This
week I did something I have never done before in 35 years of pastoral ministry.
I preached a sermon on racism. It seemed odd, because racism is one of those
topics I had assumed that everyone understood was wrong. I always thought it
was something that was self-evident, like love your neighbor. Apparently that
is not the case.
I
was reminded of that very clearly this week by the events in Charlottesville,
VA. A group of white supremacists, including neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Clan,
planned a rally to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a
local park. But it turned violent when the group was met by another group of
counter-protesters. Fists flew, the police were called in, three people lost
their lives and dozens more were injured. It was clearly one of the darker days
in American history.
What
fascinates me is that people on both sides of the issue are claiming that God
is on their side, that faith and religion plays a central role in what they
believe and how they express their beliefs. What does our faith teach us on the
issue of racism, and how should we respond as Christian people? How should our
faith inform our politics? How should what we believe affect how we live our
lives each day?
There
are lots of people who have strong opinions about racism. But where do those
opinions come from? Is it their religion or is it their politics? How can you
tell the difference? On many issues, it may be difficult to discern the
difference, but I think the Bible is pretty clear on this one. There are a
couple of things that I believe very strongly and that I want to make perfectly
clear.
First
of all, the Bible makes it clear how we are to treat one another. It is not
with bitterness and hatred and violence. I think we know what scripture says.
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in
Christ God forgave you.” (Eph 4:32). And Jesus said, “A new command I give
you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you
must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are
my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Anyone see
any love in Charlottesville? Anyone see any kindness or compassion? If you
didn’t, then you didn’t see Christians acting like Christians. I am not saying
they weren’t Christians, I am saying they weren’t acting like it. Anytime we
engage others in political discussion, or even protest, it must never be with
violence or hatred, no matter how much you disagree with their views. That
person, too, is a child of God. That person, too, is a person for whom Christ
died. Each one should be treated with dignity and respect. We should be willing
to “Do unto others as we would have them do unto us”. That is the Christ-like
way.
Secondly,
I think we have to recognize that racism is a sin. I need to be very clear when
I say that. Racism means much more than merely recognizing that different races
have different characteristics. That much is self-evident. When it becomes
dangerous, and even sinful is when a prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism is
directed against people of a different race based on the belief that one's own
race is superior. When you begin to think that you are better than somebody
else because of the color of your skin, no matter what color it is, that is
when racism becomes sinful. When I say, “sinful,” I very specifically mean that
it is counter to, and opposed to what is taught in the Bible.
Let
me give you some examples. In Acts 17, Paul is addressing some Greek
philosophers in Athens. The ancient Greeks saw other races as barbarian, and
thought of themselves as superior – the very definition of racist. But Paul
makes the case that we have all descended from one common ancestor, and we all
have the same Creator. He says that God made all nations, and that we all come
from him. Therefore, all human life is precious and valuable, and we should not
put ourselves or our own race above that of others.
In
Ephesians chapter 2, Paul is discussing the clash between Jew and Gentile, a
racial clash if there ever was one. But he says that through the blood of
Christ, we are no longer separate in race or religion, but one. Beginning in
verse 14 he says, “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two
groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of
hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands
and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new
humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile
both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their
hostility.” That is powerful language, that Jesus has broken down the dividing
wall of hostility, and has created in himself one new humanity out of two. He
says something very similar 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.” We cannot hear such words and continue with
the sinful attitudes of racism.
As
many of you are aware, there have been lots of comments this past week about
racism by Christian leaders. After, all it is our Scripture that speaks so
powerfully against it. But I think Albert Mohler, president of the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said it extremely well.
In his blog this week, he said, “We must see claims of racial superiority–and
mainly that means claims of white superiority–as heresy. That is not a word we
use casually. Heresy leads to a denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the
eclipse of the living God as revealed in the Bible. A claim of white
superiority is not merely wrong, and not merely deadly. It is a denial of the
glory of God in creating humanity—every single human being–in his own image.”1
Let us not mistakenly think that the whole world will line up behind us and
appreciate this biblical position. There are powerful forces lined up against
it; forces of hate and anger, forces of greed and political power. The
Christian must always deal with the impact of these forces when he expresses
the truth and the implications of his faith.
In
Charlottesville, Heather Heyer was killed as a car was driven into a crowd of
protesters. I doubt she had any idea she would be in physical danger that day.
She just wanted to stand up for what she believed, for what the Bible
proclaims; that we are all God’s children and that he loves each and every one
of us, no matter the color of our skin. We should not be surprised that the
message of the Gospel is still an offensive message today.
I
have been reminded this week that anytime we proclaim the truth of the gospel,
there will be those who oppose us. There will be those who will be angry with
us. Perhaps even those who would do violence to us. We are shaking up their
world. God is shaking up their world.
