Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)

1968-06-01 / 2. szám

HOP Vol XX Special Number - 114 - (07895)

1968 No 2

of G-od and the shadow of sin# Every nation, race and culture is God's gift, a commission and task, showing the multicoloured pattern of creation - the wealth of variations which is to our advantage if we know how to receive it# But, at the sane time, owing to the Pall, this variety becomes a source of divisive, antagonistic, destructive, demonic farces driving sinful man to abuse what ought to be God's gift to him. This fact is borne out by the Genesis narrative about the Tower of Babel. The existence of races and peoples in itself had not obstructed the creative plan of God neither compromised the unity of mankind. It was only under the influence of sinful disobedience that the natural differences became divisive and devastating foroes destroying the unity of the human race".88) Even our sad solidarity in sin is an argument against raoial discrimination, reminding us that, in the sight of God, every man is a sinner (Romans 3:23), facing his judgment, in need of forgiveness, and this essential fact minimizes the differences which exist between races# We can only approach the mercy seat as those at one with all men and standing on the same level, thus making the same petition: "Forgive our debts!" (Matthew 6:12)# His presence tolerates no pride (no racial pride either)! (l Cor 1:29)» The laws of the Old Testament which then led to what was almost the isolation of the chosen people were menni to_serve the survival of the "rest", just as the cultic laws also had the same purpose# However, the New Testament abolishes even this difference between the chosen people and those not chosen (Galatians 3:28)# Even if the problem is raised in the New Testament congregation also, it is a problem already solved in Jesus Christ, for it was revealed in him that "God is no respecter of persons" (Colossians 2:14; Galatians 3:3) and that in Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles have found peace (Ephesians 2:14)» Also subsequently, in the primitive church, the problem was considered solved in Jesus Christ, At any rate, racial discrimination would have been simply impossible in the first Christian church in view cf the fact that her members were rallied on the day of Pentecost from a multitude of at least ten "races" and languages (Acts 2:9-ll) when all these different peoples become united in faith and obedience to the apostolic witness to Jesus Christ (Acts 2:4l).

It is about this polyglot and racially mixed congregation that we read in the Acts of the Apostles that they were together daily "with one accord", praising God together and living as brothers and sisters, members of the same family (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37)#

The story af the Pentecost is the reverse of the story of the Tower of Babel# The latter speaks of division and fragmentationformer cf the new and unique experience of unity# And the experience of/Jerusalem congregation has sinoe been repeated in other places# The apostles spoke out of e: - pi rience when they proclaimed: in Jesus Christ "there is neither Greek nor Jew, ,,, but Christ is all and in all" (Colossians 3tll)# As the redeeming death of Jesus Christ is to benefit all men, so the Holy Spirit gathers together God's people into the fellowship of Jesus Christ from among men of all re.ces and colours, giving them all new life and keeping them therein (l Cor 12:13)# The New Testament relates not only the bridging over of the differences in the Jerusalem congregation after Pentecost but also prophesies