First I would say that my personal belief is that these words come from a certain old testament mindset and understanding, but do not fully align with the revelation of God's character in the person of Jesus. Secondly, they are often strengthened by an interpretation of the Book of Revelations, and some of Jesus' words concerning days of judgment that were coming upon the Jews, which although popular, does not seem to align with the rest of the scriptural revelation. These are broad topics, and can not be covered sufficiently here, but the topic of our national identity or citizenship is my focus today, which is an important topic in this arena.
Foundationally it is important to know that we Christians are all the same in Jesus Christ. What I mean is that we are all connected directly to Him, and find our identity in Him. Relationally, we are all directly sons and daughters of the Father, no grand-children here. We are all equally members of His family, members of the Church, members of the Body of Christ. There is a level of freedom available to us in this dispensation that allows us each to be in relationship with the Lord, and not aligned with a particular body, nation, tribe or people group, and taking our identity from that group. Thus, the idea of God punishing us for the sins of our previous national identity, would be incorrect on two counts:
1) Jesus took the punishment for all our sins - see Heb. 7:27 (If Jesus took our punishment, why would the Father dole out more punishment? Was the sacrifice of Jesus not enough to pay for the sins of all men?)
2) There is no national identity anymore in Christ -
Galatians 3:26-28 NIV: "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
- And-
1 Corinthians 9:19-20 NIV: "Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. [20] To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law."
The idea here is that if we can't be identified by our nationality anymore in Christ, than we can't be held responsible for punishment for crimes and sins committed by those nations, in God's Eyes. This is really a theme that is related to the relationship of the individual to Christ, rather than through our people group, which was an old covenant model and mind-set. There is a much larger reality in this image of the Body of Christ, one that I don't think we fully grasp, at least I know I don't. This idea of being hidden in Christ (Col 3:3), being one in Him (Gal 3:28), means that our former identity is washed away, and we have a new identity in Him, solely in Him. There is a freedom from the law, freedom from the judgment that went with the law.
Here is another verse of similar thematic content: 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NIV: "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."
The idea here is that we are all members of the same body, but each associated to our function in the body, not our identity prior to being part of the Body of Christ. We are a new creation and part of His body.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV: "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
- And -
Ephesians 2:19 NIV: "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household,.."
- And -
Philippians 3:20-21 NIV: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."
- And -
Colossians 3:11 NIV: "Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."
Peter writes something very similar - 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10 NIV:
[4] "As you come to him, the living Stone---rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him--- [5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
[9] "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
The Greek word that Peter uses here is Laos and it means - " a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language". Before we did not all belong to a single nation or tribe, but now we all are the people (nation) of God.
I was reminded of the writing of one of the early Christian apologists who wrote to his pagan friend Diognetus an explanation of Christianity. This epistle was likely written between 150 and 225AD, and is one of the earliest written specifically to those outside the Body of Christ. As such, the author included much that would not be seen in normal writings from that time to members of the Body of Christ. Here is a quote - Epistle to Diognetus 5:1-6, 9-10
[1] "For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or customs. [2] For nowhere do they live in cities of there own, nor do they speak some unusual dialect, nor do they practice an eccentric lifestyle. [3] This teaching of theirs has not been discovered by the thought and reflection of ingenious men, nor do they promote any human doctrine, as some do. [4] But while they live in both Greek and barbarian cities, as each one's lot was cast, and follow the local customs in dress and food and other aspects of life, at the same time they demonstrate the remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship. [5] They live in their own countries, but only as aliens, they participate in in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign....[9]They live on the earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. [10] They obey the established laws; indeed in their private lives they transcend the laws."
I don't include this as some scriptural level text, but rather as an example of the lifestyles of the early Christian brethren. The author was pointing Diognetus towards something that he could verify with observation. This was the way the early members of the Body of Christ lived. They were from every tribe, nation and tongue and yet they shared a common citizenship and perspective. They stood out, not for their dress or language, but by their attitude about their new nationality. The author went on to explain that it was this characteristic and by their love for each other that you could tell a Christian.
In summary, as Christians we have a new identity in Christ Jesus. In God's eyes we are no longer identified by our previous national or group membership, but are now members of His Body. We are called to pray for the nations and geographies in which we live (1 Tim 2:1-2), but our true citizenship transcends these boundaries and labels. We are free of all such ties, in God's eyes, so why would He punish us along with the rest of any nation, if He indeed were doling out punishment? Instead of punishing, it seems to me that He wants to bless, and as members of His Body, we have access to all His blessing and goodness. God is not going to allow His Son to suffer the punishment for our sins AGAIN, and we are members of His body so we will not experience God's punishment for sins.
As Paul wrote to the Galatians 3:1-5, 26-29 NIV:
[1] "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. [2] I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? [3] Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? [4] Have you experienced so much in vain---if it really was in vain? [5] So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?"
[26] "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
And finally, Paul writes to the Galatians 5:1 NIV: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." The Law and its punishments no longer pertain to us, Christ has set us free from them, and that is the yoke Paul speaks of here. We live under the new covenant, established by the blood of Christ, one that gives us freedom and a new identity in Him.
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