In Romans chapter 9, the Apostle Paul writes of his attachment to his people by ancestry and human identity.
With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned.
From these verses it is clear that the Apostle loves his people. He calls them “my people”. Paul sees God’s action in the trajectory of his people though history. While this is especially true of the people of Israel, it is true to a lesser degree for all peoples. In Acts 17, Paul makes this exact case.
From one man he created all the peoples throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
Authors such as Mensa Otabil have made this case for their peoples – that God has a role and place for them in history.
Then we find all peoples and languages and nations mentioned several times in the book of Revelation. Apparently we take our ethnic identity into heaven. I conclude that our ethnicity is an important part of our human identity. It is not what matters most. It certainly shouldn’t be used to denigrate others. Nor should it come before our unity in Christ. But it seems that it isn’t insignificant.
Heart Language 