Our culture seems locked in a battle against the truths of nature.
Simple truths about being and identity that once went unquestioned are now hotly debated—from such questions as to when life begins to what it means to be a man or woman. As G.K. Chesterton foresaw in Heretics, “Fires will be kindled to testify that two and two make four. Swords will be drawn to prove that leaves are green in summer.” Modern discourse has made room for everything to be redefined—so it’s no surprise people have started asking a new, but basic question: What is a nation?
Over the last two decades, global interest in the question “What is a nation?” has steadily risen. For those of us involved in Christian missions, this is more than just a headline issue. We know from Matthew 28:19 that nations are the focus of the Great Commission. In 2020, The Missions Podcast even hosted a virtual roundtable with missions thought leaders debating the definition of “nation”—unaware back then of any political undertones in what seemed like an in-house debate among ministry strategists. But the conversation has broadened. Culturally, everyone is now asking, Who are we?
Defining Nation
Some believe a nation is just an idea or set of propositions—rooted in notions like egalitarianism or individual autonomy. But ideas alone cannot declare independence, write constitutions, or expand territory; people do.
Others hold the view (widely shared among biblical scholars) that a nation refers to a group of people with a common language, culture, religion, heritage, and even geography—what Scripture often calls peoples (ethne).We see this throughout the Bible. Genesis 10, the “Table of Nations,” speaks of “lands . . . language . . . clans.” The Joshua Project similarly defines people groups primarily by language and culture. The modern idea of a nation-state—with borders and centralized governance—can overlap with this biblical concept, but in Scripture the emphasis is on the group of people itself, not just a border on a map.
Where Controversy Creeps In
It’s not difficult to see why people sometimes avoid talking about “nations” in this second, more traditional sense. The 20th century was scarred by movements that twisted ideas of lineage and land to commit unspeakable evil. But in response, as such thinkers as Rusty Reno have helpfully elaborated, Western culture often replaced these strong notions of nationhood with an emphasis on personal autonomy, openness, and inclusivity.
At the same time, despite the West’s ingrained individualism, we’ve witnessed an explosion of group identities in recent years—just look at the ever-expanding list of newly minted sexual identity labels. Collective identity is unavoidable; the question isn’t whether people will identify with a community, but which one. Humans are not mere autonomous individuals but are naturally tied to families, churches, communities, and lands. We are communal by design.
Why a Biblical Understanding of Nationhood Matters
Why does this matter for us as believers in Jesus? Because nations, understood as real people in real communities, are the very object of the Great Commission. Jesus tells us to make disciples of all nations—not to disciple abstract ideas or economic zones. When we forget that nations are made up of flesh-and-blood human beings, we hinder our ability to fulfill our collective missionary obligation and risk syncretism—blending the truth of Scripture with whatever worldview we encounter.
Our calling is to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to every tribe, tongue, and nation. We do this by proclaiming Christ, baptizing believers, establishing churches, and teaching obedience to everything he has commanded. That task becomes muddled if we treat nations as mere abstractions.
Instead, we should recover the Scriptural view of nations as communities of people who share culture, heritage, and language. Doing so helps us see those we serve as neighbors with real needs, real relationships, and real souls. Understanding this also brings clarity to how we engage our own homeland as well. Seeking the good of our own nation need not slip into misplaced ethnic vainglory. We care about our communities and neighbors because God placed us here, just as he scattered other peoples around the world (Acts 17:26). Each nation desperately needs the redeeming, transforming effects of embracing the lordship of Christ.
By returning to a biblical understanding of nationhood—honoring both the creational order and the Word of God—we can stay faithful to our Great Commission mandate to disciple all nations, including our own. Real peoples, not mere ideas, are whom God calls us to love, serve, and reach with the gospel.
