saving nations or individuals?

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Randy Kluth

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This subject is controversial, but I'd like to share my opinion that God saves nations, as well as individuals. These two concepts are, however, different in their substance. Individual Salvation is a matter of being spiritually reborn, and completely changed on the inside into a new creature so that God can be properly put 1st in everything. But national salvation has to do with preserving the infrastucture of government, society, and people so that an entire organization of people can be blessed by the interrelationshp of many unique talents. God wishes to save both individuals and nations in this way.

National Salvation is more like deliverance in wartime, such as deliverance from an enemy. It is the preservation of the entire national structure against the threat of some outside force wishing to destroy it. The OT Scriptures were focused many times on the preservation of the nation Israel, beause God promised Abrham natural descendants would form into a nation and an eternal testimony to His faithfulness. It was a reward for the righteousness of Abraham in his response to God's word.

I believe Israel was given, by God, to be a model for all nations, so that all nations would learn how to be righteous and to please God, so that they also would form into nations that God would preserve. We know, from the OT stories, that Israel succeeded as a nation when they were righteous, but fell as a nation when they turned against God's word and rebelled against it.

Though there are many prophecies in the Scriptures that speak of many nations bringing glory to the Lord, and causing His glory to be global, not much is mentioned specifically of "Christian nations." And so, some get the idea that since Israel seemed to have passed away, God doesn't save nations anymore.

But the reality is, God didn't mention "Christian nations" specifically because they had not yet developed in the time of the writing of the NT Scriptures. Historically, God fulfilled the 1st stage in His promises to Abraham by 1st gathering Israel as a nation, and then gathering Christian nations. God had also promised Abraham a family of faith among nations.

The last stage in fulfilling these promises God will send Christ back to judge the world, so that nations can no longer be oppressed and coerced to fall from their Christian faith. When Christ returns, both Israel and many nations will, I believe, become permanent Christian nations.

Just thought I would share this for your interest. Those who have turned against the idea of nations being saved by God are missing out, I think. They don't realize that God is restoring Israel as a nation, after all. Though Israel isn't Christian yet, God may be preparing them for final judgment before He saves them.

Furthermore, it is to our benefit to believe that nations can be saved. By the example of Israel we know that when we repent of our sins, and turn to Christ and live in righteousness, God will hear our prayers and deliver our nation. If we don't know this, we won't testify to the righteousness our nation needs to be saved! Even if the majority in our nation don't listen, it is still necessary to preach the truth of Christian righteousness, because God will use this testimony to hold those who hear accountable. He can then judge and remove the wicked to make a better place for those who are righteous.
 

Keraz

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Good stuff, Randy. But you are fixated on the present world divisions. There isn't any nation today that entirely consists of one ethnic group. [Maybe the Eskimos?] They are all mixed race ; we are a world of mongrels!
So your premise does not hold and Bible teaching is that the nation of God's people, is a cohesive group only by their faith in God and Jesus for salvation.

A nation that bears the proper fruit: Matthew 21:43
Who are the "legitimate heirs" of God's promises? They are people, from every tribe, race, nation and language, saved by His power and grace, who will occupy all of the holy Land in the last days. They are the people of God who will be there when the Anti-Christ briefly takes over the new nation of Beulah:
Daniel 7:25 He will defy the Most High and conquer His holy people….. Zechariah 14:1-2
Revelation 13:7 The Beast was allowed to wage war on God’s people and to defeat them………. Revelation 12:13

I'm reluctant to refer to them as "Righteous Christians" or the "Israel of God", because both of these terms "Christians" and "Israel" have become corrupted by too much sin among too many of their respective communities. Christians can be anyone who sits on a pew and Israel is falsely claimed by the Jewish State.

Paul doesn't cite either term in his comments about this matter in Ephesians 2:11-22. He refers to this new unified "body" of "reconciled" individuals, who are either Jews or Gentiles, as "members of the household of God" (vs 19), or as they are identified in other texts as "the people of God" or as the "sons of the Living God".

Paul makes it clear in several texts that God is bringing together a new group of "righteous" individuals to whom God will give His promised blessings.

Isaiah 51:1-2 Listen to me, all you who keep the Laws of God, all you who seek Him and who follow righteousness. Remember the quarry you were hewn from, your spiritual origin, Abraham is your father and Sarah gave you birth. When God called him, he was but one, God blessed him and now his righteous seed are many.

Romans 2:29 The person who belongs to God is not outwardly a Jew, physically circumcised, but one who is spiritually circumcised of the heart……

One term that could be used to refer to this new body of people, is Nazarenes. That word is used extensively in the Middle East for Christians and it means : the set apart ones or the people dedicated to God. But God will give them an new name: Beulah, meaning ‘the Lord will delight in you’. Isaiah 62:1-5

The very many prophesies God has made about His people living in peace and security in all of that area given so long ago to Abraham and his seed, have never been fulfilled. They will be, God will not forget His Land: Isaiah 49:14-16 it is inscribed onto His hands…. or His righteous people, Isaiah 65:9 I will give heirs to the Patriarchs, My chosen ones will take possession of the Land and those who serve Me will live there.


THIS is the next great promise we look forward to, fulfilling our destiny of being the people of God and is what we Christians have been chosen and prepared for:

Isaiah 49:8, These are the Words of the Lord: In the time of My favor, I will answer your call, Acts 2:21, and protect you. I formed you and destined you to be a light for the nations, restoring the Land and living in its now desolate areas.

Isaiah 43:10 You are My witnesses, you are My servants chosen by Me. To believe in Me and to know that I am God.

Isaiah 43:19-21 Behold, I shall do new things, they will happen. I will make a way through the desert and give water for My people to drink. This people I have prepared for Myself and they will proclaim My glory. Isaiah 35:1-10

Jeremiah 33:10-12 See this Land, it lies in ruins without people or animals. [This is how the entire Middle East will be after the devastation of the Lord’s Day of fiery wrath] Yet in this place will once more be heard to sounds of joy and gladness, of bride and bridegroom, of voices shouting: Praise to the Lord God, for His love endures forever….

Then, all that is prophesied to occur before the glorious Return of Jesus must happen and it will be the people of Beulah who will greet Jesus as He comes for His Millennial reign. Revelation 7:9-10