Diversity

[lazarus]

When Jesus returns will He remove the diversity that exists within the human race or celebrate it? We know that we shall be changed but we will also be "known as we are known" Will we have the same culture, speak the same language, the same accent? Will we have same kind of "white robes" ?

[Gail]

In spending time with 1 Cor.13, especially verse 8, I thought about this. Does this apply to the new earth?

I mean, it's easy to see why the prophecies will cease. As to knowledge, well we know that our knowledge of sin will likely in time pass away.

Will the tongues (languages) also come to an end?

[joeb]

If our knowledge of sin will pass away, what will guarantee that sin will never rise again after it does?

[Gail]

I am going by [Nahum1:9 about affliction not arising again...]

Now I have not done an in-depth study of Nahum, but I am thinking this is eschatological. Affliction HAS risen up again on earth from when that was written until now.

[joeb]

But, God has not made an "utter end" of sin since that time.

[Gail]

He will...

[joeb]

Yes, He will. And that's a good thing.

If we are to be a kingdom of priests in the New Earth, why are we supposed to be that? What is to be our role? And if the memory of what sin is really like is to fade away to nothingness, what is to keep sin from arising the 2nd time? The best guarantee that I can think of to keep that from happening is to have people around who know exactly what it was like, who remember just how painful it was.

[Gail]

Good point! So what do you think the verse was talking about when knowledge would be done away with?

[joeb]

I'm not sure. The context though is that of spiritual gifts, prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. And the verse after this one speaks about those things we now know/do in part will be done away with for the fullness of perfection will then be known.

Does this have to do with that verse in the OT where it says that we will not be teaching our neighbors because we will all know for ourselves? My guess is that this is something along those lines.

[cricket]

I am confident there will be diversity in heaven. In the Bible it is written that there will be foundations of jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, ruby, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, turquoise, jacinth and amethyst. Surely humans will be just as diverse (and brilliant)!

[Tom Wetmore]

Interesting thought, Laz. I for one hope that all the diversity will continue. The usual illustration of imagining a flower garden with only one type of flower, or just one color of flower. I do think God created the huge variety we see. He encoded it all into genetic code that things would continue to become more diverse over time. Sameness is anti-creative and boring. (Sort of the motivation for this sub-forum, to keep expanding ideas creating new ones, etc.)

I imagine that eternity will result in ever expanding diversity in the new heaven and new earth. Revelation hints at it by saying we will sing a new song. (Imagining the Narnian creation of Azlan singing things into existence.)

As for the old things passing away, as Nahum suggests, it is the bad things that will be no more. Life as we know it isn't all bad. And the diversity we see in humanity isn't bad.

[Tom Wetmore]

Cricket, that is a good point. The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation is symbolic of God's people, and not really describing a literal city. So the 12 very different precious gems/stones do suggest variety/diversity of God's people.

[debbym]

joeb,

about the assurance that sin will not rise again,

the temple will be there as a memorial of the grace of God overcoming all sin, and jesus will bear the scars on his body for eternity, and the sacrifice of Christ giving up his divine form forever as a sacrifice that he made to remove sin, these things will not pass away.

we will be testifying before the universe that God saved us from the power of sin, not because of any righteousness we had, but because of the mercy and righteousness of Christ.

the activity of sinning will cease, but not the awareness of what it is and what it cost God to bring it to an end, and we will never forget the death of the wicked. this every surviving human being will witness, every knee bow and every tongue confess that jesus is Lord, and God is good and every action he has taken to deal with sin is righteous and just and true.

we will be 1000 years studying and understanding it with perfectly functioning minds with increased capacity. we will not have a problem knowing it for eternity. and knowing we will never choose it again.

[D.A. Wintsmith]

I think God is into diversity because creativity is all about expressing a infinite variety of amazing combinations, and God is THE CREATOR who out-creates the most creative among us humans.

The celebration of diversity is evident all around us. It would appear that God likes whirligigs and flying machines, God likes to wind things up and make them go. God doesn't just do green, he does shades and hues of green. God doesn't just do blue; God does lakes and skies and eyes. God likes to design surprises and tuck them inside shells and nests and under the roots of trees and in caves and lakes and mountaintops.

God likes to take one shape and recreate it where you don't expect it, formed of different materials. He makes eggs and he makes smooth white oval stones that look like eggs, he makes feathers that look like leaves and he makes leaves that resemble human hands, yet all different, all unique, none of them interchangeable.

So why would God want human beings to be the same, wearing the same white robe? Why would God wants us to think alike or even perceive him in the same way? Diversity is what makes personalities interesting, diversity make relationships interesting, diversity makes existence worth experiencing because there is so much to explore, within our environment and within ourselves and each other, and within God.

[Neil D]

I wonder if our capacity of obtaining knowledge will change....

What happens to the human race if we can read other peoples minds?

If I could read the thoughts of others, if my mind were open to others, would that change knowledge? would I be "known" in a different way, but recognized as the same person?

[Textus Receptus]

If Jesus will have the body that was given to Him on earth, in that we will be able to see the wounds in His hands, why wouldn't we have the same? Yet, the scriptures do indicate that we will become perfect. What this will mean, or how it will transulate into our new bodies, I guess we will just have to wait. It is a good question!

As for diversity, all diversity is encrusted with paganism - from the music we listen to, holidays, dress, body "art" etc. If God understands this, I personally believe that He will eradicate all forms of culture in some sense and make us all homogenous on some level. To what end, I don't know. Using a Type and Anti-type analysis, Adam and Eve were one culture, After the flood, Noah and his were all one culture, of course until Nimrod attempted to usurp authority from God. Guess is as good as mine.

[CoAspen]

For those that believe in God, how can we not believe in diversity. Look at the universe! This idea that everyone will look the same or be the same I think is rooted in selfishness. It may also have some roots in prejudice from the beginning of Biblical diversity. Has it not been taught by some, in the past, that races, colors and

languages were the result of sin? Really? God created diversity!

I lean toward thinking God will continue with what He created and I say 'lean' because...well....the future hasn't happened!

[debbym]

We do not know how many species and races were lost in the flood.

God did create diversity. Every grain of sand is different, and every snowflake. Every individual within a species is unique and has it's own personality.

the variety of species in nature is astounding.

[debbym]

Jesus does not have the body he had on earth, he was resurrected in an eternal body.

His eternal body carries the marks of the physical assaults he endured on crucifixion day. It will be an eternal reminder of the cost of sin.

we will not have the same body when we are resurrected either. but the lost will be resurrected in the same body they died with.

[Ellen]

What I think will be different with regard to colour and language ; there will not be one more accepted than the other, all will be important in each other's eyes.

Sometimes in the western world we think we are the best, the top, more acceptable than any other nationality Everyone is under our feet. But this thinking is against what God stands for.

[debbym]

A sense of cultural superiority, and various forms of racial or cultural bigotry are not exclusive to the Western World or North America.

It is the human condition. Various lands all have different ways of carrying it and expressing it.

Not all peoples are equally blessed. Some are in war and starvation and dominated by diseases. Some have little or no education, and extreme poverty.

Those who are more blessed are to help and provide for those less blessed. But without the grace of God those more blessed tend to just hold tighter to their blessings, and lift themselves up as superior. this happens on very small scales and on global scales. It is so consistent and not good.