Often in Church History, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been perverted into Good News for some nations, but apparently bad news for others, or at least for the latter, a far less appealing message. This occurs whenever representatives of the Church of the same Jesus who gave his life for the entire world associate and even identify his name and message with certain nations, races, cultures, and 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.”
 |
| [Photo by Alin Andersen on Unsplash] |
Installed as the Sovereign over the entire Cosmos, he commanded 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 - (Psalm 2:6-10, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:7-9).
Through his sacrificial
death, the Nazarene established the promised “priestly kingdom” of men from
every nation, a body of believers dedicated exclusively to his service, and
mediating the light of his Gospel to the world.
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans
that God’s righteousness is actualized “through faith in Jesus Christ for
all who believe, for there is no
distinction.” Sin is the Great Leveler that condemns all men to
bondage, despair, decay, and death. There is no escape.
However, through Jesus, every
man and woman 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 uses
his radical monotheism to stress 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, national
origin, or culture - (Colossians 3:11).
In Christ, God is creating a new humanity, one covenant community, and its members are drawn from every nation. Regardless of one’s place of origin, everyone who places faith in Jesus is being reconfigured into his image and likeness.
No nation, race, culture, or
political ideology can claim Jesus as its possession. According to the
Psalmist, God has given His Son the “nations,”
plural, for an inheritance, “even the uttermost parts of the Earth.” The
entire planet and its inhabitants belong to him.
Because of his death and resurrection, he is 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 or ethnicity.
PERVERTING THE FAITH
Sadly, many churches and
ministries link the biblical faith to specific nations, ideologies, cultures,
civilizations, and economic systems. This is the destructive political myth
promoted under the name ‘Christendom,’ the attempt to associate and identify
Jesus and his teachings with specific races, nations, and political agendas.
However, ‘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 both
within and without the 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, and what his
life, death, and resurrection accomplished at great cost - (Matthew
24:14, Galatians 3:28).
The mission of the Church is to proclaim His Good News to the “uttermost parts of the earth,” and the completion of that task is necessary before Jesus returns at the end of the age.
Neither national borders nor political
aspirations will prevent HIS Gospel from reaching God’s intended goal,
though His enemies will continue their attempts to divert the Church from its God-given
mission, especially the many “howling imposters” working inside the
people of God, “deceiving and being deceived.”
His Life-Giving message is for
every man, woman, and child on the planet regardless of ethnicity. 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. In the truest sense, the Gospel is a universal and inclusive
faith.
 |
| [Photo by Andi Kleeli on Unsplash] |
When Jesus returns, only one Kingdom and one nation will be left standing. As his disciples, we must resist every attempt to link and identify the Apostolic Faith with specific nations, cultures, political parties and ideologies, or civilizations.
If we do not, we may exclude
others from the salvation that is freely available to everyone who chooses to place
faith in Jesus and what God accomplished in him at great cost.
RELATED POSTS:
- His Salvation Offer - (The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth and preached by his Church offers salvation to men and women of every nation and people)
- Goal of the Church - (Jesus has tasked his disciples with proclaiming the Good News of GOD’s Kingdom in and to every nation on the Earth)
- An Idolatrous Conceit - (‘Christendom’ is the idolatrous tactic of invoking God and Jesus to validate national and political institutions, agendas, and ideologies)