28
Day
One New Humanity
Philip Richardson , OMS Theological Education
Ephesians 3:8-10 ( NRSV )
… this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ , and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things ; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places .
What is the greatest witness to hostile spiritual powers that they have been defeated and , one day , their total demise will occur ? Remarkably , the very existence of the church as a multiracial , multicultural , united new humanity ( Eph . 3:10 ) serves as this ultimate witness . Here , it is not so much what the church does but rather who it is ( Eph . 2:11 – 22 ).
This does not mean the erasure of racial , cultural , or linguistic differences . Paul still speaks of Jews and Gentiles ; and , on the day of Pentecost , Jews each heard the apostles ’ message in their own language ( Acts 2:6 ). But in a world divided by factions , parties , tribes , and interest groups , the surprising , supernatural unity of the church , partnered with its diversity , proclaims to the powers of darkness that their end has come . It remains a testimony of the cosmic unity in Christ , which is God ’ s final purpose for all things ( Eph . 1:10 ). We long to see more people become disciple-makers as a united church of many peoples , cultures , and languages . The church ’ s interracial , intercultural nature testifies to the transforming power of the Gospel .
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