The Kingdom of God is very colorful! Born-again, evangelical Christian believers come in all skin tones, all ethnicities, nationalities, tribes, social statuses, education levels, and economic levels. Look at how the church is growing in nations around the world…
- China has over 235 million Evangelical Christians
- South Korea has over 50 million; The largest megachurch in the world is in South Korea with 800,000 members
- Though there is much persecution of Christians in the Middle East, Christianity continues to grow there strongly.
- There are approximately 100,000 Messianic Jews in the world today. Those are Jewish people who believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.
- More than 631 million Christians currently reside in Africa and they make up 45 percent of the population.
- Latin America is, meanwhile, estimated to have 601 million Christians. Though a smaller number compared to Africa, they make up the majority of the continent at 92 percent.
Noah is our Ancestor
Everyone alive on earth after the flood is a descendant of Noah. You can read all of the descendants’ names for yourself in Genesis Chapter 10 — but here’s the conclusion…
These are the clans that descended from Noah’s sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.
Genesis 10:32 NLT
God said,
“Be still, and know that I am God!
Psalm 46:10 NLT
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
Isaiah prophesied about Jesus…
“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.
Isaiah 42:1-4 NLT
He is my chosen one, who pleases me.
I have put my Spirit upon him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout
or raise his voice in public.
3 He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
4 He will not falter or lose heart
until justice prevails throughout the earth.
Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”
“You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
Isaiah 49:6
I will make you a light to the Gentiles,
and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
First the Jews, then the Gentiles
When I was writing my novel, I was having a hard time figuring out how the Romans, who worshiped man-made gods, could convert to worshiping one God that they’ve never heard of. Then God led me to Acts 17 where the Apostle Paul addresses the Greek scholars. Here he explains how God is the God of all nations…
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.
18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
19 Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. 20 “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” 21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)
22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.
30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Act 17:16-34 NLT
Paul Wrote in the Letter to the Romans
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Romans 1:16-17
Please check out my whole series on Paul’s Letter to the Roman Church starting here…
Paul pull it all together in this passage from his letter to the Philippians
6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Philippians 3:6-11
Pressing toward the Goal
12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.
17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Philippians 3:12-21 NLT
And if you’re not sure about God’s being able to bring “everything under his control”, check out my series on the Book of Revelation that is summarized here…
I quoted Paul in my novel when Anthony, the young Roman-turned-Christian preacher addressed the clandestine group of believers and seekers…
27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:27-28
Are You Part of My Tribe?
Being Puerto Rican, my DNA heritage by itself is very colorful, as I explain here. My African, Indigenous Taino and Aztec even my 1% Jewish ancestors belonged to tribes. But as a friend said in the video embedded at the bottom of that blog post…
“I belong to the tribe of Jesus Christ.”
So, no matter the color of your skin or your DNA ethnicity, God loves you and He does not want you to perish — aka go to hell. Jesus said…
“…it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”
Matthew 18:14
How do you join the tribe of Jesus Christ?
- Believe: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God.” 1 John 5:1 NLT
- Repent: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God…” Acts 2:38
- Be Baptized: “…and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins….” Acts 2:38
- Receive the Holy Spirit: “…Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38
Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit.
- Believe — have Faith — that Jesus is the Christ and He died taking your sins away forever and that He rose from the dead 3 days later.
- Repent of your sins — stop sinning! Do a complete 180-degree turn in your life and surrender your life to Him. When you ask Jesus to forgive you He will. ALL your sins will be wiped clean — past, present, and future! And All means ALL!
- Be Baptized by water baptism — show the world and yourself that you have died to your old life and are born again in Christ.
- Receive the gift of Holy Spirit in your heart.
Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive the Gift of Grace, Joy, Peace, and the Confident Hope of Eternal Life…
That’s how you are saved. If you don’t know what to say to invite Jesus into your heart…
Pray this prayer humbly and wholeheartedly…
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Please forgive me. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and my life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. I will follow you for the rest of my life. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14 NLT
Next Steps in Your New Walk with Jesus…
- Start reading the Bible daily to get to know God. If you don’t have one, I recommend the YouVersion, Bible.app and Through the Word app — both are free and have a lot of great Bible studies.
- Pray every day. Talk to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you daily.
- Find and join a Bible-believing church — preferably a non-denominational one and be baptized!
Jesus Christ is coming back soon! Are you ready?
Soli Deo Gloria — to God Alone be the Glory!
