and peace in Him (James 3:9-10; Galatians 3:28; 1 John 4:20-21).

I deny that one must choose between a love for his own people and a refusal to oppose racial hatred. One does not need to harbor vain pride or commit injustice to rightly practice ordo amoris (Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 5:8).

I deny that natural affection for one’s own people is equivalent to hatred or indifference toward others. A man who loves his family does not despise his neighbor’s but loves them more truly because his love is rightly ordered (Romans 13:8-10).

I deny that natural affection is synonymous with any form of racial vainglory, injustice, or unbiblical hatred. Christ commands us to disciple all nations (Matthew 28:19).

I deny that affection for one’s nation excuses tyranny, corruption, or injustice. To love a thing rightly is to seek its reformation under God’s law, not its uncritical exaltation (Proverbs 14:34).