ONE CHURCH UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country. In its original form it read: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Changes in 1923, and again in 1954 resulted in the Pledge as we know it today: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Recently, NBC "inadvertently" left out the words "under God" from a recitation of the Pledge, and they have been inundated with complaints from folks from every race, religion, social-economic status, political persuasion, and geographic region of our country. The only people who seemed to approve of their omission are atheists. The bottom line is, NBC, while clearly a left-wing media giant, needs the revenue from its advertisers, and because they fear a boycott of those businesses, they were quick to make a public apology. Sadly, NBC realizes that America is not "one nation under God," but is “one nation under gold.”

And as for it being "indivisible," there is more division among our "leaders" than ever before. There have even been threats by some states to secede from the Union. Over the past few decades, religious freedoms have been gradually and systematically eroded by local school boards, the courts, and the "enlightened elite" who want to impose political correctness upon us all. However, all of their efforts combined have not had nearly as destructive of an effect as has the Laodicean Church (Rev. 3:14-22). Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men" (Matt. 5:13).

Yes, I am far less worried about our nation failing to view itself as being "under God," failing to be united without the threat of being divided, than I am about the Lord's Church failing to "preserve" our nation due to its apathy and its own lack of unity. The Bible repeatedly speaks of the power of unity. Genesis 11:6 says, "And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Amos 3:3 says, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Matthew 18:19 says, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." Jesus emphasized the importance of unity in John 17:11, 21-23. And the work of the Holy Spirit is to produce unity in the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-13). I am not calling for "one world religion," but I am calling for the Church, the Body of Christ, to unite and to come together under its Head. If we really want to preserve our nation, we have to be “worth our own salt.”