Ask the Pastor 144

How should we think biblically about racism?

In these articles we have had previous articles about race, Black Lives Matter, and Critical Race Theory. As a point of review, mankind was divided into different races by their language and then by their genetic similarities as they intermarried within their groups which had been formed by a common language. A great deal of research has been done over the years and found that not only are the races divided by the color of their skin but also by cultural differences and emotional and psychological differences. It has been demonstrated that different races, even learn differently and have different interests as far as working with one’s hands, or business and finance or medicine and science. Of course, these are only characteristics and not 100% true of every person of every race. Racism, by definition is, “a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.”. It is also true that to judge a person based solely on their race is wrong, as the Bible clearly teaches that all have been created in the image of God and all are in need of a savior which has been provided for in the person and work of our Lord Jesus. The problem in this present day and age is that far more subjective definitions have been given to racism, so that when a person of one race thinks, in their mind, that they are being discriminated against, then that becomes racism, whether it actually is or not. There is also the attitude that sameness is equality. Even in the trinity, we have 3 different persons with different functions but are still equal and of the same substance, i.e. they are all God. There is not one race that is more guilty of racism than another, there are plenty of blacks who are racist by definition. The only possible unity for any people group with other people groups is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who then by His own Spirit unites together all people in His Church.

Have questions about the Bible? Send them to Dr. Greg Koehn at gak4850@gmail.com and read the answer here in this article.