Heaven Is Populated With Ethnic Groups
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10 NIV (Emphasis Added).
Heaven is going to be a multi-ethnic space – period! It has been stated that we are more eager to stand around the Throne of worship than sit at the table of dialogue! If heaven is going to be a multi-ethnic space then why is it so hard to engage meaningful conversation that leads to real solutions? Consider the current data trends during our COVID journey together.
- 18% of Pastors state they are “fully capable” of leading during this racial/biological season of American history.
- 28% of churches are actually involved in meaningful “social injustices” – attempting to work toward solutions.
These two data points reveal a deeper theological reality. First of all, why are there not 100% of Pastors that are fully capable of leading in such socially threatening times? Second of all, because Christ died for all of mankind, why is there not a higher participation of involvement in the arena of social injustices? To respond; “I don’t know how!” or “I don’t understand!” falls woefully short. So that I am not misunderstood I am not propagating a “social justice works faith.” However, the gospel of Christ, when fully lived out impacts social justice as result of the cross first not as an addendum.
Could it be that North American Christianity has been viewed through the lens of “Whiteness?” Allow me to illustrate this fact with my own educational journey. My journey was 14 years in length of formal education without ever sitting under a multi-ethnic professor and only required to read a very small handful of multi-ethnic authors. Sadly, my story is the same for multi-ethnic students attending the same Universities and Seminaries with me. A core study of Christian Higher Education is Systematic Theology. This genre of study fails if only one ethnic group is doing all of the talking. Back to Revelation chapter 7:9-10 – Heaven will be populated as a multi-ethnic space that no man can number the size of it. Perhaps we need to start looking through a different lens to allow the full message of scripture to emerge for such a time as this. Which lens are you looking through?
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