Racism

It is so necessary to approach God’s word with a spirit of sincerity, desiring the truth, and to pray for spiritual discernment in this, because it blows my mind how much people distort biblical scripture in order to fit their own prideful and selfish ideas (Jn 4:24).  Racist Christians –a contradiction in terms- is a practice that has been accepted for far too long.   We need to be careful not to align ourselves with others (e.g. the Ku Klux Klan) who preach the hatred of racism based on a perversion of God’s word.  Racism is defined as a belief that race (a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics; a category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits) is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent  superiority of a particular race; and is also defined as racial prejudice or discrimination. 

So, what appeared to be what we know as racism today, in the Old Testament was no more than God demanding absolute spiritual devotion from his people.  Before God’s word was preached to the Gentile people, everything associated with them (their shared interests, habits, characteristics) was, in fact, sinful and spiritually unclean because they didn’t recognize God (1 Sam 17:26).  Their beliefs were at issue, not physical characteristics.  This is why interfaith marriage, then and now,  is considered detestable to God.  We’re told to not be joined together with unbelievers because righteousness and wickedness have nothing in common (2 Co 6:14).  There is no fellowship.  There is no harmony (v.14-15).  Again, the issue here is belief.  When the Canaanite, Hittite, Perizzite, etc. races (meaning nations or peoples) are spoken about negatively, it is because of their detestable practices (Ezra 9:1).  The people of Israel -God’s people- were identified as ‘the holy race’ because they were believers of God’s word (v.2).  It was their belief that justified them as a people, not their nationality, skin tone, native tongue, or any other superficial characteristic.  Again, God’s concern was that their mingling with foreign people eventually would lead them into unfaithfulness, and it did (v.2; Neh 13:27).        

A strict adherence to Mosaic Law, and cultural practices associated with it laid the foundation of the faith that would later be clarified -not abolished- by Jesus Christ’s teaching of grace in the Gospel (Mt 5:17).  God does not show favoritism, but accepts people from anywhere  that revere him and do what’s right (Ac 10:34-35; Ro 2:9-11; 10:9-13).  And since we’re to be like God, we’re told not to show favoritism as well (1 Pe 1:16; Jas 2:1-13).  If we do, we sin (Jas 2:9).  Don’t be like one of the experts of the Law who wanted to justify his own racist views (Lk 10:29).  Like the good Samaritan, we’re to treat our others as ourselves (Lk 10:25-37).  This is our charge:  to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything Jesus Christ has commanded us, according to God’s word, which is the Holy Bible (Mt 28:19-20; Jn 1:1-2, 14).