I have noticed in a number of congregations in the Church in Cape Town recently the quoting of Rev 5:9 or Rev 7:9 to provide biblical support for the celebration of racial diversity in itself in the church of Christ. The “Diversity Days” and other special treatments that celebrate racial and cultural diversities in the Church of Jesus Christ is unnerving. Does the Kingdom not have its own culture and diversity? Let’s compare two translations of this well quoted scripture:
‘After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,’
‘After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.’
Little Prepositions, Big Meanings
The little preposition ‘of’ creates a meaning opposite to ‘out of’. Little words, can lead to big differences in meaning. We cannot underestimate the power of a good translation, and though the NKJV is solid , here it disappoints. Let us see what does the text say in the Greek interlinear:
This little greek preposition ‘ek’ or ‘ex’ is rich meaning. According to Helps Word Studies it does not only mean ‘exit’ as going out but has a double layered meaning:
- out of the depths of the source
- and extending to its impact on the object.
As one who loves diversity, I used to quote Rev 7:9 as biblical support for these natural divisions of humankind are transferred into heaven and are fully represented before the throne in a sort of diversity racial, linguistic and multicultural diversity-fest. But is that what the scripture says? ‘Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.’ 2 Cor 5:17
Let’s illustrate the meaning of ‘ex’ with a pictorial illustration, in the way the NKJV translates and the way the Greek says it:
‘Of’ … all nations
Great diverse multitiude.
‘Out of ‘… all nations
Out of the depths of the source (of all nations) and extending to its impact on the object (heaven)’. A new multitude, utterly changed.
No longer a Goldfish
This goldfish is taken out of the fishbowl-kingdom and placed into the kingdom of light. The goldfish ceases to be a goldfish bowl citizen in the truest sense of the word. He becomes a new creation in the Fathers hand. He is now no longer able to represent the fishbowl from whence he came. We cannot bring our first birth racial, tribal or cultural identity to before the throne. Even our language changes. English is my second language.
1 Peter 2:9-12 WEB
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.
This must be one of the most profound portions of all scripture. Contemplate what it says! A born-again Christian becomes part of a new race and new nation. We are trans-racial, trans-cultural, trans-lingual. We are not multi-lingual, multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural. You leave your culture, like Abraham did and you become part of Jesus’s Holy Nation. The church should be mono-cultural in that agape dominates our cultural norms. Because of our love for one another, the world will know …
Bleaching by Blood
Read Rev 7, the worshippers are all dressed the same and sing the same song of the Lamb. The only colour mentioned is the red of the blood of the Lamb and the white robes of the worshippers. ‘They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.’ Rev 7:14 How do you make a soiled garment white? You bleach it. The Blood of Jesus is like divine bleach, it washes deep into the fibres of a fabric. It is like Jik. It is the ultimate whitener! Your clothes can be any colour in Heaven, so long as its white!
So you have a robe but you get to wash it in bleach till its white. Your soul gets bleached white by the blood of Jesus.
Biblical Diversity is Functional and Inward, not Racial and Outward
1 Cor 12:4-6
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
The type of diversity that comes from the Godhead is a spiritual diversity. The Holy Spirit gives diverse spiritual gifts. The Lord Jesus gives diverse ministries. The Father gives diverse activities to the Body of Christ. All these gifts are spiritually defined. True diversity is spiritual, it is not based on racial, linguistic or other differences. These differences are functional, what you do in the body, if you are an eye, see; if and ear, hear!
Some say bring your Culture with to Church
So what if part of your first birth culture is kingdom? Then it transfers, not because it has right to be represented in the church but because there are cultural elements ‘among the nations’ that match the kingdom. For instance, the cultural hospitality of some first nation people, this is kingdom culture, it transfers.
However, the fallen nature of man has ensured that the nations of this world are by and large radically different to the Holy Nation Jesus founded. Like Israel was meant to be to the Gentiles, a light; so the church is a light to the world.
The world is not a light to the church. Israel and the churches continual problem has been adopting the ways of the nations we are sojourners in, instead of them walking by the light of Christ in His Church. This is the source of diversity discontent.
We generate what we celebrate. Let us be careful to celebrate what God celebrates. Let us not rebuild and strengthen the middle wall of separation that has been abolished already. Let us live agape-culture, Jesus-culture in a world lost and disconnected from Him
