The Diverse Church

 

The Last Supper, Congo

We are living a multi-ethnic world. People of all races and backgrounds are now coming together. I have witnessed this first hand in my country as more people of different cultures come to my homeland. I welcome them because all of us, wither we be white, black, tan, or chocolate brown are made in the image of God. It warmed my heart when I visited Malawi, Africa to see other brothers and sisters in Christ who loved Him and yet were so delightfully different and unique! Jesus Christ himself came to a mix of cultures that contained Jews, Romans, Greeks, Scythians, and I am sure Ethiopians and Gentiles (everyone else). While we know Jesus was Jewish and from the Line of David (Matthew 1 and Luke 1) and that according to Roman historian Josephus He had "light eyes and light hair," (Antiquities of the Jews), our Lord and Savior loves all people!

In every culture I see a shard of the divine. It is interesting that almost every people, wither they be Asian, African, European, Mexican, or Russian have some form of candle lighting (Jesus is the Light of the World!). In Asian and Africa the candles and incense is used for their pagan practices, but I believe the origin dates back to the Israelites. It is my belief that many nations and cultures came from the same place. There was originally Twelve Tribes of Israel and I believe the lost ten tribes (only Judah and Levi did not get dispersed) have ended up all over the world.  Additionally at the Tower of Babel all people spoke one language, but then God who was angry they were not going out into the world and populating as he had commanded decided to mix up their languages. Thus began the divide of cultures. My point about the Tower of Babel and Twelve Tribes, is that the reason all people seem to have similarities in traditions and so on is because they were all once together serving the True God.

Thankfully, Jesus Christ has brought all people back together and to be one family again! The Arabs are welcome to our family in Christ! For though Ishmael was sent into the Wilderness with Hagar, the Lord provided for them. (Genesis 21:16-20). The decedents of Ishmael and Cain can be grafted into the family of God via Jesus Christ! Like wise the original vine, The Jewish People can come to Christ and be part of the fulfillment the Lord has been doing since He came in the flesh! In Christ culture, skin color, and country no longer separate us! For St. Paul said, "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, Greek or Scythian, male or female, all are one in Christ." (Galatians 3:28). Our Lord loves all colors and cultures, He wants all people to know His love and follow Him. Thus as Christians we are commanded to be color blind and love all people, especially those who are already our brothers and sisters in Christ! For the Lord "desires that not one person should perish." (2 Peter 3:9).

It can be hard to get over prejudices that have been engrained in people since youth. For some the Germans will always be Nazis, but we know of Bonheoffer and those valiant Germans who fought the Nazis. For others the Japanese shall be Japs who flew planes into the naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, but we know Japanese people today are creative and dedicated to excellence. Some whites may hold prejudices about blacks and blacks towards whites over the slavery in America. But we forget that guilt is on both sides, that Africans in Africa sold their enemy Africans into slavery and that whites continued the slave trade, but do not forget William Wilberforce who defeated slavery in England amiably, nor should we forget the Congress during Lincoln's Administration who abolished slavery in America.

More importantly, all these nations and more look to the same Savior. Those who believe wither they be white or black, American or Arabic have the same Lord and Savior! The more we focus on Jesus and stop feuding over old prejudices and genealogies, the sooner we shall come together as saints and share the love of God with each other! There is a force trying to stoke the flames of offense and racial prejudices again and I say to you that they do not know Jesus Christ! For Jesus wants us to be one and to love each other like brothers and sisters! Our Lord would desire us to put aside petty differences to be disciples together.

Wither you be Arab, African, Asian, European, Greek, Italian, Jewish, Roman, Russian, Male or Female, we are all one in Jesus Christ! We can all bring something special to the family of God! Do not let the devil make you believe you are superior to another race or inferior to another culture, you were born into that country and God has plan for your life! In fact Jesus Christ spoke of you when he said, "I haven's seen faith like this in all the land of Israel! And I tell you that many Gentiles [like this Roman officer], shall come from all over the world (east and west) and sit down in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." (Matthew 8:10-11).

May the Lord Jesus Christ help us tare down the insecurities and incorrect views each nation may have for another. For in the New Earth, all nations shall bow before Jesus (Psalm 72:11) and from those nations there will be multitudes of believers! Every race is going to be together in God's Kingdom! Every person no matter what culture or the color of their skin who professes Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is our brother or sister! Welcome them and pray for them! We have family in the faith in Israel, Iran, Congo, China, Russia, and in every country! Let us celebrate that we are all different parts of the same body of Christ! I shall close this post with the words of St. Paul, "May the Lord make you love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else." (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

The Last Supper, Russian