Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
An Essay on the Potential Repentance of Whole People Groups

An Essay on the Potential Repentance of Whole People Groups

Last updated on: February 27, 2019 at 10:34 pm by Rev. Jared V. Ingle

An Essay on the Potential Repentance of Whole People Groups 2019-02-27T22:34:40-05:00 Rev. Jared V. Ingle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In light of this week’s events, I offer an essay adapted from an old homily, instead of my weekly podcast. Countless Christians have prayerfully tuned in to watch the direction that the Methodists have taken. Traditionalists may have won a victory yesterday, although I did not see anyone taking a proverbial victory lap. The reality that many people woke up with this morning is that there is an entire denomination to save, which may be fracturing over these issues. Whole people groups are hanging in the balance. Is the fellowship breaking?

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Matthew 25.32-33, NKJV

i. We think primarily of the individual

We think of individuals facing judgment. Western society trains us to think in terms of individuality. We think of individual responsibility. However, I think it is curious that Jesus begins this Last Days judgment scene with the word “nations.” In the Greek, this is the word ethnos.

Nations does not mean countries of land. We typically think of nations as America, Canada, Mexico, etc. Yet in the Bible, and in those days, nations are entire people groups. This is easy to remember, because our words ethnic and ethnicity are from the word nations, ethnos.

It is interesting that Christ calls forth the nations.

ii. Entire people groups are going to answer to God

Let’s make this practical. This was a popular phrase in the ’80’s, “Oh c’mon! Everybody’s doing it!” I don’t know how that became such a popular phrase. That may be true to a degree, but according to Scripture, if entire groups of people are doing it out of line, they’re going to answer as a people. So everyone that’s doing it is going to pay for it.

We are not just talking about cultural distinctions. This parable is talking about behavioral distinctions as well.

Jesus speaks of this judgment of nations in other Texts. He pronounces judgment on people groups in Matthew 11 and Luke 10.

iii. Jesus preaches a sermon of “Woes” to entire cities

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11.20-24, NKJV

Jesus is calling them out, saying they will face judgment as a city. He runs with the idea that You had a choice as a region and as a city. So you could have repented, but you didn’t. On the other hand, Jesus plants the seeds for the Gospel truth that whole cities can repent.

JVI | praying over town | 09.17.18

iv. Jesus compares impenitent cities to Old Testament cities

Christ keeps the truth in front of us that we have a responsibility to reach entire cities with the love of God. He says to Chorazin and Bethsaida that He has shown up and shown them miracles, but they did not repent. He says that if the same miracles were performed in the Old Testament region of Tyre and Sidon, which is compared to the throne of Satan (Ezekiel 28), Tyre would have repented. Jesus says that if the miracles that He did in Capernaum would have been done in Sodom, they would have repented (Genesis 19).

As one who has spent much of his life in the Bay Area of California, I have heard all the doomsday prophets speak of judgment. I have even heard people predict that acts of God will destroy certain regions in the West. I’ve replied many times that Jesus says that if Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom would have seen the miracles of Christ, they would have repented.

v. Without excuse

So on judgment day when some cities stand before God, guess who will have no excuse? The Church, because we didn’t reach the city with the miraculous power of God.

There is no sin that God cannot forgive and change. It just takes the love of God in action and the signs of the Almighty. Whole people groups are looking for a supernatural experience.

I consider it to be hypocritical if Christians condemn certain lifestyles, and then allow others to remain in the church who are engaging in illicit sex. We don’t seem to have a problem helping people overcome certain forms of sexual sin, but we cast nothing but judgment on other forms of perversion. As Christians, we are without excuse if we do not share the transformative Gospel with all. God only blesses sex in a marital union between one man and one woman. I’m thankful to be part of a fellowship that recognizes this Biblical truth in our governing documents.

If we share the Gospel from a visible community of faith, it is very attractive. Whole people groups are looking for a vibrant, loving, transformative community. The book of Acts bears this out as thousands come to the Lord in a moment. Whole households make decisions. Everyone on the island of Malta joins the Body of Christ.

vi. People groups approach the throne

In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, whole people groups approach the throne. They give some sort of account collectively. Then the peoples who have lived together in communities, tribes, and even congregations are separated as sheep and goats.

They may answer as a people . . . but then they will be separated like sheep and goats.

I remember an elementary school field trip to a goat farm. As soon as the class entered the big holding pen for the goats, I was pretty excited. I can’t remember seeing goats up close before. Then it felt like someone hauled off and kicked me from behind. I stumbled forward and tried to hold back the tears. I turned around and no one was there, but a goat. I was hurt . . . literally . . . and emotionally. I’ve always loved nature and God’s creatures. I really wondered why that goat would do that? What had I ever done to it?

I don’t know how many times in the Church, I’ve got blindsided over the years. Why would Christians do that? What have I ever done to them?

vii. The sheep and the goats

With this theme that we are chasing in this essay, my experience leads me to believe that Christians who are judgmental over one issue, are judgmental over other issues. However, Christians who are driven by the Spirit to seek lost souls always lead people to the Cross first, before explaining the Great White Throne Judgment. Sin is sin. There is no doubt, but we all start by laying our sins down at the Cross.

Are we meek and lowly sheep like the Good Shepherd (Matthew 11.28-30)? Or are we ramming each other and locking horns all the time like goats? Apparently, there are goats who mingle with the true flock of sheep, otherwise Jesus won’t have to separate them in the Last Day.

Only the Shepherd knows the difference and He will make the final call! Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will separate the sheep and the goats.

Previous Post

February 21, 2019

on Shepherding at MtZ 2017 (from the G+ collection)

Next Post

March 2, 2019 on the Second and Third Persons of the Trinity (from the G+ collection)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Communion Cruz Ingle Crystal Ingle Early Church Engaging Culture Ethics & Society Family Formation History In Dialogue Jared & Crystal Kingdom of God Majority World Church Mateo Ingle Messenger College Mission Narrative Pentecostal Church of God Prayer Shepherding The Sermon The Writings Theology Theology & Psychology Traverse City Uncategorized Vernell Ingle Word Study

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 May 2017 March 2017 March 2014 February 2013 January 2013 October 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Here I am, send me!"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Moses Elijah Isaiah