AuthorNinjaearth

February 12, 2002

To Agree Or Disagree?

Although I didn’t understand about the race card in Mr. Ellis Cose’s article, “12 Things You Must Know to Survive And Thrive in America,” I did agree with the terms he used to declare how to survive in today’s American society. However, I disagree that these twelve ways are the best or efficient ways of American survival. In Mr. Cose’s article, he did mention fair trades, treating one another equally, and knowing when to say what are some characteristics of righteousness. On the other hand, righteousness can only be obtained by accepting a new life without sin-the human nature of the universe that disassociates itself with righteousness and is seen as evil and corrupt to God, or simply stated, anything that separates an individual from God. Every day people live in this world and try to live by these standards, but do they succeed in what they’re practicing? Unless God is on their side, then the answer is most likely no. Why? Even if a person is morally well behaved, kind hearted, loyal, wise, and intelligent without God, they will, by most instances, fail in what they do; if not right away, then later! Why is that so? The reason is God sent His only begotten Son to die for a world where sin and death were so prevalent because He loved us. Since God is love, the ultimate love, then anything without him is only sin and death. If we sought God and accepted His gift of love in our lives, then this place or America would be a much better place. God is the factor in all things of life, especially survival. God says in the Bible that the one who doesn’t rely on his own knowledge and strength, and acknowledging and trusting in him will succeed. This is because mankind was born into a way of error; everything we do has some sort of error. With God, we have no error in what we do, provided that we trusted in Him. So why is trusting in God a way to succeed in America? The reason being because He knows how to get us through. Cose’s states that many things such as complaining and “being blinded by the glitter” will only lead to a terrible path. That’s true for both Christians and non-Christians. However, what he didn’t mention was that if you have God in your life, then why even complain at all when you have eternal love and life? So what does this have to do with righteousness you ask? As the book of Romans, chapter 3, verse 10 and 11:

“As it is written:

There is non righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands.”1

According to the above Scripture, no one who does these things are righteous because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. In order for us to obtain righteousness, we need to walk in a Godly manner and accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. The 12 survival tips that Mr. Cose gave in his article were fine, but only with Christ can one surpass the most deadliest traps that our society holds for us today. The first step on any survival list should be accepting the One who walked the earth and took up our sins on a wooden cross, died, and resurrected with all power given unto him. With His Holy Spirit coming into our lives, then we will experience a new way to love one another and tell someone else about what He did for us. After we clear our minds and hearts of evil intentions, then only can we be considered righteousness because of our being in Christ and not of ourselves. That is the way to survive anything, only by the power of God, namely the Holy Spirit.

1 The Bible,. The New Testament, Romans 3:10-11, New King James Version, 1982