Ben Ediss
In today’s media cycle, it seems as if only those who shout the loudest are heard, and opinions take precedence over truth. Even though the Lord tells us to “build our house upon the rock,” I fear that many of us may have built upon the wrong rock!
Jesus says in Matthew 12:25, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” The Lord has recently challenged me in this. Admittedly, it is tempting to help sling blame across the aisle as more and more issues become polarized. There’s no denying that our nation is divided against itself, and no matter where on the spectrum you stand, the middle ground between us keeps shrinking.
We must understand that by affirming one philosophy over another, we invariably create a divide between us and the other. Standing with “party A,” is also not standing with “party B,” whether intentionally or not. If our worldview comes from earthly alignment and not from Christ crucified, then we have built our house upon the wrong rock. While we should never advocate for Christians to be opinionless, we should remember the revelation of the Apostle John: “…there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10) Neither their skin color, language, nor social/political alignment matters. This multi-ethnic group of people have one voice, and they are clothed as one in the white robes that are washed in the blood of the Lamb!
This pitfall of “a kingdom divided” often begins with good intentions. We want to see righteous law here on earth, the sick and needy be cared for, and to hold fast to the traditional morals of our forefathers while allowing society to progress. Unfortunately, these dichotomized molehills become mountains that we choose to die on, all the while forgetting the command from Christ to die to ourselves instead.
Here is my challenge to you: to be a true patriot is to fight against that which divides us. If we want to see national healing in our country, we must then lay down that which divides us. This is possible only through living by what unites us in Christ and reconciles us to God: The Gospel.
The same Gospel that adorns the worshippers in Revelation is the same Gospel that unites bride of Christ! In Him, we are justified by faith alone because of His grace alone, and the same is true for the Christian brother/sister with whom you do not see eye-to-eye. Heaven will not be an echo chamber! The same unifying power that we have all experienced yesterday is the same unifying power that will draw us into His throne room tomorrow. Do you believe that today?
Ben Ediss is the worship director of High Sierra Fellowship in Gardnerville
