All Nations, not just Some!
Is the Gospel of the Kingdom a message for only some nations, or is it Good News for all nations and peoples of the Earth? Often in church history, the Gospel has been perverted into Good News for some nations, and bad news for others, or at least for the latter group, a less appealing message. This twist occurs whenever representatives of the church of the same Jesus who gave his life for the entire world, including his “enemies,” associate and even identify his name and ONE message for the world with specific nations, races, cultures, and even political ideologies.
After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “All authority in heaven and on Earth is given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of ALL nations.” Installed as the Sovereign over the entire Cosmos, he dispatched his envoys to proclaim his sovereignty and salvation to all men in every nation, whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, or male and female, even “to the uttermost parts of the Earth” - (Psalm 2:6-10, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:7-9).
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| [Photo by Joshua Kettle on Unsplash] |
Through his sacrificial death, the Nazarene established the promised “priestly kingdom” of men and women from every nation, a body of believers dedicated exclusively to his service and Gospel mission.
In the Book of Revelation, for example, the entire universe declares the slain “Lamb” “worthy” to receive all power and glory BECAUSE he redeemed men “by his shed blood” from every nation, tribe, “tongue,” and people – (Revelation 5:5-14).
ONE GOD OF ALL MEN
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Assembly in Rome that God’s righteousness has been actualized “through the faith of Jesus Christ for all men who believe, for THERE IS NO DISTINCTION.”
Sin is the Great Leveler that has condemned all men to bondage, despair, decay, and death, and in the end, death awaits us all. There is no escape.
However, through Jesus, every man and woman on the planet may receive right standing before God, the forgiveness of sin, and everlasting life, and on the same basis for one and all, namely, the FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST - (Romans 3:22-30).
Paul employed his radical monotheism to make the point. “Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also!” No one is advantaged or disadvantaged before Him due to biological descent or national origin - (Colossians 3:11).
Through this man from Nazareth, God is creating a new humanity, ONE COVENANT COMMUNITY, and its members are drawn from every nation and ethnic group. Regardless of one’s origin, everyone who places his or her faith in Jesus is being made new and reconfigured into his image and likeness.
No nation, race, culture, or political ideology can claim Jesus as its unique possession. According to the Psalmist, God has given His Son the nations for an inheritance. Because of his death and resurrection, he is now the “Ruler of the kings of the Earth.” They serve him, not vice versa - (Psalm 2:8, Revelation 1:4-6).
Thus, the announcement of the Good News of Salvation is a message of hope, salvation, and life for all men and women regardless of their nationality.
PERVERTING THE FAITH
Sadly, many churches and ministries link the biblical faith to specific nations, ideologies, cultures, and civilizations, EVEN economic theories. This is the destructive political myth peddled under the name of ‘Christendom,’ an attempt to associate and even identify Jesus and his teachings with specific races and nations.
However, if anything, ‘Christendom’ is an abominable COUNTERFEIT of the true and universal Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus and his Apostles, an IDOLATROUS conceit propagated by deceivers and political operatives within and without the true Church.
Jesus announced a Kingdom that transcends all national, ethnic, social, and economic boundaries, and any attempt to limit it by such categories violates the very essence of his message, life, death, and resurrection - (Matthew 24:14, Galatians 3:28).
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| [Photo by Joshua Kettle on Unsplash] |
The mission of his Assembly is to proclaim this Good News to even the most remote corners of the Earth, to every man, woman, and child possible. Moreover, this task must be completed before Jesus returns at the end of the age to consummate all things and gather his “elect” to himself.
Neither national borders nor political aspirations will prevent HIS Gospel from reaching God’s intended goal, though “enemies of the Cross” will continue their attempts to divert his disciples from their God-given mission, many if not most of whom can be found occupying the pulpits of our churches.
His life-giving message is for every person and nation on Earth. All men have sinned,” and everyone needs God’s saving grace. No one deserves it, but God has graciously made it available to everyone through the faith of Jesus Christ. Thus, in the truest sense, the Good News of the Kingdom of God is a universal and inclusive faith.
When Jesus returns, only one Kingdom will be left standing. As his disciples, we must resist every attempt to link, conflate, and especially identify the Apostolic Faith with any specific nation, culture, or civilization.
If we do not, we may exclude others from the salvation that is freely available to everyone who chooses to place his or her faith in Jesus and what God has accomplished in him at great cost.
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