A few points are shared on America as “one nation under GOD,” today, July 4, 2014. Without fully realizing it, many Americans are celebrating an error: They believe America is a unification of Church and State within a system of democratic governance. However, by its principles insisting upon separation of secular and divine power, America has been a peculiar champion for the purity of genuine Christian belief. Once again, citizens throughout the Nation are re-affirming the principles for life that have been developed through centuries of worship as well as human political struggle. However, most correctly understood, America is a human accomplishment that serves GOD as a setting for the jewel of otherwise invisible divinity.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; (Deuteronomy 4: 5-9, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: God Bless America? (09/12/2013); Law, Slavery and Redemption (09/13/2013); Numberless (08/28/2013); The Return in Glory? (07/04/2013); GOD Hiding in Plain Sight (03/26/2013); A Godly Take on Guns (01/18/2013); It Is Finished (01/19/2013); Hellfire and Brimstone Preaching? (12/27/2012); The Dove (12/28/2012); The Crux of the Matter (10/26/2012); Women Ordained to Minister? (10/27/2012)
(1.) The Earth Created by GOD, the World by Mankind. The earth is a material creation of divinity that serves as a sphere of existence for mankind, and for a broad array of other created beings and living creatures. The earth is also used to make known and visible the active presence of divinity (we say, the revelation of GOD). The World is a major belief system that also determines meaning and value for behavior, conduct, ideas, and self-expression both in competition with and in opposition to Christian belief. Thus the World promotes its own standards for what is godly/ungodly, good/bad, true/false, logical/illogical, real/imaginary, right/wrong, scientific/unscientific, wise and foolish. Aspects of the World system appear as culture, currency, customs, government, history, social organizations, language, broadcast media, science, and tradition.
(2.) Sovereignty and Jurisdiction. A State is a self-perpetuating feature within the World system, and a man-made device to continue and promote material and social aspects of human existence such as common goals and interests; discovery, distribution, increase or storage of limited resources (including tools and weapons); gathering and producing food; ownership of property; safety and security as well as prosperity and survival for humankind. In such matters as commerce, trade, treaties, and the making of war, the State must have the cooperation and submission of its population that registers as uninterrupted access to information, full authority over shared property, and unobstructed transit through all its sovereign territory. The State may establish and maintain order, resolve disagreements, and settle a broad range of conflicts including regulation of public agencies, violations of contracts, and cases that enter the public forum as disputes over child custody and the dissolution of marriage (i.e., divorce).
(3.) Religious Liberty. It is a significant human accomplishment when a State acknowledges its limitations with regard to matters of conscience, and provides legislation to protect the right for all its citizens to determine for themselves the forms for their acknowledgment, reverence to, and worship of divinity. Additionally, any obstacles to lawful behavior expressing and pursuing religious liberty will be banned as well as every official action that may support intolerance, oppression and persecution of religious believers. Freedom to participate as full members of the State can be granted, along with access and opportunity within the Commonwealth. However, the State can not cleanse, purify and set apart believers for divine service (we say, sanctify); eliminate and remove sin, or equip believers to resist corruption with all its consequences; exempt or protect any from divine judgment; guarantee forgiveness, or restoration of divine relationship and trust; establish and maintain eternal life.
(4.) America is Not the Kingdom of GOD. All the nations of the earth are challenged to demonstrate and embody the principles that comprise the kingdom of GOD. However, the kingdom of GOD is not a geographical region or territory within the measurable frameworks of space and time. The divine kingdom is the totality of created beings and living creatures (thus, men, angels, and the sacred beasts of heaven) who respectfully acknowledge the sovereign rule of GOD over their own existence and over all that is. The kingdom is not a nation, product of political consciousness, or State. The kingdom is a peculiar pattern in awareness and self-will that allows the living to operate having shared relationship with divinity, and a unified spiritual condition. America, other nations, and the World, are not the kingdom of GOD; yet, by close contact and continual interaction with those having part within the kingdom, America and all others may have benefit (we say, blessing) from GOD.
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. For example, (5.) Christian Belief is Only By Divine Spirit. While America has been built up through some of the highest and noblest expressions of humanity such as courage, duty, industry, patriotism, and unselfishness; Christianity is only built up from aspects of the makeup of Almighty GOD such as faith, holiness, joy, love, longsuffering, truthfulness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. The illusion of sameness for the Church and the State results from their use of the same language and words communicating to their participants, however, the intent and meaning conveyed is often totally different. Christian believers appear as material beings and products made up from flesh (we say, incarnate) through operations that result by the active presence of GOD in his form as an imparted Spirit. Because Christianity and the Church exist to accomplish the revelation of divinity, and resistance to a nonmaterial, non-spirit influence (we say, sin) their origins, operations, process and purposes must be known through discernment, and ones own endowment of divine substance. Finite human tools such as emotion, intellect, logic, mathematics, reason, and science can no more generate the imparted Spirit than they can eliminate and remove sin. Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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