Every Tribe, Tongue and Nation

I wonder if a greater perspective of what God’s doing in the global Church might help us Americans tease out our culture (or subculture) from the essence of Christianity. Even within America, we argue among the various subcultures within the Church about what is a true expression of Christianity, but the body of Christ is actually even more beautifully diverse than the cultural expressions of it that we see in the United States. The global expressions of Christianity would challenge many of our limited conceptions of what it means to follow Jesus and be the Church. And many of our petty arguments would be exposed in the light of the revelation of Jesus Christ through His diverse and multicultural Bride. If our Gospel doesn’t work for “every tribe, tongue, people and nation”, then we need to review our theology and repent.

With that said, there’s also a kingdom culture that marks the Church wherever it is found. In the midst of our unique earthly cultures, we (Christians) are united as ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven on the earth. The kingdom culture is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is the Sermon on the Mount. It is the presence of God among His people through Jesus Christ. This means there’s a diversity and unity in the body of Christ. We unite around Jesus, and our citizenship is in heaven. We are kingdom people first and foremost. But we bring our unique cultures, expressions, sounds, languages, art and style as reflections of God’s image in us and as worship to Jesus. If our idea of Christianity doesn’t include diversity and unity, then we’ve fallen short of the biblical vision of how Jesus is bringing forth a Bride for Himself.

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:9-10