Jesus' church is not for any specific culture, nation, or ethnicity of people. The kingdom of God is for everyone! This means that no matter how unqualified we think we might be to be part of God's kingdom, we are wrong! Also, it means that those of us who are Christians should be willing to share the gospel with anyone. Notice what the Bible says about who can be in God's kingdom.
The Promise to Abraham
Diversity is a buzzword in today's culture. However, before any modern cultural pro-diversity movement, God was working on a plan to unite a diverse group of people into one family. The original promise made by God to Abraham (Abram at the time) was, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:2-3 NKJV). In this promise to Abraham, God is reminding us that He is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also (Rom. 3:29).
Foreseeing the Church
The church was prophesied as "the mountain of the Lord's house" into which "all nations shall flow" (Isa. 2:2). The prophet Daniel likewise foresaw the glorified, ascending Christ: "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:14). There is not a nation, ethnicity, or sub-group of people on earth for whom the kingdom of God is not open! The church is where God fulfills His promise to Abraham and His promise to build a booth for "all the nations" (Amos 0:11-12; Acts 15:16-17).
The Church's Commission
In the great commission, Jesus' command is to "go therefore and make disciples of all the nation" (Matt. 28:19). The Greek work translated "nations" in Matthew 28:19 and throughout the New Testament refers to "a body of persons united by kinship, culture, and common traditions" (BDAG276) and is the Greek word from which we get our English words "ethnic" and "ethnicity." The point here is that God's family (the church/God's kingdom) is supposed to be comprised of people from every culture, nationality, and ethnicity to comprise a new, holy nation offering spiritual service to God (1 Pet. 2:9).
The Church in Glory
In the book of Revelation, the glorified, eternal city of God is described: "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it" (Rev. 21:23-24). Even the tree of life, which is in the middle of that city, is there "for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2). God's family is not a monolith of culture, nationality, or ethnicity. God's family looks unlike any other family on earth because it does not derive its bonds from physical relations but spiritual unity!
The Fulfillment of God's Promise
All nations, ethnicities, languages and cultures are added to one family in Christ, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and the heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:27-29). When we are in this family, Christ is our brother (Heb. 2:11-12), God is our Father (Eph. 4:6), and we enjoy fellowship in the Holy Spirit (Phil. 2:1). No place in the world is like the church -- various cultures and nations of the world united with one creed (God's Word), one love, one Lord, one Faith, one God and Father.
To be a part of God's church is to be a part of a group of people like none other: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (1 Pet. 2:9-10). As Christians, our job is to be representatives of God, proclaiming His praises and sharing this mercy He's given us with others. As God's own special people, our conduct should bring glory to God (1 Pet. 2:11-12 as we strive to share the gospel with all people no matter their culture, nation, or ethnicity.
The Kingdom is Open to All
Jesus' church is not for any specific culture, nation, or ethnicity of people. The kingdom of God is for everyone! This means that no matter how unqualified we think we might be to be part of God's kingdom, we are wrong! Also, it means that those of us who are Christians should be willing to share the gospel with anyone. Notice what the Bible says about who can be in God's kingdom.
The Promise to Abraham
Diversity is a buzzword in today's culture. However, before any modern cultural pro-diversity movement, God was working on a plan to unite a diverse group of people into one family. The original promise made by God to Abraham (Abram at the time) was, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:2-3 NKJV). In this promise to Abraham, God is reminding us that He is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also (Rom. 3:29).
Foreseeing the Church
The church was prophesied as "the mountain of the Lord's house" into which "all nations shall flow" (Isa. 2:2). The prophet Daniel likewise foresaw the glorified, ascending Christ: "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:14). There is not a nation, ethnicity, or sub-group of people on earth for whom the kingdom of God is not open! The church is where God fulfills His promise to Abraham and His promise to build a booth for "all the nations" (Amos 0:11-12; Acts 15:16-17).
The Church's Commission
In the great commission, Jesus' command is to "go therefore and make disciples of all the nation" (Matt. 28:19). The Greek work translated "nations" in Matthew 28:19 and throughout the New Testament refers to "a body of persons united by kinship, culture, and common traditions" (BDAG276) and is the Greek word from which we get our English words "ethnic" and "ethnicity." The point here is that God's family (the church/God's kingdom) is supposed to be comprised of people from every culture, nationality, and ethnicity to comprise a new, holy nation offering spiritual service to God (1 Pet. 2:9).
The Church in Glory
In the book of Revelation, the glorified, eternal city of God is described: "The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it" (Rev. 21:23-24). Even the tree of life, which is in the middle of that city, is there "for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2). God's family is not a monolith of culture, nationality, or ethnicity. God's family looks unlike any other family on earth because it does not derive its bonds from physical relations but spiritual unity!
The Fulfillment of God's Promise
All nations, ethnicities, languages and cultures are added to one family in Christ, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham: "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and the heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:27-29). When we are in this family, Christ is our brother (Heb. 2:11-12), God is our Father (Eph. 4:6), and we enjoy fellowship in the Holy Spirit (Phil. 2:1). No place in the world is like the church -- various cultures and nations of the world united with one creed (God's Word), one love, one Lord, one Faith, one God and Father.
To be a part of God's church is to be a part of a group of people like none other: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (1 Pet. 2:9-10). As Christians, our job is to be representatives of God, proclaiming His praises and sharing this mercy He's given us with others. As God's own special people, our conduct should bring glory to God (1 Pet. 2:11-12 as we strive to share the gospel with all people no matter their culture, nation, or ethnicity.