"You aren't living in your own country any more. You now live here with us. And your religion is not the dominant religion here. It's time for you to adjust and adapt our customs."

With everything that has happened in the last two years, one might imagine these quotes as part of a conversation with people who came from another cultural background to Germany. For some time now there has been an ongoing discussion on Europe's dominant culture ("Leitkultur"), which in the opinion of many is founded on Jewish and Christian traditions.

In ancient Israel a foreigner could become a naturalized Israelite citizen and have the same rights as all other Israelites. The sign of naturalization was circumcision: "When a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you" (Exodus 12:48-49). In ancient Israel God determined the "dominant culture", which was based on the worship of the true God.

By the way: The quotes at the beginning of this message are not made up. They are the words spoken more than 35 years ago by the elementary school teacher of our son Ted, when we told her for the fourth year in a row that he would not be participating in his school class Christmas party.

Viewed this way, there is a need for Christians to be integrated today. Those called are to be integrated into the "dominant culture" of biblical Truth and depart from and resist the confusion of the Babylonian religious system (Revelation 18:4).

With these thoughts I wish everyone a rewarding Sabbath!