Letter to the Editor

It's not about black and white, it's about wrong or right

Friday, January 23, 2015

To the editor:

In the wake of protests all across America and the incidences leading to these protests, on the surface, it appears to be a "black and white" issue. But in reality, blacks, whites and other nationalities are only players. The issue is not black or white, but wrong or right.

God's ordinances do not consider ethnicity or social status and never have. When he gave His commands, he did not specify exceptions to His law due to color or social status. His law requires no amendment or riders because it is based on truth and love for all mankind. His invitation is for "whoever will, let him come" meaning whoever is willing to accept him and his will for mankind.

God knew even before he laid the foundation of the Earth that these troubling times would come, and he has given us the answer to our problems and guarantees us victory if we follow his prescribed order. Even man acknowledges that natural disasters are beyond his control but God has the answer even for these. Man, however, continues to meet and consider other solutions to get around doing things God's way. Political minds, scholars, religious leaders and others offer up solutions which have overloaded the law books with ordinances that the average citizen does not understand when variances or exceptions occur. In addition, these ordinances vary from state to state, further complicating matters. God's law does not allow for these variances, nor is there a "grey area" depending on who is the victim or perpetrator because God has no respect to personage for exclusion to the law.

There's an old adage which says, "History will repeat itself." This is very much true because his story reminds us continually of his word and the results of disobedience to his word. His story gives examples of people who behaved contrary to his word and their ultimate outcome which when continued led to destruction.

Since the fall of mankind, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) yet, God made a way by what was done on the cross though Christ Jesus, if man repent from sin, he can be forgiven. He gives us the answer in 2 Chronicles 7:14 when he says, "If my people which are called by my name (believers in Christ) shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn aside from their wicked ways (Repent), then will I hear from Heaven and will heal their land." Healing the land not only includes natural disasters but also the relationship of men with one another which eliminates the chaos.

What we are living is the manifestation of God's word and his truths. This is a spiritual warfare that is using mankind to play itself out. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Our enemies are not human; however, Satan constantly use human beings to carry out his dirty work. In this same passage (Ephesians 6:13-18), God tells us how to prepare for this spiritual warfare in order to gain the victory.

There are those who will disagree (based on the history of this nation) that this is not a black/white issue. If this were a black/white issue, there would be no other ethnic groups involved, and automatically, all blacks would be on one side and all whites on the other. Because it is a right or wrong issue, we see diversity on both sides which let us know that neither righteousness nor sin have a color.

For those who feel frustrated and are beginning to believe there is no hope and even for those who believe violence is the answer, trust the Lord and study his word so you can rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). You can't trust in that which you don't know so you will need to establish a relationship. God does not mind and as a matter of fact encourages you to examine (test) his word so that you will know for yourself what is true. In doing so, you must be willing to accept truth--beginning with yourself. Truth may not always appear to be pretty on the surface because we have distorted it, but through examination and the peeling back of the ugly distortions we have piled on truth, you will find that it is a beautiful thing and will be enlightened to the deceptions of Satan to make truth ugly.

In this spiritual warfare, your soul is at stake. You decide whether you will have eternal life or eternal damnation and destruction. In pondering what your decision will be, consider the question, "What does it profit a man to gain the world then lose his soul" (Mark 8:36)?

Lillie Jones-Lucas
Blytheville