Bobby Stafford Why Racism Is Wrong?     Racism

Why Racism Is Wrong

Introduction:

Why is racism wrong?  Why is it wrong to discriminate against a person based upon his/her race?  Certainly not just because a group of people claim it’s wrong.  Not because the government says it’s wrong.  Not because the media claims it’s wrong.  It’s wrong because there is a God and His Word declares it to be wrong.  The Bible lists numerous reasons why racism is sinful.

Body:

I.            All People Are Created in God’s Image

·       On the sixth day of creation God created male and female in His image.  This new creation was completely different than everything else He created.  (Genesis 1:26-27) “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” NKJV

·       Since then, all races of people who descended from this first couple have been made in God’s likeness – likeness of the divine.  Note what the apostle Paul told the Athenians in Acts 17:28-29.  “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said,  ‘For we are also His offspring.’  Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.” NKJV

·       James, the Lord’s brother, would later allude to this same likeness.  (James 3:8-9) “But no man can tame the tongue.  It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.” NKJV  All human beings bear the image of the divine regardless of color or ethnic background.  Praising God with the same mouth that you use to declare your hatred of other races is extremely sinful.

 

II.          God Only Made One Race

·        Although people come in a variety of colors, there is only one human race.  Therefore, we are all related; we are blood relatives.

Note Acts 17:26.  “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,” NKJV

·       The only human race is Homo sapiens.  All are equal in God’s sight.  If you take all the different types of people [skin color, facial features, hair texture] and examine them genetically, there is less than 0.2% difference!  We are definitely all related.

 

III.        God Doesn’t Play Favorites

·       God is perfectly just and totally fair.  He therefore doesn’t love someone more because of his skin color or nation in which he was born.  (Deuteronomy 10:17-19) “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.  He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow; and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.  Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” NKJV

·       Peter emphasized this aspect of God’s character in Acts 10:34-35.  “Then Peter opened his mouth and said:  ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” NKJV  The apostle Paul also declared this in Galatians 2:6.  “But from those who seemed to be something – whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man – for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.” NKJV  God doesn’t judge based on what is on the outside.

·       We are to be color blind like our Father.

 

IV.        Love Is Not Racist

·       A Christian is to be characterized by love for all.  (James 2:8-9) “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” NKJV  (Romans 13:9-10) “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’  ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” NKJV  A neighbor would include anyone and everyone.

·       Christians are to be set apart from the world.  There is no room for racism or hatred in our hearts.  (I John 4:20-21) “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him; that he who loves God must love his brother also.” NKJV

 

V.          Jesus Died for Everyone

·       Jesus died for the entire world.  (John 3:16-17) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” NKJV  Jesus died for every nation, every ethnic group, every color.  (I John 4:14) “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.” NKJV

·        The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone.  (Mark 16:15-16) “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” NKJV  (Revelation 14:6) “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” – NKJV

Conclusion:

Remember Christ’s words:  “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”  John 7:24  Be like our Heavenly Father, look on the heart!

 

Bobby Stafford 

October 29, 2017