In the Garden of Eden the genetic material of all humanity was contained in the bodies of Adam and Eve. From these two, the human race descended. We are all related. My novel Fallen is a story of life, death, and the beginning, a novel of our family, the human story.
Over the millennia the human family tree forked and branched and headed off in all directions, peopling the earth. We developed into many different tribes, nations, peoples, and languages. Yet God intends to bring all groups back together into one family, reunited through the work Christ accomplished on the cross.
This will “be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment” and will “bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:10 ESV).
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Isaiah penned in one of his Servant Songs, these verses foretelling Christ’s role as Messiah. God’s words to His Son are recorded by the prophet to a singular “you,” God’s only begotten Son:
“I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations [all of us Gentiles who aren’t Jewish],
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness“
(Isaiah 42:6-7 ESV).
To bring the light of salvation to all peoples, Jesus fulfilled the terms of the covenant on the cross, representing us as a human being—the One whose birth in human flesh we honor during Advent and on Christmas Eve and Day.
To bring the light of salvation to all peoples, Jesus fulfilled the terms of the covenant on the cross, representing us as a human being–the One whose birth in human flesh we honor during #Advent. #bgbg2 Click To TweetWhen the baby Jesus had grown to be a man, He made this covenant through the shedding of His own blood, so that all who trust in Him from every part of the planet could be reunited into one family.
Paul emphasized this in his letter to the church in Colossae, where he informed the church there and, through them, all followers of Jesus Christ that we “have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all”(Colossians 3:10-11 ESV).
This renewing changes us, transforming us into people with relationships that transcend our hue of skin and our ethnic loyalties. Because of this, all believers will one day praise Jesus, as predicted :
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain,
and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10 ESV).
Since this is true, as we consider how we can bring peace to this strife-filled world, we must recall that we are all family. Every person from every tribe, creed, or religion is related genetically to us and has the potential to be related to us spiritually through faith in Jesus Christ. People from every tribal group, language, people, and nation will come to Him.
There is only one race, the human race. All are dearly loved by God.
Are we mindful of this when we speak and act?
In this season of Christ’s incarnation – His birth as one of us, we have encountered refugee issues and shocking political statements concerning entire groups of people.
Have we remembered the potential for faith within each human being? Have we recalled God’s goal to bring people to faith in His Son and into relationship as brothers and sisters?
Have we remembered the potential for faith within each human being? Have we recalled God's goal to bring people to faith in His Son and into relationship as brothers and sisters? #bgbg2 #Advent Click To TweetThis season reminds us of the importance of remembering God’s salvific intentions in the world and of His love for all humanity.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV).
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 ESV). Entrust yourself to Christ. He loves you. #bgbg2 Click To Tweet“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1 NIV).
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1 NIV). #Advent #bgbg2 Click To TweetOn Christmas Day and every day, let us live as the body of Christ, His own hands and feet on the earth, bringing the same love and concern toward others as we display toward our own families on this blessed day.
Merry Christmas to you and yours! And to all people, peace on earth!
A beautiful reminder that we are all children of God. We all have the opportunity to show His love to others. By showing His love, we can bring others closer to Him.
I’m so glad to be part of the family of God,” a song I listened to in the 1960s or 1970s reminded us. We are His children, and I’m so glad that He invited me in. Melissa, thank you for drawing attention to the opportunity of showing God’s love to others.
We are all one family, and the more love we show to others, the more the love of God goes out into the wider world, bringing others closer to Him.
This is an aspect of Christmas that is not often recognized. When Christ came as a human, He did it to save all humanity regardless of nationality ethnicity, skin color, etc. “For God so loved the world . . .” means just that: the world! Not just those parts of “the world” who look like us!
It bears repeating every single year. It’s easy for many of us to forget that God so loved the world that He sent His One and Only Son. The world means THE WORLD! He came for people from every race, tribe, people, and tongue. We are all members of one family, the descendants of those first two created in the Garden.
Amen to that, Ava! For God so loved THE WORLD that He sent His one and Only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life! The message is for everyone IN THE WORLD!
There is only one race–the human race. Wonderful words, Melinda! Merry Christmas! God bless!
Yes, Nancy! If only we could keep that in mind, showing equal love and charity toward every human being we meet and interact with.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder as we approach Christmas Day this year!
Thanks, Mom! Nice to hear from you today, and it was nice to talk to you on the phone earlier. I love you!
A beautiful message to remind me that God loves every single person. Merry Christmas
It’s easy to forget that, for any particle people group to believe that “they” are the beloved. Nope, for God so loved THE WORLD that he gave his one and Only son!
Beautiful piece, Melinda. It’s amazing how Jesus was born a human. Like us in every way, yet the Messiah who was prophesied and promised to save us and bring us into God’s family. Come let us adore Christ the Lord.
The astonishing amount of love that God had for the world motivated his Son, the Messiah, to put on flesh, become one of us, and live a life of sacrifice and love, even laying down his own life for us. That’s a lot of love!
Amen, amen! You are so right in what you say: “There is only one race, the human race. All are dearly loved by God.” We are all different–skin color, gender, language, culture, life experience, but we are beloved by our creator. And in Him, we are ONE.
Also, I just bought your book on Amazon, Fallen. It looks so good!! It arrives in a few days and I can’t wait to read it. I’m glad you mentioned it!
Thank you, Jessica! I hope you enjoy the story! The oneness of humanity, all descended from the first man and first woman, is a truth necessary to recall. This is our family, these are the people Christ came to save through his life, his death, his resurrection, and his ascension.