GATES OF GLORY.
PLURALISTIC SOCIETIES CAN OFFER IDENTITY. At the end of this age, believers from every tribe, tongue, people and nation will become one kingdom under God. They will reign upon the earth with Christ.
“…for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” (Rev. 5:9-10).
If all men will reign, it means that no man will reign over another man. To reign in this context means to exercise complete freedom over yourself and over whatever realm of activity that God has assigned to you.
People of every nation will belong to one kingdom. But each nation will keep its own identity. People will continually bring to God “the wealth of the nations” (Isa. 60:11). At the time when the Father comes from heaven to reign, the nations will bring their glory to the New Jerusalem:
“…the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it” (Rev. 21:24-26).
God’s kingdom is a pluralistic society
So the eternal kingdom of God will finally appear as a pluralistic society. A pluralistic society has a dominant majority with at least one minority. But it should allow its minorities to thrive. Just as the kingdom of God will operate as a pluralistic kingdom with many thriving nations, I believe He wants nations in this age to be pluralistic societies with many thriving ethnic minorities.
A pluralistic society is one of the four main conditions that favor the spread of the gospel and church growth in a fallen world. The other three include a constitutional democracy, a free market economy, and a united church. We will address these three other conditions more in further articles.
A pluralistic society has a dominant majority which agrees on the values and laws by which the society operates. As long as minorities abide by those values and laws—which should apply equally to everyone—the majority should allow those minorities freedom to flourish.
Why does a society benefit from a dominant majority?
One, because its agreed-on values and laws provide consistent guidelines for all kinds of legitimate activity, such as evangelism and church growth. Anyone who plays by the rules of the game should have opportunity to advance.
Two, because a dominant majority gives the society identity. France should stay mainly French. England should stay mainly English. Sri Lanka should stay mainly Sri Lankan. And so on. That way, at the end of the age, each nation will bring the unique riches of its own redeemed heritage to God.
A minority may be, or become, a dominant majority in part of a country. This has happened with the Tamils in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. Also with the Kurds in northern Syria and Iraq. In such cases, they should have the right to exercise appropriate autonomy. At the same time, they should protect the rights of minorities within their midst.
What Christian minorities can do
Christians usually find themselves as a minority where the dominant majority does not give them freedom to thrive. In that case we should promote a pluralistic society which guarantees everyone the same rights. And we should also pray “for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:1).
Accordingly, we will find it difficult to live a “quiet life in all godliness and dignity” if authorities are degrading and persecuting us. The same Scripture goes on to say about praying for a life of godliness and dignity:
“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-5).
The more we can live in “all godliness and dignity”, the more we can show men how to be saved. And the more our churches can grow freely in His truth.
Moreover, in all fairness, we should advocate that other law-abiding minorities have the right to live with dignity too. A level playing field for all religions will allow the truth to shine most brightly. But we must leave the choice up to them. If most choose to hide from the truth, it will be a testimony against them, not against the truth. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth” (2 Cor. 13:8).
What Christian majorities should do
If Christians become the majority, we should resist the temptation to suppress the minorities we have surpassed. We must allow them equal rights too. Otherwise we will weaken the church as in Constantine’s reign, when multitudes became Christian by submission instead of by faith.
A dominant majority can benefit from having minorities who live in different ways. Its identity can develop and gain definition in contrast with other identities. Also, a pluralistic society allows the next generation to consciously choose which way to go. Otherwise, they would just follow the only tradition that they know, without exercising faith.
Our evangelistic witness actually becomes stronger when give people freedom to choose. And in fact, we cannot force faith. We can only speak the truth that sets people free. That’s what Christ did when He walked the earth.
Moreover, our churches will grow stronger if they grow with people who have chosen Christ over other worldviews and creeds. That is why a pluralistic society offers the optimum condition in this world for both evangelism and church growth.
Read more in NT Representative Government vs. Statism
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