Why Racism Doesn’t Belong in the Church
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This is an issue that I meant to address during the election. I did not, and I’m going to take care of this right now.
Not long ago I ended a friendship with a woman who happened to be black. One of the biggest reasons I did this is because this person claimed to be a Christian. However, what I learned from being friends with her is that her race will always trump her faith. I understand when non believers do this. It’s plain ignorance. What I don’t understand is when Christians do this.
I’m not saying there isn’t racism. There is. What I am saying is that we don’t have to buy into it. Racism is the work of those who want power or are just plain evil. Besides, do you really believe everything others say about you?
I made it abundantly clear that I don’t concern myself with racism. I’m colorblind. I believe it is not only wrong, but it is evil to mistreat another person because of an act of birth. I also don’t believe the issue of racism is as bad in the United States as some want to claim it is.
The reason I say this is that I’ve learned a few things in the last few years. From my own experience in my own life dealing with various aspects of my own personality and my own life, I want to share these things with you.
1. God loves us, and He can only be good to us. Many of the bad things that happen to us are either the result of bad choices we each make, or the sin of someone else. It isn’t what happens to you that’s important, it’s what you choose to do about what happens to you.
It’s always a mistake to assume that someone is treating you a certain way because of your race. Unless you can read minds, you really don’t know. The person could be having a bad day. Who knows? Then again, it could be your own personal prejudices. If you teach your kids to hate whites because of something that happened 200 hundred years ago, that’s just plain stupid.
I believe that what we focus on grows. If you believe that everyone you meet is treating you badly because of your race, that’s exactly what you will get. We do attract things into our lives, and if you don’t believe me, read the book of Job.
If your life isn’t what you want it to be today, and you’re blaming it on your race, that’s just another excuse. What are you doing to change your life?
If you don’t have the job you want, have you bothered to get the education for it? Other people can only stand in your way if you allow it.
2. As Christians, we are to be colorblind. The Bible tells us to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The Bible differentiates between our brother and a neighbor. A neighbor is anyone. A brother is a fellow Christian. When Jesus told us to lvoe everyone, He didn’t make any exceptions on who that would be.
The Bible says,
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28Galatians 3:28
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
We need to learn to be like Jesus and see the hearts of others. We need to see each other as fellow brothers and sisters. To focus on something as superficial as race is idolatry.
3. Christians are known by their fruits. What this means is that it is not enough to believe in Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the demons believe, and they fear Christ. If we are truly saved, we will want to be like Christ. That means setting aside of evil. This is also one of the reasons I believe that Jeremiah Wright and Obama are not really saved.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:19-23Galatians 5:19-23
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
4. Christians are called to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:72 Corinthians 5:7
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
7
). The NIV says to live by faith, not by sight. As Christians, we really shouldn’t concern ourselves with the things going on in the world unless we need to stand up for social justice, as in the case of Iraq, or other situations where others are being terribly mistreated. In cases like this, we may need to stand up for what is right. We may also have to stand up and fight.
As Reggie White, the “Minister of Defense” for the Greenbackers once said, “We are to be meek, not weak.” Meek is about being patient. It’s not about being a doormat.
There’s also a big difference between turning the other cheek when people are hurling insults at you and when someone is being hurt because of evil. This is a big reason I don’t support what the Jehovah’s Witness. Many of them have died for nothing because they refused to stand up for what is right.
If you are blaming all of your problems on racism, you’re walking by sight, or making excuses. God is ultimately a God of Justice, and if there was any wrong to you, He can, and He will make it right if you allow it.
If you really want to change your life, go look in the mirror. See who you really are. Turn your life over to God. Let Him change you. He only has your best interests at heart, and He loves you. He will give you far more than you can even imagine, but you have to allow it.
Heaven will be made up of people from all nations and tribes. The one thing they will all have in common is that they accepted Christ. That trumps racism any day.
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November 10 2008 03:27 pm | Christian News and Real Christianity
