Video from The Gospel Coalition
Is Racism the Problem or is Sin the Problem?
Psalm 89:14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
What lies behind peoples thinking and treatment of others that overtly becomes racism?
The dictionary defines racism as: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people based on their membership in a racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
In biblical terms, sin refers to the transgression of God’s Word—the breaking of his commandments and the personal resistance to God that stems from a rebellious heart. The solution is repentance, a change of heart toward God and away from sinful thinking and behavior.
This of course is impossible by our own will and strength. We see every day in the news and experience it in our own lives that we cannot in our own mental or physical strength make things better or alter circumstances. A personal relationship with the living Christ and the indwelling of the person of the Holy Spirit are the only powers that will give us perspective of this sinful racial hatred. To get to that point in our lives and in our thinking, we must kill our pride and self-righteous thinking, we must become a servant to everyone.
First, let us acknowledge that laws cannot cure the sins of the human heart. That is our problem now as a nation. We have lost our moral basis for thinking; we have become relativists and functional atheists so we falsely believe laws will make people do what is morally right.
The recent and ongoing outcry’s that if anything offends anyone it must be abolished is patiently absurd and foolish, yet people think there is validity in it. Just as people say we must defund the police not realizing or not caring that the resulting lawlessness would be far worse than having police in place.
This is irrational thinking; it is emotional and without a basis in reality- it is delusional! People react based on emotion all the time. Crimes of passion for example refer to this sinful flaw.
Yet we know that we are a land of laws. So even though we cannot legislate the sin in people’s hearts we can make changes in society and in bureaucratic systems that will make life better. This is one of the functions of human government as sanctioned by God.
Systems can and are sinful in and of themselves. Bad, sinful, evil behavior must be stopped and corrected. Police Departments and policing in general in America must be overhauled.
Other systemic changes need to be made regarding opportunity and education to name just a few not only for Blacks but for all people of color and different ethnic origins. America has always been a melting pot and immigrants continue to come here and succeed and flourish. We must not lose sight of this and we must encourage and promote it.
Sadly, as we live in a culture of polarized political activism and social rancor this has become fertile ground for political tit for tat. Along with Black Lives Matter has appeared All Lives Matter Etc. In fact, we do not live in a colorblind society.
Tribalism and division are now mainstream and threaten to further weaken our nation.
But all is not lost.
What I have described is human viewpoint. My viewpoint and the viewpoint of others.
Human viewpoint is flawed, our wills are broken, our sin nature constantly hijacks our wisdom and judgement. Not even the most intelligent and capable public servant can fix this. Donald Trump cannot fix it nor will Joseph Biden be able to fix it.
God does use foolish and arrogant authorities to work his will in the world and I am certain that God will use our foolish leaders to make his will manifest.
Right now, all of us must pause and repent of the racism and injustice we have been a party to or just ignored. I am guilty of it as I am sure many others are as well. In this turbulent time of pandemic and social unrest look anew for opportunities to help people, lament with them, and come alongside them as brothers and sisters in Christ.