It would be hypocritical of North Americans to judge Vladimir Putin and the Russian people, when we have committed the same sin of occupying a land that is not ours, which the Russians are attempting to do with Ukraine. The North American continent was stolen from the First Nations people by the European forefathers. To make matters worse, it was done in the name of Jesus and this is blasphemy.
Romans 2:1-3 – You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
We must be careful that we do not incur God’s judgment by judging others while we do the same thing. In reality, we have occupied and continue to occupy the entire North American continent. Canada was taken from the First Nations people and the United States was taken from the Mexican and Indigenous peoples.
Exodus 20:17 – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Deuteronomy 5:21 – “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
The boundaries of each nation were given to all the different peoples by God.
Deuteronomy 32:8 – When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.
Acts 17:26 – From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
Psalm 74:17 – It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
According to God’s commandment, we are not allowed to move these boundaries and covet our neighbor’s land as our own.
Deuteronomy 27:17 – “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
Proverbs 22:28 – Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.
Hoseas 5:10 – Judah’s leaders are like those who move boundary stones. I will pour out my wrath on them like a flood of water.
Yet this is exactly what took place here on the North American continent. We have yet to wholeheartedly repent from this great injustice that took place. We must first rectify this situation in our own country by repenting and reconciling with the First Nations people. To make reparations and admit the wrong and the numerous sins that took place during the stealing of this continent.
Then we will be able to help point out Putin’s flaw, if we had taken the log out of our own eye first. Otherwise, we are being hypocrites.
Matthew 7:4-5 – How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Luke 6:41-42 – “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
We need to watch the injustices of our own land before judging the injustices of another. Once we have addressed these injustices, then we can help others with theirs. This would even give us some moral currency with other nations such as Russia, when they see that we practice what we preach.
In obeying the word of God, we will not deceive ourselves by justifying what was done here in North America.
James 1:22-25 – Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
Romans 2:13 – For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
James 2:14 – What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
As Christians, we need to watch our own actions first before looking at others. As individuals, we need to ask ourselves this question: Do the attitudes of the racist and covetous forefathers who took this land affect my beliefs and views in regards to the Indigenous people in any way, shape or form? If so, we need to rid these views from our hearts. We need to distance ourselves from these views by declaring the actions and justifications of the early Europeans in North America as false and evil.
These covetous forefathers include the first explorers, pioneers, military, first government officials, etc. We must stop praising these men, glorifying them and holding them in high regard. We should begin declaring them as wrong men who justified sin (which is blasphemy) and acted upon it. It is also important to teach our children these truths and speak about them to others, whenever the topic arises. There should be plenty of opportunities for that now, given the amount of people who are discussing and judging Putin and the Russian people regarding the war in Ukraine.
Our goal should be to separate ourselves from the sins that took place. This can be achieved by both disagreeing with their reasonings and justifications, and speaking against it whenever the topic arises regarding Indigenous peoples. The ‘reasoning’ that I am referring to includes the racist attitude towards the Indigeous people that have infected our culture. These prejudices stem from the forefathers’ beliefs and justifications, like labeling the Indigenous peoples as ‘savages’. Which they used to rationalize the stealing of this country. This is wrong and we must not agree with such sentiments.
Once this declaration has been made in our personal Christian walk and constantly spoken to others, then things will begin to change over time in the country as a whole. The perceptions and beliefs of the people will slowly become free from prejudice towards Indigenous peoples. It is a slow process but it is important that we all do our part as Holy Spirit filled influencers, so as not to incur sin. Each one of us as Christians, have this moral responsibility to spread the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Christians are meant to lead the world in regards to morality. By the ‘world’, I mean the worldly people in our own country, not other nations.
Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
We must continuously speak these truths amongst men. These types of topics should continue to be discussed and we should not be afraid of confessing and declaring the concepts and teachings of Jesus.
Matthew 10:32-33 – “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Luke 12:8-9 – “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.
Anyone who manipulates the concepts that Jesus speaks is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, which is an unforgivable sin.
Luke 12:10 – And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
When we compromise the teachings of Jesus, we become useless. Useless to the world and to the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
The world is full of compromise and manipulation and we must not take any part in this.
Philippians 2:15 – so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
Once our country is free from these sins, then we will be able to help our brother by advising him of his wrong. Until then, we are hypocrites for doing this. We must not judge others like Vladimir Putin and the Russian people, if we are doing the same thing. This is the very definition of hypocrisy.
READ NEXT:
Ending Racism Against The Indigenous People Of Canada
