The Christian and Racism

What Does the Bible Say?

Racism in the World Today

• A person can be racist and be white (KKK, Neo-Nazis) or black (Black Panthers)

• A person can be racist without being a member of a racist organization

• A Christian can have racist attitudes (see articles by some preachers in the Gospel Guardian in the 1960’s)

Racism in the World Today

• Racism is not…

• When a police officer of one color makes an arrest of someone of another color

• When an employer of one color hires someone of the same color based solely on qualifications

• When a Christian says that a non-Christian (Muslim) must convert in order to be saved, or that a homosexual must repent in order to be saved

Definition of Racism

Racism = A belief that race is the primary Racism = A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.” (Webster’s New superiority of a particular race.” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary)Collegiate Dictionary)

Racism = the belief that one race is superior to Racism = the belief that one race is superior to another; one race is more pure than anotheranother; one race is more pure than another

Causes of Racism

• Ignorance and fear (Gen. 4:15? 9:25? 10:32? 11:1-9? black people are cursed? theory of evolution?)

• Pride and prejudiced (Prov. 16:18; Gal. 6:3; Phil. 2:2-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-4)

• Hatred (“hate crimes”; Mt. 5:43-45; Gal. 5:19-20; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; Tit. 3:3; 1 Jn. 2:9-11; 4:20-21)

Results of Racism• Segregation, discrimination, slavery, violence (“equal

but separate”? Jn. 4:4,9; 8:48; 18:28; Gal. 2:11-16; Acts 10:28; 11:3; Jas. 2:1-9; 1950-60’s segregation)

• Stereotyping (Jn. 1:46)

• No inter-marriage (racial or religious grounds? Deut. 7:3? [see 21:10-13] Josh. 23:12? Ezra 9:12; 10:10-11? Neh. 13:23-27? Num. 12:1? Mt. 1:5?)

• Genocide (Ex. 1:15-17; Esther 3:6; Jewish holocaust; South African apartheid; ethnic cleansing in Crotia)

Prevention of Racism

• All people in the world (1) come from one original couple and (2) are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:20; Acts 17:26-28; Jas. 3:9)

• God is no respecter of persons (Deut. 10:17-19; 2 Chron. 19:7; Acts 10:34-35; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17)

• God saves all people the same way (Lk. 13:29; Jn. 3:16; Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Tit. 2:11; Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 14:6)

Prevention of Racism

• God is concerned about the inward man, not the outward (skin color) of man (1 Sam. 16:7; Mk. 7:20-23; Rom. 2:28-29)

• Love and good deeds for all people regardless of racial background (Deut. 10:19; Mt. 22:39; Rom. 13:9-10; Jas. 2:10)

• True unity and equality regardless of racial background (Eph. 2:16)

The Christian and Racism

• Racism (in and out of the Lord’s church) will be solved by transforming one’s mind to the will of God, by not civil policies alone, forced integration, etc.

• God will not judge us on the color of our skin, but on the content of our character (Rom. 2:6-11)