05 Mar Gracism (Galatians 3:28)
The Bible tells us, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one IN CHRIST JESUS.” This verse clearly tells us that in Christ, three barriers have been removed:
- Racial barriers
- Socio-economic barriers
- Gender barriers
We live in such a racially charged world! At some point, we must lovingly, honestly and most important, biblically discuss these sensitive matters in order to break down barriers in the Body of Christ!
I remember when we were in Knoxville before we started Joy Church. We had many Jamaican students who came to our full-time World Changers Bible Institute program. Because they were not legally allowed to work in this country, we provided them with “host homes”. There were individuals who would open up their home to the Jamaican students and house them and feed them for a year. I’ll never forget the time one of these precious Jamaican students came into my office to talk with Anne and me. With tears in her eyes, she opened her heart to share with us. Unfortunately her host home was in the process of selling their house but having difficulty doing so. Their real estate agent had told them if they would take down all the pictures of the “black woman” they could sell their house more easily. Our precious Jamaican student was heart broken at this despicable act of prejudice.
When I first started ministry 28 years ago, I cut my “spiritual teeth” doing evangelistic work in the housing projects where I was in the very small minority. I experienced a number of prejudicial statements and acts directed towards me. Prejudice is ugly no matter what side of the fence we are on! We have had African Americans call our church and state, “I am black, is it ok to come to your church?” It is tragic that they had to ask, but the good news is they called Joy Church! We have had couples, one Caucasian and one African American, call the church and say, “We are a mixed couple, is it ok to come to your church?” Again, it is tragic they had to ask but the good news is they asked Joy Church! Joy Church has become probably the most multicultural church in the county…by far!
As you can see, prejudice is still alive and well in the “Bible belt”. Let’s make Sunday morning color blind!
10 Conditions to Create a Color Blind Cross:
- Racism is not about color, it’s about division (Matt. 12:20).
We must recognize racism for what it truly is…division! The Bible tells us a house divided against itself cannot stand (Matt. 12:26). The devil wants to magnify any difference that he can…whether that be color, culture, gender, labor, management, economics or even Ohio State vs. Michigan (Go Bucks!).
Seriously, let’s get to the root of racism and realize unity is not sounding the same…it’s sounding together!
- Recognize the Bible is color blind (Gal. 3:28).
The Bible tells us, “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them” (Acts 13:1-2).
Here the Word of God reveals the leadership in the early church of Antioch. Antioch is the first place where believers were called “Christians”, or Christ followers. I believe one of the reasons for this is Antioch was so beautifully color blind. The five leaders in this church were:
- Saul (later Paul)
- Barnabas
- Simeon
- Lucius
- Manaen
Simeon and Lucius were both black and Saul, Barnabas and Manaen were all Jews. Two out of five were black and zero out of five were white! This may shock some of you but contrary to stained glass windows and Sunday school lessons…Jesus, His disciples and the early church were not lily white! If you look at some depictions of Jesus He looks almost Scandinavian! Most were Jews and were olive skinned, not lily white. The Bible is not a white man’s gospel…the good news is for all mankind!
If you study Mark 3:18, Jesus had just prayed all night before He picked His disciples. One of the disciples Jesus chose was Simon the Canaanite…a black man!
- Acknowledge the power of social conditioning (Acts 10:11-16).
The Bible says here, “And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of four footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter: kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.”
God was clearly trying to open up the gospel to other cultures but because of Peter’s social and cultural conditioning, he had to be told three times. At first, Peter was in essence telling the Lord his upbringing was more powerful than the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Many times the older you are and the more indoctrinated you are with prejudicial social conditioning, the harder it is to acknowledge. However, we must allow the truth of God’s Word and the gentle loving whisper of the Holy Spirit to confront our social conditioning.
Remember this, what we do not confront…we cannot correct. Next week we will continue our discussion of “Gracism”!