Crimson Unity: Jesus vs. Racism — Foundations Part 2
Post #3
Our Racist Actions:
If you read Dan’s introduction story (Post #1), you may be wondering where he feels he’s been racist. There are several instances, and it’s not even tough to find them.
Dan –
My closest childhood friend during early elementary school, I’ll call him J, often told racist jokes and called brown people n_____, as well as other racial slurs. It was something his father practiced that he enthusiastically perpetuated. I should have walked away, but lacked a clear moral compass, turning my awkward silence into my consent and approval.
Much later in life, shortly after being Honorably Discharged from the Army for my injuries, I worked as a corrections officer for I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). I was a Christian by then and witnessed faithfully, and even have several testimonies of God working miracles while I was there. What wasn’t okay was the treatment of the detainees. I only witnessed physical mistreatment once (by an I.C.E. lieutenant, actually), which resulted in a riot. However, the administrative callousness and neglect of the detainees’ lives and families were a constant heartbreak. On a daily basis, the staff would refuse or neglect to execute the simplest of administrative functions — within their job description — that could greatly help the detainees or their families. It wasn’t unusual for critical deadlines to be missed as a result, adding terrible burdens to those trapped inside with limited communication. I was personally proactive for the detainees but said and did little against the system itself. My family needed the money (it paid well), and the bottom line is I turned a blind eye for that paycheck.
I have reconciled with God on these examples, the guilt, and the regret. However major or minor your own past racist actions, intentional or passive, there is forgiveness and peace with God available in Christ.
Pause for Thought #2
Do you think forgiveness is valuable for a victim of racism?
For the person who has committed a racist act?
Why is Racism so useful to Satan?
As long as we’re defining, here’s another useful definition: Sin is a thought, deed, or disposition in our lives that God didn’t put there and wouldn’t have there. The Bible describes three varieties: sin, iniquity, and transgression:
· Sin (Hebrew — chatta’ah) Missing the mark, the sins of human weakness. It’s like shooting an arrow attempting to hit the bullseye but missing the target altogether.
· Iniquity (Hebrew — avon) Guilt worthy of severe punishment, often related to inner character. It’s a willful twisting or distortion of God’s laws.
· Transgression (Hebrew — pesha) These sins frequently had the death penalty, sins of open revolt against a clear command of God. For example, “Thou Shalt Not Murder”.
So, racism is clearly a sin, iniquity, and transgression.
So What?
Biblically, so are lying, pride, stealing, classism, murder, adultery, slavery, sex trafficking, gossip, and arson, to name a few. We just don’t have a Liar’s Day Parade or a National Day of Gossip. Most sin gets a pass in the media and polite conversation. Many sins get overlooked because they are committed in response to more sensational sins, like rape, homicide, or hate crimes. Most sin has become mundane, and we’re often numb to it. All sin, even sin against someone whom we think richly deserves it, separates US from God and acts against life and God’s heart of reunification.
2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV — That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
1 Peter 2:17 NKJV — Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Romans 8:7 ESV — For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Romans 2:11 NKJV — For there is no partiality with God.
…you would really have to ignore scripture to miss the consistent message here.
Why Does Racism Thrive?
1. We can’t choose or long-hide our skin color or ethnicity.
2. It allows wholesale/corporate hatred of vast numbers of people, even in peacetime.
3. It directly magnifies Satan’s hatred for those bearing the image of God, recruiting masses of human agents to his agenda, who in turn recruit still more.
4. It engenders false, empty pride.
5. As one of Satan’s Freebies, it can and has destroyed millions and hobbled entire generations of victims and racists.
6. It elevates wealth and lawlessness over God, scripture, legitimate civil authority, and when in a person professing Christ, over the Holy Spirit. As is typical with lawlessness, there’s money to be made fanning these flames in the media, Hollywood, the music industry, and the halls of political power.
7. It’s arguably Satan’s most direct method to deny the Church overwhelming victory, undercutting the inclusive heart of the Great Commission.
Pause for Thought #3
If you took a test that measured your racism — where 0% meant you are innocent and 100% meant you’re racist through and through — what score do you imagine yourself receiving?
____/100
How deep does racism go today? Is it exaggerated or underreported in the media?
Prayers for Openness to God’s Truth in Forgiveness
In a later session is an opportunity to thoroughly reconcile with God and others on the issues of racism and more generally. Most will experience great peace and freedom as individuals, and thereafter, a great positive impact on the life and power of their church if undertaken as a body of believers. A complete explanation of forgiveness is given in that session.
However, today’s session can stir the embers of past wrongs for some, and a basic understanding of Biblical forgiveness can make room for God to begin the work of healing. Jesus was clear that forgiveness is essential, so let’s discuss these hallmarks of real, scriptural forgiveness:
Jesus said:
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father is also merciful Luke 6:36 KJV
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt 6:14
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matt 18:21–22
What is your understanding of Matthew 6:14, above?
1. Forgiveness is a decision and an act of the will.
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2. Forgiveness is not forgetting.
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3. The person forgiving is choosing to live with the burden and consequences of that sin.
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4. Forgiveness is deciding not to hold that sin against them going forward, ever again.
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5. We don’t wait until we feel like forgiving someone, as we may never feel that way.
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6. We forgive from the heart, remembering the offense(s) fully and how they hurt us, so forgiveness can be complete.
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In the Next Post
We now understand where Jesus draws the line on racism, how terrible it is, and why we can’t consider ourselves Christ-like if we don’t love (in heart, mind, and action) our neighbors as ourselves. In Foundations Part 3, we expose the Biblical history of the battle between racism and Crimson Unity, and how to join our Lord and Savior on the front lines.
For those interested, here are some key verses to meditate upon during the week (remember the blessings of Psalms 1:1–3). Pick a favorite to share with your circle.
Romans 13:8
Ephesians 4:11–16
1 Thessalonians 3:12
1 Thessalonians 4:9
2 Thessalonians 1:3
2 Corinthians 4:4
1 Peter 1:22
1 Peter 3:8
1 Peter 4:8
1 John 3:14
1 John 4:7
1 John 4:11–12
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