“Our Ways are not His Ways”

Having stated that the “Kingdom of God” takes precedent over culture and even blood family (Luke 14:26), we also recognize that we come from a variety of nations (ethnos– ethnic groups, tribes, people groups) and cultures that can have vast variations and differences in traditions, methods, philosophies and ways of doing things. There is the American way, the Japanese way, the Chinese way. Each country and culture has a way. We can break this down further into our tribes, regions or states; there is a Texas way, or the Ashanti way. We can further break this down to a family way and finally each one of us has our own WAY. However, Is 55:8 tells us that to stubbornly pursue our own way is sin and rebellion! The great majority of our conflicts in nations, cultures, as individuals, and with God himself, is over ways of doing things, or one person or culture seeking to dominate or force their way on to someone else. (Religious conflicts falls under “Kingdom against Kingdom” simply meaning the Kingdom of God through Christ vs all the other religions and false Christ in the world today!) The truth is that Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that He IS the WAY (not a way but THE way), the truth and the life! God himself, through Isaiah, tells us that His ways are not our ways (Is 55:8). David was called a man after God’s own heart because he understood the essential importance of knowing God’s ways (Psalm 25:4). It is critically important in all that we ever do to diligently seek the Lord for HIS WAY. For truly apart from him, we can do nothing of value, (John 15:4). Even if it looks good it would be a leafy tree without fruit that is fit to be cursed like the fig tree in Mark 11 which represents the ‘fig leaves’ (man’s works) that Adam and Eve sought to cover their shame and nakedness with in Genesis 3:7.

Each one of us, comes from a secular culture, a ‘religious’ or anti religious culture, a tribe and family and each of us have been greatly influenced by our respective cultures and upbringing. Culture has been one of the greatest molders as well as dividers of people through out history. In Matthew 24:7 Jesus clearly states this when he says that ‘nation’ (ethnos—the root word for ethic group. tribe or race) shall rise against ‘nation’ -(ethnos). Most wars and conflicts — (Even the massive religiously motivated conflicts we see today are based on culture, The Shiites (Persians) vs the Sunnis (Arabs). All ‘religions’ find their roots in culture! Christ is not a religion, a system of belief it is a relationship) — are based on some sort of cultural difference, or one race trying to dominate or rise up against another. Therefore, because of these clearly stated Biblical truths, SFI avoids all reference to ones culture or race as any sort of prerequisite or metric for fellowship , association or partnership.

We do, however, recognize and seek to partner with indigenous brothers and sisters within their own culture or specific vocations when ever that is possible. As mentioned before, we do believe Scripture is clear that nations and tribes are mandated from the Lord. We choose to believe this simple truth: that God himself created the nations and set the rulers over them. (Dan 4:17) Jesus is preeminent over, and transcends, all cultures! We believe that God happens to like diversity. He made it so we at SFI both embody and embrace it. However, at no time will SFI promote, show special favor too, or establish, any specific member due to their race or culture. We do not believe in race entitlement in any way and that includes the Jews! Though we do look for ‘the man of peace’ in a specific nation or culture, we never select one due to their race. Several of our most fruitful works have been established by a ‘man of peace’ who was not from that particular nation or ethnic race or culture.

The measure of a man or a woman’s character and talents has very little to do with their race. We have seen far too much of this ‘promoting one due to their ethnic background’ over the years, and the results have been predictably disastrous. Instead of promoting unity of the brethren, it has proven to do quite the opposite!