"One Nation under God, Indivisible... Amen."

"One Nation under God, Indivisible...Amen"

As you may already be aware, many parts of our nation are politically and racially polarized as a consequence of media and other related messages heightened throughout the very long presidential campaign period our nation just endured.

Part of the problem is that some folks who have been genuinely concerned for the future well-being of our nation, questioned the wisdom of voting for Obama due not to his race but to his international and domestic affiliations which some have seen as a national security threat, domestically inculcating socialist ideals, as he sported dubious religious associations according to many.

Because the mainstream media did not communicate much about Obama's background, and because McCain's campaign delayed communicating many of those background issues, we have what we have in terms of ill-will that resembles a low grade fever accompanied by a nervous twitch working on a large segment of the nation's citizenry.

The operative assumption communicated during the campaign was that if you were "black," you were most assuredly voting for Obama. If you were"white" and were not voting for Obama, you were most assuredly "Racist."

Indeed, for the first time in decades as we were drawing near the end of the campaign, I noticed a troubling curiosity, that of "whites" and "blacks" growing increasingly reluctant to make eye contact with each other when in certain parts here in Virginia. Understandably, no one ever wants to be falsely accused. No one wants to spoken of being as racist, especially when one is not. So as a consequence of this campaign season, we have a well orchestrated societal and spiritual snare infesting relations in the world at large and in the Church in particular.

Although politics is important, it is not as important to me as what happens in the Church. I believe that the enemy of our souls is not simply trying to divide the nation. I believe his real goal is to divide the body of Christ. If he is successful at dividing the body of Christ, there will be little hope for our nation. We must not internalize the media messages that redefine reality in such a skewed fashion.

Our nation is indivisible only to the degree that the church is indivisible. It must be understood that the only thing that can hold the church together is the cohering Truth of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. If each member of the church clings to Him, the True Vine, and if we each obey His Word and trust in Him by faith then we will be one as He and the Father are one—not uniform, but operating in unison.

Indivisible with Liberty is an important concept. To be indivisible means to be impermeable to divisive forces. With Liberty means we have the freedom to operate in unison, the freedom afforded us only by the harmonizing presence of the Holy Spirit. Indivisible with Liberty and Justice adds the element of action that takes place when the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us to set captives free, to preach the Gospel, to do the work of Him to whom we will have to give account.

However, because there exists deviations from the Gospel, instead of clinging to the True Vine Who is the "real" Christ, many are clinging to splinters and severed branches presenting a "form of godliness devoid of power."

Make no mistake about it. Dependence upon talking heads, man-focused, offer untenable options cloaked in superlatives which can only yield a nation that suffers.

Earlier in the campaign year, I once wrote an op-ed that I believe reflects roots of part of the problem of which the Church is facing here in the United States. At the time apparently it seemed a bit too poignant for some Christian media outlets. So, let me present it here for you. As you read, please pray. Read it and pray for our nation.

Specifically pray that our nation will be "indivisible" with liberty and justice for all. The title is, "What color is the Body of Jesus Christ?" Understanding the Times in Which We Live, by Olivia M. McDonald ©2008

"What color is the Body of Jesus Christ?"

There is a new catch phrase on the airways these days, a distorted bit of verbiage referencing "the black Church" and the "white Church." Both the words "black" and "white" seemed to be pronounced as having four syllables. Quite curious, I say, to see houses of worship through the lens of political pundits. Play by play commentary on politico-religious Spartans are riddled with comments having just a faint hint of cruel absurdity on par with notions of matrimonial celibacy and progressive traditionalism.

Yes, "t'is very strange doin's," but we have seen this before. Thankfully, the Holy Bible, God's ordained guidebook to help us understand the perplexing in this world during our short stay here, speaks about a similar quandary that took place at the time of the beginning of Church history. The Apostle Paul points out this "gargoylish" occurrence. It is a "party spirit." Speaking clearly in response to the spiritual gifts rich church of God at Corinth, the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1: 10-17,

"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you
will agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.' Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech so that the cross of Christ has no effect."


Current names of clergy prominently in the news recently are really modern day "Apollos" and "Cephas." News flash: these modern clergy have not died for the sins of the world either.

Christ is not divided. Nor is the Holy Spirit schizophrenic. Indeed, the real church—members of Christ's body---are easily recognizable by their love for one another. See 1John 4:7-11 where it says,

"Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

And, again in 1 John 4:20-5:5 it says,

"If any one says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

The truth is that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we become a new creation, we are a new race of people, the called out ones. That life giving blood of Christ that washes away the sins of the world runs in our spiritual veins making us one in His Spirit. Old things pass away. All things are made new in Him. That's why Romans 14:10-13 reads,

"But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written…"As I live says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God." So each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or stumbling block in a brother's way."

So,...What color is the Church?

Answer: It is Blood red—a red that has nothing to do with political gamesmanship!

Yes! The body of Christ remains permanently colored by the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

I like the song, "Blessing and Honor." We sing it at our house of worship. The verse I like most is this one:

Every tongue in heaven and earth
Shall declare Your glory,
Every knee shall bow at Your throne,
In worship,
You will be exalted, oh God,
And Your kingdom shall not pass away,
Oh Ancient of Days.
Your kingdom shall reign over all the earth,
Sing unto the Ancient of Days.
None can compare to Your matchless works,
Sing unto the Ancient of Days.

Dear Saints!

Independent of the color earth suit God intentionally poured your spirit into, let's sing the Truth of this lyric in unison!

What sing ye?

God Speed!