This is the final article of the topic of Racial Reconciliation. As stressed in the last article, we are Ambassadors of Christ. This implies that we are off the same nationality representing the one Sovereign who has dispatched us to this foreign land to tell the inhabitants of His Good News. This is the only message given to Christians; regardless of color, creed or nationality. Somewhere, I believe this reality or Truth has been forgotten and replaced with something altogether foreign to whose we are. The Hebrew writer brings out this reality as he stressed the motivating factor that strengthened the Patriarchs’ faith was their belief and understanding they were “…confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13), in this world. Of particular note is the Hebrew writer’s use of the word, ‘confessed’. Normally when we see this word in the New testament, we normally understand it to mean ‘agreement’. However, that is not the meaning in this passage, instead it means to ‘declare openly’. What is the significance of this singular word? Mainly that as Christians, we not only must declare the Gospel message to a lost world, but we must do so from the perspective of being ‘strangers’ and ‘pilgrims’, that is ‘strangers’ who have been born again in a new realm; one that the writer defines as not of this world. In essence we are aliens whose citizenship is in Heaven. As such, we should never see the physical world as our permanent home; we are in it for sure, but not of it! In other words, those characteristics which characterize the world (the unsaved) should not be true of us habitually. Put another way, we are just passing by—Pilgrims setting up tents here and there on our way home. So, what does declaring the Gospel and the fact Christians are strangers and pilgrims in this world lend to our present discussion? Simply this, as we declare the reality of our status as strangers and pilgrims, it naturally sets up the declaring of the Gospel. By this, I mean, people are naturally curious about people who are different than they are. As their curiosity is aroused, it naturally sets them up in a position where it becomes easier for us to herald the message from our Sovereign that they too can gain citizenship in this glorious country called Heaven. Now what does all this have to do with racial reconciliation you ask? For the answer, we need to go to the Garden of Gethsemane where our Lord prays for Himself, his current disciples and those who would come to faith in subsequent generations. Seen in His prayer is the love that our Lord has for His Father and those whom He had chosen before the foundation of the world. Space not time will allow for an extensive study of His prayer, but I would encourage the reader to devote time to read and meditate over the words of our Lord. He literally pours out His inner most feeling and desires for His disciples of all ages. But it is in the closing verses that I draw the reader’s attention. Notice, verse 22, “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one”. The focus in this verse is the word ‘glory’. To be clear, our Lord is not here speaking of the glory or honor that is His as the Son of God, since this attribute is noncommunicable (not capable of being passed to finite creatures); and besides, if this was the case, we would be as God! Instead, I agree with John Gill that what is meant here is, “…the Gospel…, which is glorious in its author, matter and subject, in its doctrines, in the blessing: grace it reveals, and promises it contains, and in the efficacy and usefulness of it to the souls of men. This was given to Christ, and he gave it to his disciples He has in mind the glory of the Gospel; its benefits” (John Gills Exposition of the Bible). It is the Gospel of God which Christ proclaimed to the disciples and is the foundation on which the church is built with Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20-22). This is the glory given from God the Father to God the Son who has now given it to us! For what purpose? That they (Christians) may be one. Oh, my brother, my sister, it is the marvelous Gospel that not only saves us, but also unites us through the One Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:12,13cf. Eph. 4:4-6). Let us hold onto the oneness that makes us one singular body which though comprised of many members, each one possessing their own gift, consisting of people of all sort. And here’s the beauty and glory of it all; this unity is so strong that when one suffers, all suffer (1 Corinthians 12:12-28). This does not project a picture of members fighting against each other and is the reason I believe the Spirit inspired the Apostles to use the imagery of a human body to bring out the uncharacteristic nature of disunity among the Body of Christ. Think about it; is there anything more absurd than seeing a body where every member is working against the other? To those who believe and devote all their energy and resources in propagating this perceived, (for which some believe to be the greatest in the Church); I ask you, where and who exactly is the problem? I end this series of discussion with the final verses given to us by our Lord regarding the necessity of displaying the unity of the body, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast love them, as thou hast loved me” (Jn. 17:23, Emphasis).