JaneBond007
New Member
Racial Prejudice and Christians
http://www.housetohouse.com/BibleQuestions.aspx?Letter=all&Question=4037
What can the Christian do about racial prejudice?
Bob Prichard
Topic(s): Christian Life, Love, Nature of Man
One of the truly tragic problems in our society today is the problem of racial prejudice. It is such a tragic problem because Christ came to defeat it! Jesus was born into a very prejudiced society, but He worked to break down the barriers of prejudice. To the first century Jew, there was nothing worse than a Gentile, except a Samaritan. Jesus, however, showed the brotherhood of all mankind with his parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the hated Samaritan showed himself to be the good neighbor to the Jew who had been beaten and robbed on the road to Jericho (Luke 10).
Racial prejudice should have no place in the heart of the Christian. God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1:26). This means that all men are created in the image of God. Paul wrote, there is no respect of persons with God (KJV), or God does not show favoritism (NIV) (Romans 2:11). God does not respect or show favoritism for one person or one race more than another, but all are equal in His sight. Jesus died for all people, and came to unite the world in Himself. He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). He died for people of all nations and races.
Dealing with prejudice concerning the poor, James wrote, If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors (James 2:8-9). The example to follow is to love thy neighbour as thyself. The golden rule of Christ is all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12). We must treat people of other races as we wish to be treated.
Conquest of prejudice begins in the home. Parents must bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). This includes teaching children the brotherhood of man, and the necessity of respecting all people, including people of other races. Christians should be concerned for the feelings and problems of those who are victims of racial prejudice, and strive to insure that all people are treated as equals.
Paul wrote to the Galatians: 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 (Galatians 3:28). Paul was not saying that there are no differences between the Jew and the Gentile, between the free man and the slave, or between the male and the female. What he was saying is that all are equal in God's sight, and deserving of honor and respect. In every area of our lives, Christians should be diligent to foster the spirit of brotherly love among the races. As the children's song reminds us, Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20).
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G-d has never removed the path of the Jewish person, never. But He is revealing that under Christ, there is no one OVER another in importance. And what have we become that people would pick up a mangy dog over touching the poor hand of a human being? Our boundaries are too great and our rivers are too divided.
http://www.housetohouse.com/BibleQuestions.aspx?Letter=all&Question=4037
What can the Christian do about racial prejudice?
Bob Prichard
Topic(s): Christian Life, Love, Nature of Man
One of the truly tragic problems in our society today is the problem of racial prejudice. It is such a tragic problem because Christ came to defeat it! Jesus was born into a very prejudiced society, but He worked to break down the barriers of prejudice. To the first century Jew, there was nothing worse than a Gentile, except a Samaritan. Jesus, however, showed the brotherhood of all mankind with his parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the hated Samaritan showed himself to be the good neighbor to the Jew who had been beaten and robbed on the road to Jericho (Luke 10).
Racial prejudice should have no place in the heart of the Christian. God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1:26). This means that all men are created in the image of God. Paul wrote, there is no respect of persons with God (KJV), or God does not show favoritism (NIV) (Romans 2:11). God does not respect or show favoritism for one person or one race more than another, but all are equal in His sight. Jesus died for all people, and came to unite the world in Himself. He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). He died for people of all nations and races.
Dealing with prejudice concerning the poor, James wrote, If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors (James 2:8-9). The example to follow is to love thy neighbour as thyself. The golden rule of Christ is all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12). We must treat people of other races as we wish to be treated.
Conquest of prejudice begins in the home. Parents must bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). This includes teaching children the brotherhood of man, and the necessity of respecting all people, including people of other races. Christians should be concerned for the feelings and problems of those who are victims of racial prejudice, and strive to insure that all people are treated as equals.
Paul wrote to the Galatians: 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 (Galatians 3:28). Paul was not saying that there are no differences between the Jew and the Gentile, between the free man and the slave, or between the male and the female. What he was saying is that all are equal in God's sight, and deserving of honor and respect. In every area of our lives, Christians should be diligent to foster the spirit of brotherly love among the races. As the children's song reminds us, Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20).
________________________________________________________
G-d has never removed the path of the Jewish person, never. But He is revealing that under Christ, there is no one OVER another in importance. And what have we become that people would pick up a mangy dog over touching the poor hand of a human being? Our boundaries are too great and our rivers are too divided.
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