God’s vision for His church was announced to Abraham when He promised to “bless all the families of the earth through his seed” (Gen. 12: 3). All families of the earth can be translated by “all kindreds and nations.” Isaiah said, “The Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it.” (Isa. 12: 2). The comprehensive nature of God’s vision is seen in the inclusive term “ALL NATIONS.”

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Following Jesus’s resurrection, in the Great Commission, He commanded His apostles to “teach all nations” and preach the gospel to “every creature.” (Matt. 28: 19; Mk. 16: 15). This included people and nations from Europe, Africa, and Asia who were to be taught and baptized into Christ to have access to the promise made to Abraham uninhibited and unrestrained by differences in ethnicity, social status, or gender. (Gal. 3: 26-29). To the Ephesians Paul wrote that all Christians are “fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.” (Eph. 2: 19). God’s household is His family, thus all who are obedient to the gospel of Christ are, from whatever kindred, nation, or tongue, are part of God’s family, have a kinship with God, and have a Father/child relationship with God.

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It is sad, that even some religious people, while holding to the Bible, deny its truth of the brotherhood of humanity, and fail to see all who are obedient to Christ as recipients of the blessings of Abraham, and as God’s children, regardless of nationality and skin color. Thus, God’s vision of His church, purchased with the blood of His Son, (Acts 20: 28), is the vision of ethnic equality, inclusivity, and unity. Therefore, with God and His people, there is no such thing as a “white church” a “black church,” a “Hispanic church,” etc. The devil wins when we focus more on “color” than “the Christ.” Think on these things.

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Dennis Abernathy