Often, we believe lies because they have truth intermixed. Also, when culture continually drowns us in their worldview, we tend to slowly start to accept it—especially when it becomes dangerous to take an opposing position.
“Diversity is our strength” has become the motto of our day, and Americans believe it because this country has been, historically, a melting pot of all kinds of nationalities and colors of people, and the world has never seen such a strong and healthy and advancing people before us. Was our strength in our diversity? That is the claim.
Companies intentionally hire plenty of “minority status” employees so they can prove themselves properly diversified. Universities give perks and first choice to minority student applicants. Government, of course, falls all over themselves to prove they are into diversity; it’s how our current Vice President got her seat. Now churches[1] are beginning to take up the spirit of the age[2] and preach diversity[3] from the pulpit.
What Did Jesus Preach?
Did Jesus preach diversity? Was Jesus interested in melting-pot churches? Was that His aim?
On the one hand, we clearly see His plan was to become King over all peoples, nations, and languages (Daniel 7.14; Revelation 5.9). He is King of all men, whatever color, dialect, or location on the globe.
But how is Jesus King of all nations? Is He King of Buddhists, Muslims, and Transgenderists?
Rather than praying for diversity, Jesus prayed for something folks seem to have forgotten, a little thing we call “unity.” This may be a new concept to a lot of folks in the current secular climate, but Jesus calls for His people to all be one. See the Lord’s prayer in John 17—read the whole thing. Jesus explains how we will be one, how we will experience unity. It has to do with how we accept Jesus, how we understand Him to be from God, and how we accept His word to be the very word of God. “I have given them Your word,” Jesus prayed. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
Jesus promoted a unified way of thinking and living. He hates diversity when it comes to worldviews, religions, and morality. His word is Truth (with a capital T), and that means there is not a diversity of truths—not one truth for you and another for me. Jesus means there is only one right way, which implies that anyone not following Jesus’ teaching and way of life is—God help me say this correctly—wrong. Yes, those who are not in line with Jesus’ teaching are simply, flatly, completely wrong. They walk in their own wisdom, set their own direction, and do not submit to the one true King.
Unity Is Based on a Fixed Standard
A family which has moral diversity cannot exist in peace. When Dad says, “I think sleeping around is normal and healthy,” and Mom says, “I think sleeping around is breaking marriage vows,” the family has a problem. When parents say, “Children, you will not watch pornography in our house,” and the son says, “I’ll watch what I want to watch,” the family has a problem. When one sibling thinks she has a right to her brother’s stash of chocolate bars he bought with his own money, there will be a problem.
The family must submit to a single standard of morality to be at peace with one another.
This also works for a city, a state, and a country. The reason our country has been so healthy and has advanced so rapidly in knowledge, scientific discovery, and wealth over the past 200 years is because we have been mostly at peace. We have been at peace because we have been a society characterized by submitting to and obeying the laws of the land. And the laws of our land, largely, were fashioned after God’s laws in the Bible, so we were taking our lead from the Lord. Those who first created our nation’s Constitution and those who first created our state constitutions were, for the most part, believers in God’s word as the best rule of law.
As we slide away from that belief (and we have slid far!), we find ourselves less and less at peace with one another.
Diversity, in this sense, is poison, not a thing to be sought out and worshiped. I’m not talking about diversity of people; I’m talking about diversity of worldviews and religions and moral judgments.
Unity is the watchword of the Christian, and we understand unity comes only by submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ, to His commandments.
Peace on Earth
Many today are calling for the dissolution of power structures in our country. They would topple our leadership, gut congress, and kick out our judges. But what would they replace it with? That is not clear. In the name of “democracy,” they are calling for mob rule and the breakdown of law. They would release criminals from prison. “Speak truth to power!” they cry as they burn police stations and Wendy’s franchises.
This anti-law worldview leads to anarchy and to rule by the most powerful. There is no justice here. They cast off restraint—especially God’s restraint—and give in to their basest desires and motivations. Powerless people think this will grant them power, but it will do the opposite, driving them deeper into slavery. They think they are powerless now! Wait until no law limits the power of those who would take advantage of them.
Jesus promoted unity, not diversity. He would have all the nations of the world submit to His governmental system. He is King, and He will reign until all things are put under His feet. Only then will we have peace on earth.
Those who know the Truth should champion that Truth anywhere and everywhere we are! Let us not keep silent but let us boldly tell our neighbors about God’s plan for a well-ordered society, family, and government.
Christians who believe Jesus and submit to Him do not push for diversity as a primary goal, but their churches will naturally become ethnically diverse as men of every race and tongue band together in unity under the Lordship of Christ! What a beautiful plan our Lord has for men!
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2.11–22
[1] https://outreachmagazine.com/features/18699-diversity-in-the-church.html
[2] https://research.lifeway.com/2022/02/15/most-pastors-see-racial-diversity-in-the-church-as-a-goal-but-not-reality/
[3] https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-why-they-are-marks-of-the-church-and-how-we-can-practice-these-values-in-our-congregations-and-mid-councils/