Revelation 14:6 “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—”
If you consider the multitude of peoples across the earth, the cultures and mannerisms are each unique to their heritage. The complexity of these lands amazes me when considering how they started, from one family many nations. Just like people groups, if isolated long enough form characteristics that make them unique… so it is with God’s people, if they pull away from this world and dedicate themselves to His service they become unique in how they express themselves among the culture.
Go anywhere in the world and find true believers within every culture and you’ll see common characteristics that are undeniable. How is it that people can look, act, or exhibit such unique cultural identities and yet rise above and become an entirely separate people?
The Spirit of God is the common thread among the church.
Characteristics of the World
When the Word of God mentions every tongue (language), tribe (family heritage), or people (nation), it is referencing the entire world.
I could spend all day and then some attempting to list the myriad of ways that people are unique. You can have multitudes of differences within one particular country, assortments of tongues, and even the culture can be unique from a mountain dwelling people to a group that is living in a bayou. You could be separated by only a few hundred miles and still see very unique differences, it amazes me how different people are throughout the world.
Spiritually, there are attributes that can seem common and there are attributes that are very unique.
If you do a short search on attributes of almost any religion on earth, you’ll come across certain aspects that translate into every form of practice. The merits of any organized practice comprise acts of sharing, ethical morality, patience, renunciation, wisdom, diligence, truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness and equanimity.
From Buddhism to Mormonism, Islam to Hindu, these attributes are found among false religions, atheists, and agnostics alike. You don’t have to subscribe to a religion to be ethical, sharing, renouncing certain things, showing diligence, being truthful or determined. Every attribute of false religions can be mimicked with equal value by any atheist.
Christian Characteristics
2 Corinthians 6:4-10 “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
The man or woman of God has certain attributes that set them apart from every other false religion in the world.
- Agape Love dominates a faithful believers ife
Love presses through hardship, it takes no account of wrongs, it suffers through abuse and difficulty. The faithful of God’s army are like warriors that can’t be stopped. They are endowed with the power of God and it is God’s love that permeates every part of their being.
True Godly love is a direct result of the Spirit of God in their lives.
This reality is why the people of God must be set apart from all forms of false worship.
2 Corinthians 6:16 “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
The People of God
The people of God were called by God, sanctified and set apart, and are being led by Him now.
God dwells among His people. The attributes of God (His moral law), are exhibited among those faithful to His call.
Righteousness is defined as acting in accordance with God’s divine or moral law. The standard of righteousness is the standard of how we show love back to the Lord. The practice of a believer isn’t some dusty old book of decrees and quotes, it doesn’t consist of wearing robes or chanting mantras, and it certainly isn’t forced upon others like some Jihad.
Those redeemed of the Lord walk by faith with the One who called them.
The people of God are unique, they stand out like a neon sign in the midst of a crowd. They are full of joy, and peace, they exhibit patience, and kindness, self-control, and grace toward others. Their speech expresses love and praise to the King.
It is this people that compromises the church. Every tongue, tribe, and nation has these people who dwell among them and they wait for their Savior to call them home.
The call goes out to the world….come out from among them.
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
To those who respond to the call, they will be set free from sin and death.
For those who reject the call, the peril of not progressing will lead them down a dark and fateful road, one that terminates in regret.
The progression from darkness to light is only but a small step of obedience. Faith must be born of belief, and belief must progress into a heart of repentance. The process of dying to self is softened by the reward of God’s presence.
If you hear the call, don’t delay in responding. The journey is difficult but the reward far exceeds the sacrifice.
U.T. 