Not Exclusive
Introduction:
I’m Pete. God loves you!
The topic today: Who is welcome?
God and Jesus on Inclusion:
Ethnicity:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV) (“Lamb” is the perfect sacrificial Lamb from God who takes away sin, God’s Son, Jesus.)
Gender and Position:
While God generally assigns different roles and authority to each gender, especially to model the relationship between Christ and the Church, provide for loneliness needs, and maintain order in marriage (-read the rest of the Bible –and it’s not just that they were prejudiced back then), and may assign a different role to those who find themselves slaves here on earth (-read the rest of the Bible for the reasons), there is no marriage as we think of it in Heaven, we are all servants of Christ, and both genders, and all positions, are equally invited to salvation through Jesus:
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:24-28 (ESV)
But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matthew 22:29-30 (ESV)
Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 1 Corinthians 7:21-22 (ESV)
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (ESV)
(If you read the Bible at length, you become aware that Jesus found ways to include what many would call “scum” into His plans, save their souls, and help them spiritually.)
Bottom Line:
If we are followers of Christ, we should realize God loves everyone, and wants us to do so too. -That we shouldn’t count anyone out without giving them an honest chance. After all, if we each got what we deserved, we’d all roast in Hell. Thanks be to God for Jesus!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:16-18 (ESV)
*Notice the word “whoever”! God is not exclusive!
May God Bless You!