The Christian and Racism
What Does the Bible Say?
Racism in the World Today
• A person can be racist and be white (KKK, Neo-Nazis)
or black (Black Panthers)
• A person can be racist without being a member of a
racist organization
• A Christian can have racist attitudes (see articles by
some preachers in the Gospel Guardian in the
1960’s)
Racism in the World Today
• Racism is not…
• When a police officer of one color makes an arrest of
someone of another color
• When an employer of one color hires someone of
the same color based solely on qualifications
• When a Christian says that a non-Christian (Muslim)
must convert in order to be saved, or that a
homosexual must repent in order to be saved
Definition of Racism
Racism = A belief that race is the primary
determinant of human traits and capacities and
that racial differences produce an inherent
superiority of a particular race.” (Webster’s New
Collegiate Dictionary)
Racism = the belief that one race is superior to
another; one race is more pure than another
Causes of Racism
• Ignorance and fear (Gen. 4:15? 9:25? 10:32? 11:1-9?
black people are cursed? theory of evolution?)
• Pride and prejudiced (Prov. 16:18; Gal. 6:3;
Phil. 2:2-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-4)
• Hatred (“hate crimes”; Mt. 5:43-45; Gal. 5:19-20;
Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8; Tit. 3:3; 1 Jn. 2:9-11; 4:20-21)
Results of Racism
• Segregation, discrimination, slavery, violence (“equal
but separate”? Jn. 4:4,9; 8:48; 18:28; Gal. 2:11-16;
Acts 10:28; 11:3; Jas. 2:1-9; 1950-60’s segregation)
• Stereotyping (Jn. 1:46)
• No inter-marriage (racial or religious grounds?
Deut. 7:3? [see 21:10-13] Josh. 23:12? Ezra 9:12;
10:10-11? Neh. 13:23-27? Num. 12:1? Mt. 1:5?)
• Genocide (Ex. 1:15-17; Esther 3:6; Jewish holocaust;
South African apartheid; ethnic cleansing in Crotia)
Prevention of Racism
• All people in the world (1) come from one original
couple and (2) are made in God’s image
(Gen. 1:26-27; 3:20; Acts 17:26-28; Jas. 3:9)
• God is no respecter of persons (Deut. 10:17-19;
2 Chron. 19:7; Acts 10:34-35; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9;
Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17)
• God saves all people the same way (Lk. 13:29;
Jn. 3:16; Mk. 16:15-16; Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28;
Tit. 2:11; Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 14:6)
Prevention of Racism
• God is concerned about the inward man, not the
outward (skin color) of man (1 Sam. 16:7;
Mk. 7:20-23; Rom. 2:28-29)
• Love and good deeds for all people regardless of
racial background (Deut. 10:19; Mt. 22:39;
Rom. 13:9-10; Jas. 2:10)
• True unity and equality regardless of racial
background (Eph. 2:16)
The Christian and Racism
• Racism (in and out of the Lord’s church) will be
solved by transforming one’s mind to the will of God,
by not civil policies alone, forced integration, etc.
• God will not judge us on the color of our skin, but on
the content of our character (Rom. 2:6-11)