Biblical Perspectives On Race
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
The apostle, Paul, made this statement to the Greeks at Areopagus. The ancient Greeks considered themselves superior, and people of other races as barbarians. Besides introducing to them the God who created everything in the world, Paul made the point that all humans came from the same stock. From one man, God made every race, tribe, and nation.
To be clear, God did not create all the races at the same time in the beginning. Races grew out of families and communities as they expanded through birth and migrated to different parts of the world. After the Genesis 11 incident in the city of Babel, God gave these communities of people different languages. Differences in skin colours could easily be attributed to the climate and other environmental reasons.
The existence of different races is not an accident. From the beginning, it had always been God’s intention for mankind to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. To fill the earth means living in different parts of the earth, which would inevitably result in tribes and nations (people groups) of distinctively different races and cultures.
God Loves All Races
It is important for us to know that God loves people of all races because they all are made in His image. In God’s eternal Kingdom, every race will be represented. The apostle, John, in Revelation, caught a glimpse of a worship scene in heaven. He saw the redeemed “from every tribe and language and people and nation” gathered around the throne of God. Together, they will be a royal race of kings and priests reigning with Christ over the earth (Revelation 5:10). What a glorious picture! Every race and skin colour are represented.
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It is important for us to know
that God loves people of all races
because they all are made in His image.
In God’s eternal Kingdom,
every race will be represented. ___________________________________________
No Partiality
Paul stated very clearly that God has no partiality concerning race – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”(Galatians 3:28). In God’s eyes, every human being, whatever his or her skin colour, is of infinite and equal value.
Some people might argue that the bible seems to suggest that God prefers the nation of Israel and the Jewish race over others, which is often collectively called the Gentiles. Is not Israel God’s chosen people? Is not Israel the apple of His eyes.
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In God’s eyes, every human being,
whatever his or her skin colour,
is of infinite and equal value.
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While that is true, it does not mean that God is showing partiality. A good way to understand this would be to think of a male and a female, or a husband and his wife. Adam was created first and the husband is the head over his wife do not mean that God is showing a preference for men. It is all about gender roles and responsibilities.
Israel as a nation certainly enjoyed privileges. They had the First Covenant, the law, the festivals. As regards to election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. But do not forget, as regards the gospel. they are enemies for our sake (Romans 11:28). They have more privileges, but they are also punished more severely for their disobedience and rejection of Christ. Just look at their tragic history. It is filled with heart-wrenching tales of exile, expulsion, pogrom, and holocaust. More is given, more is required. God is fair and impartial.
God reaches out to all races with His offer of salvation.
The story of Jonah is a case in point. Before His axe of judgement fell on the city of Nineveh, God sent his prophet, Jonah, to warn the Assyrians. Many of us are familiar with this story. Jonah refused to go for obvious reasons. The Assyrians were the enemy of Israel. So, not expectedly, Jonah resented them. He would like to see God wiping out the entire Assyrian race.
God took Jonah to task for placing Israel’s national interest above Nineveh’s spiritual destiny. God pitied the Ninevites because they “do not know their right hand from their left” (Jonah 4:11). They might be the enemy of His chosen nation, but God cared for each of the 120,000 lives in that city.
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Jesus died on the cross for people of all races. ____________________________________________
In the New Testament, we observe the same racial bias. The first Jewish followers of Christ had to cross the racial divide in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. They had to learn that the good news of salvation through the cross was not a privilege reserved only for Jews, but it also extended to the Gentiles. Jesus died on the cross for people of all races. It took a few years for this race-related barrier to be broken. But it was not without pockets of continual resistance.
Reconciliation of Racial Divide at the Cross
Racial tension and animosity have always been an incendiary issue throughout human history. There are many reasons.
To begin with, people feel strongly about their racial identity. It is the case even today in a world that is closely interconnected. Generally, people who disagree are those who live and work in a place where their race constitutes the majority of the population. You do not feel the nuances felt by those belonging to the minority race. It is a subtle thing. This is true even in places where there is racial harmony.
Usually, racial tension occurs where there is injustice, whether it is real or perceived. Sometimes, it is the result of old wounds that go back generations before. A race of people can feel hurt just like a person. Unresolved pain and simmering bitterness easily give rise to suspicion. At the slightest provocation from agitators, the tension can suddenly explode into ugly conflicts and riots.
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Through His death,
Jesus brought healing to race-related wounds
and restoration to racial hostility.
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Anyone with some knowledge on racial tension would know that this is a sensitive issue, and it is not easy to resolve.
So, can racial rift and animus be healed?
The answer is found in Christ. What Jesus had accomplished on the cross goes beyond saving sinners from eternal condemnation. Through His death, Jesus brought healing to race-related wounds and restoration to racial hostility.
Ephesians 2:14-16 (ESV)- For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
The context here is the hostility between the Jews and Gentiles (people who are non-Jews). In the past, the devout Jews always prided themselves as God’s chosen people, and as part of their religious conviction, they kept themselves separate from the Gentiles. It is understandable how the Gentiles reacted to them. So, there was that history of intense animosity between Jews and Gentiles.
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So, we see clearly where God stands on the issue of race.
God frowns on racism.
He condemned it at the cross.
He still condemns it today.
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But the gospel declares the power of the cross in reversing all the hostility between Jews and Gentiles. Jesus is the peacemaker, and in Him is found racial healing and reconciliation.
So, we see clearly where God stands on the issue of race. God frowns on racism. He condemned it at the cross. He still condemns it today.
It is God’s desire that people of different colours and races celebrate their racial distinctiveness and interact peacefully with one another.
Read Acts chapter 10. Observe the extent to which God went to convince Peter, the chief apostle, to put aside his racial prejudice and go and preach the gospel to a Gentile centurion.
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It is God’s desire
that people of different colours and races
celebrate their racial distinctiveness
and interact peacefully with one another. __________________________________________
It reveals the heart of God. He loves people of all races and nationalities. He wants all of them to come into His Kingdom and experience the richness of His blessings.
Our Response to Riots in the United States
The devil, on the other hand, recognises the fragility of race relations. So, he often takes advantage of it to divide people.
I am writing this pastoral reflection because of the protests and violent riots in the United States in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by a policeman. It was certainly a case of police brutality and the policeman was rightly charged for murder. Justice must be served.
Floyd was a black man and the policeman was white. Protests of racial injustice soon followed, and very quickly, riots erupted across many cities.
The news of these events quickly caught the attention of many people. I see friends posting on their social media and commenting on the situation. Most of these posts are in support of Black Lives Matter, a politically far-left organisation with sinister motives. Presumably, it is to seek racial justice for the blacks.
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I am concerned
that people are so easily swayed
by media rhetoric and emotional visuals
without considering the validity
of the underlying messages objectively. __________________________________________
I also understand from young people that many of their peers in Singapore are swept up by this perceived injustice. They are indignant with the situation and they are joining the chorus of voices criticising the policies and police in the United States. Some of them even wish that this movement will kickstart in Singapore.
I am concerned.
I am concerned that people are so easily swayed by media rhetoric and emotional visuals without considering the validity of the underlying messages objectively. There is more to it than meets the eyes. Do not jump into conclusions until you know the facts. Facts matter for honest conversations. Do not be taken in by false narratives. Discerning the situation is important.
There are many things that I can say, but I would just like to point out two facts briefly. I will not elaborate. Instead, I will refer you to some reading materials where you can follow up if you are interested.
First, the riots have nothing to do with the protests against racial injustice and systemic police brutality. The facts and statistics do not support such a stance. See the links below marked by *
What is happening is domestic political agitation. It is a coordinated attempt to destabilise the country and influence the outcome of the upcoming presidential election at the end of the year. It is a collaborative effort of the left-leaning politicians, mainstream media, and organisations such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa. The latter has been classified as a domestic terrorist organisation by the United States government.
Second, know what Black Lives Matter stands for and its agenda before you support its causes and believe its narratives.
Check up its website. Among its beliefs, it seeks to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure” and “foster a queer-affirming network… with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking.”
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Many black intellectuals, politicians, and ordinary people
have publicly derided Black Lives Matter
and called out its hypocrisy.
It is also anti-Christian
to support Black Lives Matters. __________________________________________
Black Lives Matter has no qualms resorting to violence. They publicly incite riots and destroy properties, many of which belong to the poor black community.
Many black intellectuals, politicians, and ordinary people have publicly derided Black Lives Matter and called out its hypocrisy. It is also anti-Christian to support Black Lives Matters. See the links below marked by **
Let me say this again. I feel the need to talk about this matter because Christians should always find out the truth of a matter and stand on the side of truth. We should not engage in any issue in an unthinking manner. It does not edify, and it is not glorifying to Jesus, who is the truth. To do so also means to be complicit in perpetuating a lie, which is not helpful.
Please be discerning because we are living in a time of extreme lawlessness when evil is called good, and good, evil, and where darkness is called light, and light, darkness (Isaiah 5:20).
All lives matter regardless of our skin colours. God loves all races, and Christians are called to love everybody regardless of skin colours and nationalities.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-myth-of-systemic-police-racism-11591119883
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https://www.facebook.com/DennisPrager/videos/581961319394620