From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible condemns racism as sin. But, sin isn’t something we like to talk about much. It doesn’t trend well on social media. It seems so judgmental. It seems so unchristian. And, It goes against our personal liberty. So, most people ignore sin and they ignore the Bible.
From 4500 years ago, the Ten Commandment Law condemns racism as sin. But it is not very popular in modern America. Anti-religious zealots have gotten it removed from most public places. This is a shame because there might be less lawlessness in this country if more people were more familiar with more of the Ten Commandment Law. Maybe you don’t like the first 4 commandments, but think about it. A God, who requires his people to live according to these laws, is a God worth trusting.
Slowly, but wholly, taking control,
Sin will leave you longer than you want to stay,
Sin will cost you far more than you want to pay.
–“Sin Will Take You Farther” by The Cathedrals
The Bible is shockingly blunt about sin — so shocking that it offends most people…
- Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:32)
- Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)
- so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness, to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)
- The controversy of sin
- Who is the chief, or foremost, sinner?
- Ministry of restoration (restoring a right relationship with God)
Why is racism sin?
The Bible is abundantly clear that any racism, and any kind of prejudicial discrimination, against people is sin. Furthermore, God made humans in his own image. All humans. All races. All demographics. All classes, All castes. So, any mistreatment of any of them (racism, sexism, or any other ism) is a mistreatment against his image, which is sin.
Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness. Let them rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the domestic animals all over the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the earth.” So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.. (Genesis 1:26-27 GWT)
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. (Leviticus 19:15)
Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. (Deuteronomy 1:17)
All of you native-born Israelites must follow these instructions when you offer a special gift as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. And if any foreigners visit you or live among you and want to present a special gift as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, they must follow these same procedures. Native-born Israelites and foreigners are equal before the LORD and are subject to the same decrees. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation. The same instructions and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigners living among you.” (Numbers 15:13-16 NLT)
Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security. (Deuteronomy 24:17)
Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him. (Acts 10:34-35 WEB)
For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:26-29 WEB)
…seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator, where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:9b-11 WEB)
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 WEB)
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9 WEB)
God’s judgment on sin
God never encouraged or approved of any kind of prejudicial discrimination or racism based on skin color or any other characteristic. Quite the opposite. God insists on equal treatment of all people. He has promised to defend the weak. He has promised to bless those who obey him. He has promised to take vengeance on anyone who disobeys him.
- Punishments for disobedience of the Ten Commandment law (Leviticus 20:1-9; Leviticus 26:14-40; Deuteronomy 28:15-68; 1 Samuel 15:1-9; 1 Kings 13:11-34)
- Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. (Ephesians 6:8 NLT)
- to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more. (Psalm 10:18)
- A warning against prejudice, partiality, and favoritism (James 2 : 1-13)
- Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26)
- But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality. (Colossians 3:25 WEB)
- That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. (1 Thessalonians 4:6)
- For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)
The Biblical solution
Christians, who have the indwelling presence of God in their lives, have been at the forefront of social reform: welfare, physical health, mental health, family health, right to life, abolition of slavery. We should be the first to speak and work against racism, sexism, and any other ism because we have the answer.
- Blessed is he who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble. (Psalm 41:1)
- He will judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted with justice. (Psalm 72:2)
- I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy. (Psalm 140:12)
- Learn to do right, seek justice, correct the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17)
- but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide in favor of the earth’s oppressed. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips. (Isaiah 11:4)
- He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 22:16)
- Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)
- Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus by John Ortberg — Jesus’ impact on our world is highly unlikely, widely inescapable, largely unknown, and decidedly double-edged. It is unlikely in light of the severe limitations of his earthly life; it is inescapable because of the range of impact; it is unknown because history doesn’t connect dots; and it is doubled-edged because his followers have wreaked so much havoc, often in his name. He is history’s most familiar figure, yet he is the man no one knows. His impact on the world is immense and non-accidental. From the Dark Ages to Post-Modernity he is the Man who won’t go away. And yet … you can miss him in historical lists for many reasons, maybe the most obvious being the way he lived his life. He did not loudly and demonstrably defend his movement in the spirit of a rising political or military leader. He did not lay out a case that history would judge his brand of belief superior in all future books. His life and teaching simply drew people to follow him. He made history by starting in a humble place, in a spirit of love and acceptance, and allowing each person space to respond. His vision of life continues to haunt and challenge humanity. His influence has swept over history bringing inspiration to what has happened in art, science, government, medicine, and education; he has taught humans about dignity, compassion, forgiveness, and hope.
No racism in heaven
He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)
Excellent exposition! Terse to the point with impressive clarity on the word of God that can never change.
God bless you immensely in Jesus’ name.