The Scourge Of Racism
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Released January 5, 2024
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Either you believe every word Jesus Christ the truth spoke is true or you do not. No one is left a middle ground! Of the many truths He proclaimed and taught about among first century Jews was ‘“the kingdom of God.’” They expected and were looking for it to tangibly and visibly appear at the coming of God’s Anointed. He did not deny this as He offered Himself the fulfillment of their expectation while redirecting their thoughts about the Kingdom’s initial form and visibility in Him (Luke 13:18-21, 17:20-25, NKJV). Just as Christ is the truth, so, He is the Kingdom (Luke 9:27-36)! Unbelievers and not a few professed Christians too, reject the Kingdom of God in Christ as King.
At His interrogation by the Roman Governor, Pilate, not denying He was a King,1 Christ said to him, ‘“My kingdom is not of this world…not from here,’” (John 18:33-36, NKJV). Christ’s statement meant His kingdom did not originate in nor was it from this earth world. Though He did not elaborate with the unbelieving Gentile, Pilate, the Lord had spent more than three years walking up and down Israel proclaiming ‘“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven’” or alternately though semantically the same, ‘“the kingdom of God is at hand,’” (Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15, NKJV). Heaven speaks of the Kingdom’s place of origin and homeland while God, identifies its Originator from eternity (Isaiah 66:1)!
Scripture presents three heavens: the first is earth’s physical sky, the second is the expanse of the physical universe called “the heavens” and the third is the spiritual environed abode of God above all named Heaven (Genesis 1:1-19; Psalm 19:1-6; 2 Corinthians 12:1-2, NKJV). Heaven is where Christ came from and returned to after His successful mission on earth to pay for the sins of fallen mankind (John 1:1-2, 14, 3:16-21, 31, 7:32-36, 8:21-24, 20:17; Acts 1:9-11). He sits at the right hand of His Father on the throne and is ruling even in the midst of His enemies in the heavens and on earth (Psalm 110:1-2; Matthew 26:62-64, 28:18-20; Ephesians 1:15-23, 6:12; Colossians 1:13-18).
Many professed Christians rooted in this world stumble over, choke on, are ashamed of and scoff in unbelief at the substantive reality and coming of the Kingdom of God Personified in Christ. This is clear evidence that they as the unsaved are not experiencing the rule of Christ in their inner being and daily lives for this is the initial display of the Kingdom since the first century birth of the Church (John 3:1-8; Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-41, 10:36-38; 1 Corinthians 12:3). To the farthest extent there are bona fide, obedient Christians on the face of the earth, so, the invisible Kingdom of God in Christ is manifested as He reigns as King and Lord in our hearts (1 Timothy 6:11-16)!2
However, many that profess to be Christians are spiritually dead religionists as Israel’s first century religious leaders and stumble over King Jesus to their demise (Matthew 21:33-46; 1 Peter 2:6-8). Others choke themselves resisting His Lordship (Luke 6:46-49). Still others are ashamed of the King’s Kingdom that conflicts with the ways of the world (Mark 8:34-38).3 Finally, a number are scoffers with unbelievers rejecting the Lord’s promised visible return and rule on earth (2 Peter 3:1-9). Despite that, the interim display of the invisible Kingdom of God in Christ is shortly to be succeeded by its foretold glorious visible manifestation at His Second Coming (Psalm 97:1-6; Matthew 24:23-31; Mark 13:21-27; Revelation 1:7-8)! ‘“Now, the just shall live by faith,’” (Hebrews 10:37-39, NKJV).4
Indeed, Christ must return to manifest the Kingdom of God on earth for He taught us who believe to pray for this majestic event as we have for nearly two millennia wherein the will of God is ‘“done on earth as it is in heaven,’” (Matthew 6:9-10, NKJV). Rebel angelic and human kingdoms have always been temporary in the face of and subject to God’s eternal Kingdom (Matthew 6:13b). Truly, those professed Christians that minimize or outright reject the Kingdom of God in Christ as King invisible or visible are also rejecting having any part in His promise to reign with Him at His Second Coming (Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 1:4-6, 2:25-29; 5:9-10, 20:4-6). Reigning with Christ has been God’s absolute will for man from creation (Psalm 8; Hebrews 2:5-13; Revelation 22:1-5).5
1 Read the April 7, 2024 post, Suffering For The Truth, under the category, Glory To God!
2 The rule of Christ in our hearts is wholeheartedly embraced by every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in His image I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is also available at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store. The E-Book is also available at major E-Book sellers.
3 They are ashamed of Christ and His words because of being ridiculed by unbelievers and worldly religionists that hold to the sin and demon driven values of this fallen world they really also want to continue to possess.
4 If as a professed Christian you do not believe any part of His Word, Christ bids you repent! Receive His call to return to Him with a fully sold out heart of faith through this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube channel.
5 To reign with Christ in the Kingdom of God made manifest after this mortal life filled with suffering including from the oppressions and persecutions of men is an exceedingly great blessing from God (Matthew 5:10; Luke 12:32)! The closest mortal experience in terms of turnabout and magnitude is when Mordecai is made a ruler after Haman’s heinous plot to kill him and destroy all the Jews in Persia (Esther 7:1-9:4).
In last week’s post, instruction to Jewish and all would be believers came from the Lord Jesus Christ who is the truth about His ability to free from slavery to sin.1 Slavery to sin is the most serious form of slavery among men due to it being both temporally detrimental and eternally consequential. A man can die suffering in physical bondage and be freed of it forever though, if he also dies in spiritual slavery to sin, he will be judged for his sins and condemned eternally to “the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15, NKJV). Although physical slavery is used punitively by God, He cares ultimately that men be set fully free from every vestige of evil oppression through faith in Christ (Luke 4:16-21)!
As a black American descendent of those once physically enslaved in this nation, I write with a heavy heart for what I have learned was one of the most brutal practices of slavery in the history of men on earth; its legacy combined with systemic racism still affecting many. Yet, rather than through the lens of a victim, I also write as a victor with the purposely intended biblical assurance the painful oppressions of physical slavery that my slave forefathers experienced were not of God’s perfect, but permissive will to punish sin and accomplish His purposes of good in the end.2 Physical slavery has been tolerated and used by God for His good purposes and to punish human sin for millennia.
As last week’s post pointed up, Jewish history was launched by their forefather, Abraham, who God informed He would be purposely allowing his descendents to be slaves for four hundred years ‘“in a land that is not theirs.’” That land turned out to be Egypt where Abraham’s descendents served and were severely afflicted. God also tells Abraham His good ends in that He would judge the oppressing nation and bring his descendents ‘“out with great possessions.’” Their time as slaves was preparation for something far greater that involved a return to the land currently occupied by others whose sin needed to reach fullness before He judged them (Genesis 15:13-16, NKJV).
When Israel came to the edge of the land, God warned through Moses that among the curses for disobedience to Him and His commandments He would bring upon the nation were oppressions and slavery (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Israel’s history bears out how God kept His Word! Of the many ways the victims and their doctrines of victimization among my people condemn themselves before God is the attempt to portray our West African forefathers in their various kingdoms and tribes as innocent of having done anything that would provoke His offense enough to allow their suffering and slavery when He has declared His verdict of universal human sin guilt (Romans 3:9-20, 23).
Beginning with Israel, judgment has been upon all earth’s nations from the 6th century B.C. for their sinful and wicked practices (Jeremiah 25:15-29). Such practices include making idols to worship in idolatry, the worship of the sun, moon, stars, earth’s sky and nature including animals, rocks, trees and bodies of water (Exodus 20:1-6). They also practiced witchcraft, sorcery, sacrificing their children and attempting to speak to dead ancestors (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). Truly, what men admire as culture and tradition in those practices, God most holy rejects and judges!3 West African kingdoms and tribes were guilty of all of the foregoing practices along with rejecting the Gospel of Christ.
Thus, in not treating their sins as they deserved in every case (Ezekiel 18:4), God allowed the sorrows of oppressions and slavery to come upon the West Africans forcibly brought to the New World to punish their sins and humble their hearts before Him as I have written in other places.4 Now, here is where those black Americans that have chosen victimization also greatly offend God in implying that we are somehow better than His Son who endured painful oppression at the hands of those who arrested and put Him on the cross and should not have had to suffer oppression of any sort (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:47-68, 27:1-26).5,6 However, Christians are even exhorted to have Christ’s mind who came into the world as a slave to God for our sakes (Philippians 2:5-8).7
And what was the good end of Christ’s servitude? How about the salvation of the world! Also, please note He did not go unrewarded by God for His service (Isaiah 53:4-6, 8-12; Philippians 2:9-11)! Those of our slave forefathers that recognized the grace and mercies of God in the Gospel of Christ repented of their sins, put faith in Him who knows all about the stifling oppressions of men and were freed from sin’s bondage. Rather than rebel or run away they served often cruel masters prayerfully waiting for God to free them from His remedial judgment. Many were freed through death (Psalm 116:15-17); countless faithful others lived to see God’s reward of perseverance in the day of freedom! All who waited will reign eternally free with Christ in His Kingdom (2 Timothy 2:11-13).
1 Read the April 14, 2024 post, The Truth Frees From Sin, under the category, Instruction.
2 As I write in my book, The Scourge Of Racism, black males in anger as a natural reaction to our historic and ongoing experiences with systemic racism’s sting and as slaves of sin tragically embrace the victim mentality. Christ’s ability as the truth that frees from sin’s bondage paves the way to the mindset of a victor through faith in Him! The book is available for purchase at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store. The E-Book version is also available at major E-Book sellers. Learn about it at https://www.opendoorcommin.org/featured-publishing-resource.
3 So, for example, those that admire the practice of communicating with ancestors in Marvel’s film franchise, Black Panther, are celebrating what God despises and bringing judgment upon themselves.
4 See for example the March 3, 2024 post, When God Fights Your Battle, under the categories, Black History and Glory To God! ‘“God shows no partiality,’” (Acts 10:34, NKJV). Therefore, it cannot be that throughout the Scriptures the bad and ugly of Israel’s “fathers” are transparently presented (Nehemiah 9:1-2; Acts 7:51) as God has led me to do with my West African forefathers in this post and somehow give white professed Christians a pass because the truth about the wicked deeds of their fathers sullies their heritage as they choose to see it (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:6).
5 While there is a God ordained place to oppose the injustices of oppression, this should not supersede calling on and trusting in God to help in accord with His sovereign will and timing. Submission to His being oppressed as part of God’s will and trusting in His vindication brought forth no complaint or protest from the mouth of Christ. Until He directs otherwise in the situation, Christ’s example of submission trusting in Him is what God wills (1 Peter 2:18-23).
6 Unless one can demonstrate the sinless perfection of Jesus Christ, it is the height of evil arrogance to consider oneself not worthy of divine punishment for sin (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 1:8)! If you possess such arrogance as a professed Christian, you have surely strayed from the truth and need to repent. Hear the Lord’s gracious call to return to Him in this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube channel.
7 This is the mind of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in Christ’s image I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is also avail- able at your favorite internet book seller and in the Strong Man Store. The E-Book is also available at major E-Book sellers.
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