December 7 | Standing Against Racism

Racism is a devil’s lie that divides humanity into different categories according to skin color, facial distinctions and culture.

According to the Bible there is only one race; the human race.

There are not different races or kinds of humans but just different variations of the same human race (i.e., “mankind”). Some people have darker or lighter skin, some have bigger or smaller noses, others have different shapes and positions of their eyelids; however, the entire human race with all its variations are all equally human, descendants from Adam and Eve and are loved the same by God.

It would be good to remember the words of the ole’ Sunday school song, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight- Jesus loves the little children of the world!”

Sadly, racism has made its way into almost every culture throughout human history. For example, just in the last hundred years there was ethnic cleansing of the Jews in Germany, black segregation in the U.S., the Rwandan genocide and even still to this day race-based slavery exists in certain African and Middle Eastern countries like Libya, Sudan, Syria and Dubai.

As a result, disciples today must preach against racism and teach the biblical perspective that Paul proclaimed in today’s passage while he was in Athens. Our message is that God has placed everyone in different cultures to reach out to Him and receive salvation. As disciples of Christ, we’re commanded to stand against racial injustice and love the world the way Jesus does. Paul said in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Therefore, every disciple should stand against racism in the following four ways; (1) Believe and teach that there is only one race- the human race. (2) Preach salvation to all people in hopes that they will be saved. (3) Reject any form of racism that would exalt one race of people over another. (4) Stand for equality when you see oppression of certain people based on their culture.