God Bless the United States of America

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

Beloved,

Every January in America is known for two things: football and the State of the Union. George Washington

gave the first regular annual address before a joint session of Congress on January 8th, 1790. This regular address became known as the State of the Union in 1934 when President Roosevelt used the term during his speech. So every January, our government leaders convene and are addressed by our top leader on the “state of our union.” Regardless of the President, the ending of the speech is very predictable: God bless you and God bless the United States of America. We need God to bless the United States of America. But I wonder if Presidents and politicians understand what they saying when they ask God to bless America.

There is one God that exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When anyone says “God Bless You,” they may not even realize it, but they are testifying to the Bible. For God to bless you is to say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit bless you. This is what Paul is saying at the end of 2 Corinthians. May God bless you in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and may God bless you in the love of God the Father, and may God bless you in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

The Grace of Jesus Christ- To be blessed in grace of Jesus Christ is to be blessed in the salvation that he offers. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.” We are declared not guilty by the unmerited favor of the grace of Jesus. We are free from the punishment of Hell and experience redemption into God’s kingdom.

The Love of God – To be blessed in the love of God is to be blessed with all things in His Son. The love of God the Father is most clearly expressed in the sending of His Son. For God so loved the world, He gave His Son. And since he has given us his Son, we know that he will also give us all things. Romans 8:31, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things.”

The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit – To be blessed in with the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is to experience the abiding presence of God in life and peace. For the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Rom 8:11).”

So this January, I pray that the one God that exists in three persons will bless you specifically in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. So as the president says, “May God bless you and God bless the United States of America,” know that what he is saying, whether he knows it or not, is for God to bless America with message of the Gospel. For God only blesses according to his nature, specifically his Trinitarian nature. So Mr. President please ask God to bless the United States of America, for we want people to know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Spirit.

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

New City Catechism Question Three

How many persons are there in the one God?

There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.