1 Peter 2: 9 (NRSV) But you are a chosen race (link), a royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION -- God's own people -- in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are GOD'S PEOPLE. Once you had not received mercy -- but now you have received mercy. Ezekiel 36: 23 (NRSV) I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD.... 24 I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into YOUR OWN LAND.... 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new Spirit I will put within you.... Isaiah 43: 5 (NIV) Do not be afraid, for I (God) am with you; I will bring your children from the east, and gather you from the west. 6 I will say to the north, `Give them up!' and to the south, `Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth -- 7 everyone who is called by my name -- whom I created for my glory; whom I formed and made." John 11: 51 (KJV) And this spake he (Caiaphas) not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52 And not for THAT NATION only.... but that also He should gather together, in one, the CHILDREN of God that were scattered abroad. Psalm 19: 1 (NIV) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech, or language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth -- their words to the ends of the world. Ephesians 2: 18 (NIV) For through Him, we both have access to the Father -- by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer FOREIGNERS and ALIENS -- but FELLOW CITIZENS with God's people.... and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In Him the whole building is joined together, and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Him, you too are BEING BUILT together, to become a dwelling in which God LIVES -- by His Spirit. Acts 10: 34 (NRSV) Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation, anyone who fears Him, and does what is right (JNT note: "right" in God's eyes).... is acceptable to Him. Ezekiel 34: 11 et seq. (NEB) I myself (God) will ask after my sheep, and go in search of them. I will bring out from every nation, and gather them in from other lands, and lead them home...... 22 Therefore, I will SAVE my flock, and they shall be ravaged no more. I (God) will judge between one sheep and another.

The point I want to establish in this section may already be obvious to everyone; but I would like to share my interpretation, anyway -- for those who may have thought differently.

God's people -- God's accepted (or "chosen") individuals -- are "located" in all the nations of the world, and among all the races of the world. God's "children" are not localized in certain special areas, or in a few selected spots (such as geographical "Israel", or some "holy land", or in the United States, or in certain designated "Christian" nations). It may seem silly even to say this, but God is not obligated to "select" (accept, approve) His people from among those individuals who are born in certain countries -- or from those who happen to have been born to parents of a certain "religion", or color, or background.

In fact, would anyone say that there is any limitation or restriction upon Almighty God, as to whom He may select, and prepare, and accept to be one of His own "children" -- His "people"? After all, who are we earthly "creatures" to restrict our Creator? What human-being, or what group of humans (for example, a specific "church") is "good" enough, and "holy" enough, and "wise" enough -- to be called upon, by God, for help in His decision-making.

A "Godsperson" (an individual who has been accepted by God) may sometimes not be recognized and acknowledged and known, by us humans in the "world". That is to say, human-beings have nothing at all to do with recognizing or recommending or designating those individuals -- from whatever "nation" -- who are (or who are not) acceptable to God. Human "rules, rites, and regulations" mean nothing! No human-beings -- even church-goers and ministers and priests -- have been granted the right to specify that certain humans are "qualified" to be claimed by God. In fact, an individual may not even know, himself, at a certain phase in his life, that he is already one of God's people -- a child of God (link) -- a "child" perhaps not yet "awakenend" to the presence of God in his life.

Not all of God's people, in whatever nation they live, are "members" of an "organized church" of humans. I know of no scripture that says that an individual must be recognized by an earthly "church", or by a priest, or by any group of humans -- before our God, the Creator of the Universe, can accept that person as one of His own.

No..... the obvious Biblical fact is that God is totally free to select (accept) His own, from any continent, and from any race, and from any "denominational church", and from any nationality, and from any genetic stock -- without consideration of any human's opinion -- and without the assistance and approval of any earthly "group". It seems almost absurd to have to state the obvious -- but if you will simply look at the claims of some churches about the singular "correctness" of their own doctrine, and about "the truth" of their specific beliefs -- and their rejection of the beliefs of other churches -- you will readily see why it is so important to re-emphasize this essential point: God does not depend on any human, or any group of humans, to help Him decide about His acceptance, or rejection, of any earthly creature. (See this link to Salvation is of the Lord.)

I love the scriptural references from Ezekiel and Isaiah quoted above. These quotations tell me that God knows His own people -- his individuals, collectively -- wherever they were born, and wherever they may now live..... and that God goes in search of them, and that He separates them for Himself; and that He purifies them, and instills His Spirit within them; and that He changes them, and gives them a "new heart"; and that He "brings" them to the location (into God's "spiritual nation") for which He intended them.

Note the following additional scripture-references, which have implications similar to those quoted above. Read these out loud:

Jeremiah 23: 2 (NRSV) Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away; and you have not attended to them..... 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands, where I have driven them; and I will bring them back to their fold; and they shall be fruitful, and multiply. (JNT note: Could the above accusatory reference to "shepherds" be referring to "church" leaders, priests, preachers, and rabbis?) Matthew 24: 31 (NEB) Jesus speaking: "With a trumpet blast, He (God) will send out His angels, and will gather His chosen from the four winds.... from the farthest bounds of heaven on every side." Psalm 106: 4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people. Come to my aid, when you save them, 5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones -- that I may share in the joy of YOUR NATION. Isaiah 56: 6 (NRSV) And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant &emdash; 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Psalm 107: 1 (NRSV) O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those He redeemed from trouble, 3 and gathered in from the lands -- from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.... 6 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble -- and He delivered them from their distress. Jeremiah 29: 11 (NRSV) For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me, and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me. If you seek me with all your heart, 14 I will let you find me, says the LORD; and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations, and all the places, where I have driven you, says the LORD; and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Isaiah 41: 8 (NRSV) But you, Israel, my servant -- Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; 9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my servant, I have chosen you. and not cast you off". Deuteronomy 30: 3 Then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, gathering you again from all the peoples among whom the LORD your God has scattered you. 4 Even if you are exiled to the ends of the world -- from there the LORD your God will gather you -- and from there He will bring you back. Deuteronomy 7: 6 (NRSV) For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of ALL the peoples on earth to be HIS PEOPLE -- His treasured possession. Haggai 2: 6 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the DESIRED of all nations will come -- and I will fill this house with glory." (quoted partially in Hebrews 12.) Exodus 19: 4 (NIV) God speaking: "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully, and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a Kingdom of priests -- and a HOLY NATION."

Repeating my "conclusion", as quoted at the start of this writing:

I conclude that, in this world, there is a "Spiritual Nation" -- governed by God Himself. This "spiritual nation" exists both now -- in this world.... and in the "heavenly" realm -- and in the life-to-come.

God selects the inhabitants of His "Holy Nation". Those who are allowed "admission" to God's "Nation", enter at a time and place determined by God -- unaffected by the wishes and opinions of human-beings -- unaltered by an individual's self-appraisal -- and uninfluenced by "religious" ("church") choices and preferences that we humans may have concocted and claimed for ourselves.

The earthly geographical location, and the racial origin of the inhabitants of God's spiritual "nation", do not matter -- at all. "Membership" in a specific denominational church does not open the gate to this "nation". Humanly will and effort do not bring about admission into God's "Spiritual Nation".

(In addition, my personal spiritual "intuition" hints to me that the perceiving and "deciphering" of the truths of God's "Spiritual Nation" -- are paralleled by mankind's progressive discovery and understanding and utilization of the "truths" of God's Physical Nation -- God's "mechanical universe".... in which the persistent "miracles" of God's wisdom and power (electrons, photons, nuclear energy, satellites) are made evident to human-beings.... "miracles" which God has revealed for the development and edification and pleasure of His people.)

 
8/17/06