The Holy Nation
Today’s Focus: Racism and the Holy Nation Part 2: Clash of the Cultures
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 1:3
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
When we speak of racism and how this spirit tries to severe the holy nation we can really look at our cultures and how they clash with the culture of the holy nation. Now to be specific here, the culture of the holy nation is the culture of Heaven which consists of the culture of the Kingdom and the culture of the Son.
The very fleshly and worldly cultures that we live in, many times define who we are and how we respond to other cultures. If there was one culture that oppressed another then the culture that was a victim tends to always remain in that place and remind the oppressing culture of their wrong doings towards them. If we look at the church today, especially in America, Sunday is probably the most segregated day in America but notice it is not segregated throughout the week, in a particular sense, but it is segregated on the one issue that we should be united on and that is the Lord and the Kingdom of God. Now the reason we have racism in the church is because of a lack of knowledge and identity. The lack of knowledge refers to a lack of the truth about God and a solid relationship with Him and the lack of identity is simply not knowing who you are and how God has created you and your purpose in the Earth. When those things are lacking then there is an abuse of power and oppression of the minds of the people.
Now, let’s look specifically at the church. If we use America for example we know that America has an unflattering history of racism and segregation and this trickled into the church. We have what is called “African American churches”, “Hispanic churches” and “Caucasian churches”. The hardcore reality is the majority of those people belonging to those particular races attend a church that is predominately if not all the way the same race as they are. The mindset is that they must attend this particular church because the pastor can understand where they come from and what they have been through. Moreover when we look at the style or diversity or worship services and how we give praise to the Lord we are divided on that thinking that “our way” is the way. As bad as this sound there is a silver lining in this and it shows to power, majesty and creative ways of the Lord.
God created us to be diverse to show His power and the many ways people can render praise and worship unto the Lord. Not just in song and worship experience but also in service and obedience unto the Lord. Remember worship is conforming to the image of the person or thing you are holding in reverence. We need to learn that dominion has a powerful place in this very issue. Now what I will speak about here only applies to worshippers who give worship in truth and in spirit to God. Some people like their gospel music fast, some like it slow. Some like to sing hymns and some like to do devotional services. Some like to have choirs and other may not. Some like to use instruments as a part of the service, some may not. Some may not have a choir and others may. Some like their preacher with an organ (if you can still follow him) and some do not. God created us different to show the creativity of God and the diversity of the way we can render praise and worship. The spirit of racism brings up our diversities and causes us to look at the differences and all the reasons why our way is the way and just because a group of people back some 50 to 200 years ago oppressed us then we need to hold on to what they did and remember it. Moreover we go as far to believe that God will punish an entire race of people because of what their forefathers did and take it far enough to the fact that Jesus will not save them because of that. This is extreme but the spirit of antichrist is just as extreme.
1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
If we claim to be a part of the House of God then we know we are spirit first, flesh last. The House of God is made up of spirits and so our flesh and our cultures should not dictate or influence the culture of Heaven that we should be living out in the earth to show forth the praise of God. Our culture should never rise above the culture of Heaven. Those of us who have been oppressed, we should be talking about how God delivered us and not about how and what was done wrong to us and hanging on to that more than the deliverance. When God spoke and reminded the children of Israel about Egypt, he consistently spoke about the deliverance. If we are to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation then we must suppress the spirit of racism that exists in us. I am not saying everyone is a racist but what I am saying is do not let your culture override the culture of heaven. When we do this you will begin to see the rise of the Holy Nation in the earth and they will be the radiance of the Father’s glory and the full expression of the nature of the Father. The Holy Spirit is mandated to assemble us in the Body of Christ. He has no respector of persons, race, gender or social status (Galatians 3:26-29). Strong leadership, sound doctrine about the Kingdom and House of God and a people willing to deny themselves and submit themselves and their culture to the King and the Kingdom is what is needed to stamp out racism in the church and bring forth the holy nation in the Earth. And it will happen through the growth of spiritual households. For the sake of time please review our series “Sonship” and “House of God” and our messages on spiritual households.
At Our Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
