The Scourge Of Racism
E-Book Availability 4/12-26
Released January 5, 2024
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The Scourge of Racism is purposely a short and to the point book since it was the extension of a shorter newsletter article.1 However, I have kept the content short even in its update at the leading of the Holy Spirit because He has patterned it after “the little book” in Revelation 10 (NKJV). Time is also short and professed Christians do not need a lengthy treatise on what we already know to be the history and reality of the sin of racism in the Church. We need what God has provided through me in this little book: a direct, truthful and prophetic confrontation with the problem of racism in the Church and what He wills to resolve it complete with a warning of the consequences for refusing to obey!
The seventy-eight page little book the Lord led me to write, of course, does not compare in scale of magnitude weight to the prophetic content of the “little book open” in the hand of a “mighty angel” that appears to the apostle John. So weighty is the book’s content, the angel cries out as “a lion roars” and in response “seven thunders uttered their voices.” John understood them, but Heaven forbid him to write down what they said (Revelation 10:1-4, NKJV). After hearing the angel solemnly swear by God the Creator “that there should be delay no longer” in bringing about His foretold future, John is instructed to take “the little book” from the hand of the angel (Revelation 10:5-9, NKJV).2
Obeying the voice that spoke to him from Heaven, the apostle of Christ “took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it.” In similitude to the prophet Ezekiel’s experience, John too, found the Word given “was as sweet as honey in” his “mouth.” Unlike Ezekiel, however, John’s stomach became “bitter” or upset from the Word following the sweetness it had in his mouth as the voice from Heaven had warned him. Then, he was told, ‘“You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings,’” just as Ezekiel was sent with His message to Israel (Ezekiel 2:6-3:4; Revelation 10:10-11, NKJV). Revelation 11:1-22:5 is the prophetic content of the little book John ate.
While far less weighty in scale than the content of the little book given to the apostle John, the little book I was led by the Holy Spirit to write to the Church of Jesus Christ in America is no less important since it is His message. Indeed, the words on the front cover of my little book from the Lord, “Perhaps A Terminal Appeal To The Church” are there to convey the seriousness and urgency of its instruction and exhortations in these latter days when prophetically significant events are suddenly and rapidly occurring such as what happened in Israel October 7th.3 Hear me or not, as a called and gifted watchman/prophet to the Church, I serve at the Lord’s pleasure (Ezekiel 33:1-9)!
Truly, professed Christian white, then black leaders and adult men of other hues who call themselves conservative evangelicals within His Church are the first audience for the little book the Lord gave me because they are supposedly “people of The Book.” For most of the last four centuries conservative white evangelicals--devoted to evangelism, the largest in number and loudest on select moral issues, have been a dominant force in the American Church. Even so, the sin of racism has not been a pressing moral issue for them and has been left largely in place with only some occasional impotent lip service addressing it in recent times because it is so widely tolerated and practiced.4
That a sin so wretchedly obvious as racism could be openly advocated in history and in many cases clung to by guilty men professing such devotion to Christ, demonstrates how with “craftiness” and ease the deceiver does his work in willing selfish hearts.5 For just as Satan drew Eve away from God’s commandment through the lusts of her heart and mind, so, he has done among men that regularly spoke (and speak) otherwise sound words, but their minds on racism were (are) “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ,” (Genesis 3:1-6; 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, NKJV). That simplicity being the truth in the Gospel, fidelity to Him and “the whole counsel of God,” (Acts 20:17-27, NKJV).
Because racism is sin and not just a moral or social justice issue men can get to when they please or deem it important, the Lord with longsuffering over the centuries has been seeking for those tolerating and practicing it in His Church to repent!6 Repentance from the sin of racism is not negotiable as no sin is that Christ died for on the cross at Calvary (1 Corinthians 15:3). In the little book He gave me to eat, I write with the sweetness of joy in the righteousness and truth of God’s Word concerning the sin of racism as well as the hopeful outcomes if conservative white evangelicals in the majority pay heed. There is also the sadness of knowing it will have finally taken the Lord’s severe judgment to move these men to do right in His sight--if at all--as the curtain falls on this age.
1 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 7. Purchase the book in this Ministry’s Web Site Stores including the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
2 Read the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
3 See the October 29, 2023 post, Hear O Israel And The Church, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Read the September 24, 2023 post, Racism In Christ’s Church A No-No and the related one on October 8, 2023, Racism A Reason For Church Judgment, both under the category, Instruction. In the latter post, I quote leading white conservative evangelical, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., from his book, The Gathering Storm, Secularism, Culture And The Church, Copyright 2020, Nelson Books, Nashville, and do so again here regarding his observation about many contemporary churches (and by default, their leaders): “These churches have sacrificed biblical fidelity on the altar of cultural relevance; they are willing to discard biblical Christianity in order to be ‘on the right side of history,’” p. 192. This is exactly what conservative white evangelicals have also been doing with the sin of racism until now!
5 For this cause, the Bible holds up how Christ, the Strong Man of God, got the victory over Satan and Christian men that aspire to be strong men of God in His image, can get it too! I eagerly write about Him in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
6 One reason proud professed Christian white men resist thoroughly repenting from the sin of racism before the Lord is they believe they are doing blacks and other minori- ties a favor we do not deserve at their expense. However, the favor being done in repentance is by the Lord as He extends undeserved forgiveness of sin to the guilty! I urge you, sir, to watch our ongoing Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube to be reminded how sweet it is to be forgiven by God.
I am pleased to share this week that the special Crowdfunding Campaign for our Books To USA Prisons Project I spoke of in my January 24, 2016 blog entitled, God Cares For The Incarcerated under the category, The Cause, will launch tomorrow, February 1st at 10AM PST on the Christian run, We Raise Web Site. Our campaign goal is to raise $9,000 in 45 days to send 2 copies of my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics to over 800 select State and Federal prisons across the United States. Our board of directors as well as every part of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. is involved with Strong Man Ministries leading out.
We need as many Christians as possible to help us who remember what it was like to be a lost sinner and all of the many ways God used (including books) to tug at your heart and present the Gospel to you. We are especially appealing to those that have read The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics to step up and help us since you know firsthand not only that the Gospel is plainly and purely presented, but also God’s design and program for biblical manhood throughout eternity! Just this past week I received a letter from an inmate quoted from previous correspondence he sent and presented on the We Raise Web Site. In his new letter Troy Bayless writes: “I truly believe the message of the book is foundational and needed for all men.”
Troy is an example of an inmate we have corresponded with after his initial contact letting us know he had read the book. We have also sent him with others our printed Strong Man Of God Monthly Newsletter as a form of continuing ministry into his life. Here is what he had to say about that:
I want to thank you for continuing to send me the Strong Man Of God Monthly
Newsletters. They have been a source of strength and understanding of who
God calls me/men to be, incarcerated or not.
Having read about the Books To USA Prisons Project in the newsletter, Troy also offers his sincere commitment to pray for and when he is able financially, to support it as he has previously done in making a small, unsolicited donation to help underwrite the cost of mailing out the newsletter to him. Troy and many other inmates who have come to or rededicated themselves to Christ as a result of what He is doing through Strong Man Ministries and my book, are the fruitful reasons I am boldly asking for your help not only to raise the funds we need to carry out the Books To USA Prisons Project, but also all of our continuing God ordained work as a faithful partner or friend of the Ministry! Learn how to do that on the Give Page.
This project is definitely not about my ego as the book’s author, but another way to reach the many incarcerated men like Troy with the Gospel and the Lord’s foundational instruction on biblical manhood as I wrote in the already referenced blog! Willing men in prison can be saved and their lives turned around by the Lord! If you doubt that, I have to wonder how it is you believe you were saved since as a sinner in the sight of a holy God, you stood no more worthy of salvation than the worst incarcerated offenders (Romans 3:9-20, 23)? Indeed, the Lord Jesus came to earth to call lost sinners to repentance and salvation, not the righteous (Luke 5:27-32, 19:1-10)!
Because they fully know they are sinners, amazingly, I have witnessed more hearts among the incarcerated ready to receive God’s grace in the sweet Gospel than in most of the churches I have been in over my lifetime! Therefore, in remembering where God has brought you from as a “redeemed sinner,” I appeal to you in His love and all care for the lost everywhere including the prisons largely neglected by professing Christianity, stand with us to pledge your support in funding our Books To USA Prisons Project beginning tomorrow. While you can make a pledge as low as $5, I want to challenge you to pledge the largest possible amount not thinking that many others will also be making pledges.
Your pledge can only be made by credit card because no charges are processed until our fundraising goal is met. In fact, if we do not reach our fundraising goal, we will not receive anything and your credit card pledge is cancelled. At first glance, this policy by We Raise might seem to be unfair. However, they believe and I do too that we are raising funds for a project in which we have already counted the cost. If our fundraising comes up short of what the project requires, then it cannot be done. Because they have strict accountability, investigated us and required that we submit a budget, you can be assured your support is going to go fully to support the Books To USA Prisons Project.
You can investigate We Raise and their operating organization, Wheat Ridge Ministries out of Itasca, IL as we did to learn more about them and how they securely handle your credit card as a donor on their We Raise Web Site. After you have done what you need to do including sought the Lord in prayer, make your pledge as early as possible since the sooner we reach our fundraising goal the better--the end of the 45 day fundraising period on March 18th will be here before you know it! Thank you in advance for any consideration you give or pledge made to help us with our Books To USA Prisons Project.1
1 As of the close of the Crowdfunding Campaign March 18th, we did not reach our goal. However, a Designated Gift Campaign on this Web Site is underway until we reach our goal. For More Information Go to the Books To USA Prisons Project Page.
Why have some professing Christians and their leaders during the course of my thirty plus years of service to the Lord accused me of being too serious and strict; my biblical instruction, naive? Isn’t it because they are not very serious about the Lord nor seek to fully obey His Word as it is written? In the shallow waters of faithless superficiality through manmade Christianity the religion, compromise or the corruptions of falsehood, these accusers resent anyone who with zeal to proclaim and live out the light of biblical Christianity exposes their darkness. But praise be to the triune God, only faith and full obedience to the end have been and will be rewarded (Numbers 14:20-24, 30-38; Hebrews 3:5-19, 10:35-39)! Anyone that believes to the contrary is deceived.
Truly, what the Lord led me to write in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and to reiterate in the following edited 2011 blog repost, the Bible as God’s Word is a lost book to many insincerely professing American Christians. Statistics on Bible study and other measures of biblically taught faithfulness compiled by those such as The Barna Group sadly still support my Spirit empowered assertion. Just as the many insincere 7th century BC Israelites for whom the Book of the Law became lost as they went astray from the Lord, so, too, many insincere professing Christians today who are willfully disobedient to the Word; living and doing as it pleases them.
Professing Christians and especially the men who are God’s chosen leaders in the home and churches beginning with every guilty pastor and elder must repent from abandoning God’s Word as it is written in disobedience! Sirs, as I challenge you in my book, it is time to stop hating the faithful and join us as a king Josiah to the church you serve. Otherwise, since as the Lord’s servant and yours I have been permitted to look ahead in His prophetic Word, I will tell you what I see: I see that your visions of grandeur and perpetual earthly legacy born of ego, pride and selfish ambition are about to be dashed against the rocks as God’s judgment in the churches continues and intensifies (2 Chronicles 34:19-25; Jeremiah 25:32-38; 1 Peter 4:17-18)!
In continuing disobedience, your eternal future is not any better than your destroyed earthly legacy unless you do repent (1 Corinthians 3:5-17)! Why should the men you shepherd view the instruction in my book as somehow new? And why are you so fearful of its contents? I write nothing in my book that is not already written in the Book of books! But again, since the Bible uncorrupted is lost to you as the direct source material of your instruction and equally important example, you scorn and scoff at anyone or anything faithful to God and His Word that shows your shortcomings and corruptions instead of repenting so His Spirit-fired revival might come to you. Know this going forward: only the repentant will enjoy God’s peace in what is coming (2 Chronicles 34:26-28)!
Originally Posted July 24, 2011
One of the most remarkable signs of the times pointing to Christ’s near return is His propheti-cally insightful rhetorical question about the spiritual climate of the world at His coming found in Luke 18:8. His question comes at the end of a parable He gives to encourage men of faith to never lose heart but to always persist in prayer with God. He asks, “when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” While we would be tempted in pride to say yes, Christ’s knowledge of the future and the now observable steady decline of authentic, biblical faith among professing believers confirmed by statistics, points to a sobering no to His question.
Christianity’s march from the 1st century to this hour closely spiritually parallels Israel’s march from Egypt to Babylon. Significant in both is the setting aside of God’s Word. In Israel’s case, the Book of the Law was lost in the Temple complex only to be re-discovered by priests who had been ordered to restore the Temple by a faithful king named Josiah. After having the lost book read to him, the king repented before the Lord and feared His righteous judgment for the spiritual situation was far worse than he had thought. They did enjoy a temporary revival (2 Kings 22-23:27).
The fact that I and many other authors are writing books calling Christians to turn back to God’s will, way and Word is evidence that the Bible is lost in many hearts and churches. Physically, the printed pages are everywhere. Indeed, the Bible is the best-selling book on the planet! But due to a lack of genuine faith leading to real repentance, conversion, salvation and obedience among other reasons, the Book is lost to many in plain sight.
I rejoice to have been commissioned of the Lord to write The Strong Man Of God: Back to Basics. But it is heart-breaking to see the faces of men I teach who profess to be Christians, acting as if what I am teaching about being a man is a new discovery. The teaching of my book is and has been in the Book, the Bible, God’s unchanging Word that is to fire our faith and obedience even until Christ’s return. We need to find God’s lost Book once again. You can begin in my book that for the sake of our men, families and communities we might enjoy at least a temporary revival.
One of the saddest evil developments among many of Christianity since the first century is the form of it as a religion invented by men. I have had to contend with this powerless, manmade evil from my infancy in Christ and in accord with my calling, gifting and ministry from the Lord in over forty years of service; writing much about Babylon in this blog.1 Not only is corruption of and willful disobedience to God’s Word with confusion characteristic of it, but false piety ostensibly informed by Christian love and enforced submission to men as leaders acting in the flesh of whom Scripture is quite clear are not pleasing God (Romans 8:8). (Does God in Scripture really require unquestioned loyalty and obedience to disobedient leaders--2 Corinthians 1:23-24, 11:1-21; Galatians 1-2:16?)2
Leave it to children to show the way of God as even the Son of God affirmed they do in their natural behavior. In this edited 2011 post, I reference the Lord’s instruction of His pride and selfish ambition filled disciples using the naturally humble hearts of children as the example of impossible conversion apart from God’s supernatural work their own hearts would need to enter the Kingdom. Such genuine humility of heart is characteristic of a man converted through the new birth of biblical Christianity. Too, like a child’s heart displayed by the children around Dale Ostrander who prayed for him as he drowned, a converted heart is willing to believe God--not as the religious who eloquently pray out loud, but act in their own power to accomplish their will (Matthew 23:14).
This Thanksgiving I am grateful for the children who remind us of what biblical Christianity is and the God of my salvation who makes it possible for me to walk it out in the authentic power of His Spirit; the life of an aspiring strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ! Have a great Thanksgiving.
Originally Posted August 14, 2011
Speaking to men in Matthew 18:1-4, the Lord Jesus answered the question of His disciples, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” (NKJV)? He referred them to a child and indicated unless these tough guys were to be converted and become like “little children” in humility and faith, they could not “enter” or be considered “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” That’s a hard one for proud men to swallow. But this past week the news was filled with a miracle story that verifies the humble and trusting heart of a child is great before and honored by God.
Dale Ostrander was on a beach outing with his youth group in Long Beach, WA. He got sucked under by a rip tide and pulled out over a hundred yards from shore. Another youth, Nicole Kissel, tried to help him back, but when she turned, Dale was gone. Rescuers searched for over 20 minutes for what surely would be and was the drowned, lifeless body of Dale. But while the rescuers were on their way and during their search for Dale, on their faces in the sand weeping and calling on the name of the Lord were members of Dale’s youth group. These children not only believed that God could save their fellow youth, but passionately asked Him to do so with the humble, trusting hearts of children. And what was the result?
Even the most cynical of newscasters throughout the TV News media called Dale’s return to life “a miracle.” But not only did Dale come back to life, he is expected to recover.3 God is receiving glory all over the planet because some kids had the audacity, humility and faith to believe God can do anything! In my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics,4 I tell men in order to receive its contents they must have the heart of a child as Jesus teaches in Matthew 18:1-4. The Dale Ostrander August 2011 return to life on the prayers of children is overwhelming evidence of the blessings and benefits of why. To God be the glory and thank you children for reminding proud, self-reliant adults and men--religious or otherwise--in particular, of the heart that pleases God!
1 See for example, my August 23, 2015 post, Babylon Is Falling, under the category, Bible Prophecy and August 21-28, 2016 two-part, Christianity The Religion Of Men,
under the category, Instruction.
2 Protestants certainly cannot believe this without hypocrisy since our whole existence is a repudiation of corrupt 16th century Catholicism and its leaders famously galva- nized by heralded reformer, Martin Luther--a Catholic priest!
3 Dale Ostrander lives today and continues a progressive recovery from certain death.
4 The book is available in print or digital download formats at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also get the Hard or Soft Cover print versions of the book in the Strong Man Store.
“God is righteously at work in His house through judgment.” This is what He led me to write and explain in a post earlier this year as well as warn again of in the opening paragraph of last week’s.1 And why? The tolerance and practice of the sin of racism led out over four centuries by the guilty majority of professed white Christians in the Church that also enabled it in the larger society is one of several very serious reasons the Lord has brought judgment. While due to taking racism lightly some in evangelicalism are incredulous and dismissive concerning any judgment from the Lord because of it, He for that reason and other Church sins is about to take His judgment to another level!
I warn about the Lord’s judgment in my updated book, The Scourge Of Racism.2 That His judgment should amaze a professed Christian demonstrates such a one does not know the Lord from His Word or in relationship! From Genesis to Revelation God is shown to judge sin, disobedience or insubordination if you will (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:17-19; Revelation 2:12-17). There is not a sinful fallen human organization on earth that will long tolerate insubordination before punishing it! Even lions and wolves punish their insubordinate. So, how is it anyone supposedly acquainted with Christ would presume He would not judge any sin as insubordination and much more racism in His Church?
The guilty have made this false presumption about Christ concerning racism in the Church from colonial times as they also make it today in the face of His very direct and specific commandment through the apostle Paul regarding the role of women (John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 14:34-37): because they want to! They mistaken the Lord’s slowness to judge for permission to sin instead of what it really is, “forbearance, and longsuffering” to give time for them to repent (Luke 13:6-9; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9, NKJV). Otherwise, the guilty have not gone nor will they go unpunished by the Lord without repentance. Moreover, the whole Church suffers when the Lord judges as He does now.
The American Civil War not only divided the nation, but churches and denominations too! The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) owes its name to a split among white Baptists in favor of retaining slavery shortly before the brief, but bloody and destructive war over it as judgment from the Lord after years of resisting His will to abolish it.3 Centuries of Church toleration, practice and enablement of now, systemic racism helped pave the way for the rebellion that erupted a generation ago and set in motion radical feminism, sexual deviance and gender confusion. These all subvert the family and its order as God designed and is leading to the nation’s swiftly paced ruin. Sin has consequences!
Another clear consequence of widespread insubordination in the Church is seen too, at this moment: dwindling memberships, the death of local churches and loss of cultural influence. If the people who profess to know Christ do not obey His Word, how can it be expected that unbelievers will? And as it concerns racism, I point out in The Scourge Of Racism, the world is shamefully doing better than the Church in its flawed attempt to deal with it!4 White conservative evangelical and Southern Baptist Seminary President, Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., points out the Church’s very existence is threatened when the authority of Scripture and by implication obedience to it are surrendered.5
Of course, consistent with the typical priority focus on other important select moral issues by conservative white evangelicals and the SBC currently the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, racism is not dealt with by Dr. Mohler in his book I refer to in the preceding paragraph. Though racism may not be a priority moral issue for conservative white evangelicals and the SBC, my book among a growing number of others addressing this willful lapse trumpets it is for the Lord!6 As I write about in my book, conservative white evangelical in-house silence on racism is fed by a continued toleration and widespread practice of it among guilty leaders and members;7 silence that also held sway while sexual predators preyed on church members and allowed women to become pastors.8
Contrary to popular professed Christian opinion, Jesus Christ is not a marshmallow! Along with His continuing work to save throughout our nation, “the LORD strong and mighty” at the end of His forbearance and longsuffering is about to intensify His judgment upon His American Church (Psalm 24:7-10, NKJV).9 More churches that should be discipling new converts are going to die because the Lord can no longer trust them to do so with fidelity to His Word (Matthew 23:15).10 More frequent and devastating calamities upon the nation many of His professed people love more than Him are coming. Finally, more intense resistance to evangelicalism’s demand for secular society to submit to biblical morality while many of them do not is on the way with greater persecution!
1 See the April 30, 2023 post, God’s Warning To Non-Christians, Pt. 1 and Healing Racism’s Wounds In The Church, both under the category, Call To Repent.
2 The book is now widely available in this Ministry’s Web Site Stores including the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. View the short book trailer.
3 Read the February 12, 2023 post, Leaders Can Get Their Nations In Trouble, under the category, Call To Repent.
4 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 15-18, 47-48.
5 See The Gathering Storm, Secularism, Culture And The Church by R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Copyright 2020, Nelson Books, Nashville, p. 34. On the same page Dr. Mohler writes, “Where you find a church, you find a community committed to the Bible. If not, you have not found a church.” Sobering truth every pastor jumping on the band- wagon of insubordination to Christ and His biblical commandments as written should fearfully consider!
6 Read the September 24, 2023 post, Racism In Christ’s Church A No-No, under the category, Instruction.
7 I spent over thirty years of my Christian life with the SBC and talk about its issues with racism in my updated book. In-house silence precludes hypocritically taking a stand against racism in the larger society which is why it must be repented from now, with all other sins in returning to Him! Truly, racism is equally egregious in its of- fense to God as all other transgression, sin and iniquity. Watch our Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord for Christians.
8 The widely reported and dealt with at the convention level cover up of sexual impropriety in many of their churches by SBC leaders has publically at least, rebuked the si- lence concerning this iniquity. It has also righteously led to an emboldened stand against churches flagrantly defying Scripture and being insubordinate through enabling women to become pastors, lead and take authority over men (1 Timothy 2:11-3:13; Titus 1:1-16; Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 2:18-23).
9 Jesus Christ is the Strong Man of God and role model for every Christian man I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. The Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions are available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
10 New converts are easily taught and mentored in person by spiritually maturing individuals as has always been done or in this technologically sophisticated age, online (Acts 18:24-28). As He showed during the pandemic, local churches--especially ones sinning against Him--are not so essential Christ cannot do without them (Revelation 2:1-7, 3:14-22)!
While the living God of the Bible objectively read, interpreted and applied has never been or could be a party to racism as affirmed in last week’s post, many professed to be His people over the centuries certainly have!1 Here in America over four centuries many whites in the majority have silently tolerated, openly practiced and endorsed racism and its oppressions among non-whites beginning with the indigenous peoples of the land and continuing very severely amidst those of my black slave forefathers and thereafter. Because God does not give endorsement to oppression on any basis, all American professed Christians should have been standing against racism to this hour.
However, the historical truth is that relatively few white professed Christians and particularly among conservative evangelicals--people of the Book--have been identified as leading out against America’s systemic racism and oppressions of blacks and other minorities. On this Sanctity Of Life Sunday spearheaded by white conservative evangelical Christians to stand for human life as of God our Creator and against the murder of the unborn as the most feeble through abortion, it is clear they with all of us in the divine image restored through and claiming love for Christ can represent God’s “righteousness and justice” as He expects (Psalms 82:1-4; 103:6, NKJV). The issue is which issues?
How about all of the moral and ethical issues God in the “whole counsel” of His Word as it is written calls out as human sin that oppresses and/or harms a neighbor in any way no matter their skin color (Matthew 22:34-40; Luke 10:25-37; Acts 20:27; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-15; James 2:8-9)! Every biblically conservative Christian plainly sees God’s concern for the poor, widows, orphans, and even prisoners in His Word (1 Samuel 2:6-8; Psalm 68:5-6; Isaiah 61:1-2a; Galatians 2:10). But the guilty among white conservative evangelicals have largely chosen historically to ignore God’s expressed concern for the oppressed in many ways and especially through racism (Luke 4:16-21).
Indeed, it is not just the unborn oppressed by the denial of life by parents in the only recently evolved culture of death I as one unsaved once participated in that need defending. It is also those oppressed by race and ethnicity over the past four hundred years in America. To ‘“deliver’” Israel from such ‘“oppression’” is the reason God states He had ‘“come down,’” (Exodus 3:6-9, NKJV). Knowing of God’s famous act in history to deliver His oppressed people should have been enough for any professed Christian not to oppress anyone. But many of them were at the forefront of carrying out the well documented oppressions of racism in our nation among the oppressors God condemns.2
Of the notable very few white conservative evangelicals that gave some support to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as he led what was thoroughly a spiritual fight during the height of the 1955-68 Civil Rights Movement to extricate blacks from America’s systemic oppressions of racism was Dr. Billy Graham. While he was not known to be among the marchers, he spoke out against and wrote a tract condemning racism. He was criticized by some fellow white conservative evangelicals in a display of total disregard for “the Book” they claimed to revere whatever all of the motives including being full on racists and the fear of man (criticism, ostracism and violence) rather than God (John 12:42-43).3
Now, while we each cannot possibly personally take on every single instance of unrighteous and unjust oppression in our land, we can and should seek the Lord about His priorities among the most egregious, long standing and urgent without neglecting others (Luke 11:42).4 The deafening historic silence and outright wicked support for oppressing blacks and other minorities through racism by whites professed to be Christians fits this bill since this has also been grave sin in the Lord’s sight from which the guilty must repent (1 John 1:5-9)!5 Denying and minimizing the oppressions of racism as some white conservative professed Christians are doing believing it negatively portrays their white heritage is evil and makes the Lord our Judge “a liar,” (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:10, NKJV).6
Born again biblically conservative Christians must come out from among professed Christians that approve of the unrighteous, unjust oppressions of racism and are unwilling to obey God in serving as He intends to avoid their judgment (Psalm 82:5-8; Proverbs 24:21-22)!7 For such persons truly show that they do “not know the Lord” and are corrupt in their practice of Christianity as with Judaism the two sons of Eli, a priest of Israel, were (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25, NKJV). The Lord was wroth with Hophni and Phinehas for their contempt of Him and sent a prophet to tell their father of His judgment that included their deaths on the same day as occurred (1 Samuel 2:27-36; 4:1-18)! If you know Him, the Lord expects obedience to His will and priorities (Matthew 7:21-23; John 14:15).
1 Read the January 7, 2024 post, God A Party To Racism?, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 Scripture is unequivocal: God has no regard for oppressors who are very often among the rich though, practicing oppression is not exclusive to them as American history can attest; filled as it is with the abundance of racially oppressive acts of guilty whites from all socio-economic groups threatened by any advance of minorities that might surpass them (Job 27:13-23; Psalm 12:3-5; Jeremiah 22:11-19; James 5:1-6).
3 See the February 22, 2018 article by John Blake for CNN, Where Billy Graham ‘missed the mark.’ I acknowledge Dr. Graham’s efforts--minimal to whatever extent in the eyes of some--addressing racism that included hiring black staff evangelists such as Rev. Howard O. Jones in my book, The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 16-17. The printed book is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The just released E-Book is available at major E-Book sellers. Watch the book trailer.
4 As He leads, we are to give at least moral support to our brethren laboring in God’s causes we are not engaged with.
5 Read the September 24, 2023 post, Racism In Christ’s Church A No-No, under the category, Instruction. Also, view this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube to consider the Lord’s call to return to Him.
6 While it may be true that American history among other subjects is being presented with a decidedly politically liberal worldview in the nation’s public schools which is un- righteous and unjust, for political conservatives--some calling themselves Christians--to do the same is just as wrong. Two wrongs still do not make a right! What is righteous and just before God is not to present either a politically liberal or conservative view of history to our children in our public schools, but just the facts however painful they may be to one group or another so they can learn the truth and from it.
7 Let any white conservative evangelical pastor now, losing church members no matter how much they gave because you have taken a stand against more than the social justice issue, but the sin of racism be encouraged. You have courageously done the righteous and just thing and the church the Lord has entrusted you to shepherd un- der Him has become closer to being His (Matthew 16:13-18; John 6:52-66, 21:15-17). Courage is of the character of Christ aspiring strong men and great women of God are to display in His image I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
Picking up where I left off at the end of last week’s post,1 it is very sad indeed, that the Lord Jesus Christ must bring severe judgment upon His Church to punish sin including that of racism. Concerning racism, His end as well during the course of His judgment is to potentially move proud and stubborn professed Christian conservative white evangelical men to love their brethren of color and vice versa as He has commanded in His Word (John 13:34-35).2 The love Christ commands is not any old kind of human origin, but unique to the Triune God and apparent when displayed (1 John 4:7-16)! Born again Christians are equipped with God’s love and only fail in it through sin.
As is widely known, we sinful human beings are creatures of conditioning and habit. Despite the plainly written commandment of Christ repeated by Him and His apostles that those of us who become His “born again” followers are to love each other as He set the example (John 3:1-8, 15:12, 17; 1 John 4:20-21, NKJV), coming to salvation in freewill just as we are it is easy to resist being transformed by the mind “renewing” work and “regeneration” “of the Holy Spirit” comfortably clinging to the way we have always operated in culturally conditioned and habitual sinful thinking, attitudes, manner of speaking as well as deeds (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:16-26; Titus 3:1-8, NKJV).
The foregoing would have certainly been the experience of any number of authentic European Christian colonists that came to this land with the culturally ingrained arrogance of racial superiority along with those in largest number practicing a counterfeit manmade form of Christianity that embraced and fostered it toward the indigenous peoples they encountered and later, West Africans brought in. This would help to explain how loveless racism so easily manifested itself and remained intact in toleration and practice by the vast majority of professed white American Christians for over four centuries to this hour including among those identifying as conservative evangelicals.
Bitterness as a reaction in the truly saved objects of white racial bigotry and discrimination can and do offer up the same resistance to the Holy Spirit’s renewing work bringing Him grief as well (Ephesians 4:30-32). All of this suggests intentionality to abandon one’s own sinful way however derived to fully submit to the will of Christ taught in Scripture and empowered by the Holy Spirit as a matter of new conditioning and habit (Romans 8:1-14, 12:9-21; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 5:17)! When we submit to the Holy Spirit, now, the unique and awesome love of God is able to display, fill and be the controlling influence in our hearts; enabling us to love God and one another as Christ wills.
As the apostle Paul makes plain, the love of God is the uppermost Christian inner quality and outworking motive for service (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). It is infinitely superior to and better than sin tainted, naturally selfish human love. He teaches the love originating from God “suffers long and is kind;” it “does not envy” nor “parade itself” (as in narcissistic exhibitionism), “is not puffed up” (arrogant), “does not behave rudely” or “seek its own.” God’s love “is not provoked (easily incited), thinks no evil” (keeps score as grudges); “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.” It also “bears,” “believes,” “hopes” and “endures all things;” “never fails…,” (1 Corinthians 13:4-13, NKJV).
If it is true “love never fails” as the great apostle writes, then, the allowing of loveless racism to arise, take root and endure centuries within the American Church is the failure to love with God’s love of guilty professed white Christians as the original fathers, embittered objects and the descendants of both until now! For far too long professed Christians from every stripe have couched racism mostly in terms of rights, privileges, advantages and opportunities granted or denied in discrimination.3 But Christ too, from the beginning and consistent with His New Testament teaching frames racism as the failure to love as He exemplified in all disobedience and sin requiring repentance for His forgiveness!4
Thus, conservative white evangelicals in the lead can keep on making racism mainly about acts of discrimination supposedly slowly diminishing as evidence of progress or understand Christ is concerned first and foremost about the blatant disobedience to His command for Christians to love each other as God displayed in Him (Romans 5:6-8).5 The same goes for Christians of color as objects of racial bigotry and discrimination who cultivate bitterness as their chosen response rather than forgiveness with loving rebuke if the opportunity presents itself (Matthew 18:15-35). However, destruction awaits either party since loving one another as Christ loved us is not optional; an entering “by the narrow gate” and “difficult” “way” leading to “life” “few” “find,” (Matthew 7:13-14, NKJV).6
1 Read the November 5, 2023 post, The Little Book, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 See the September 24, 2023 post, Racism In Christ’s Church A No-No, under the category, Instruction.
3 Flying in the face of God’s love the apostle Paul describes, this explains why guilty selfish hearted professed white Christians are not eager to engage with their brothers of color in Christ because of the fear of having and unwillingness to share. I write about this reality keeping it real with young black Americans in a November 29, 2015 post, When The Glory Comes, under the category, Glory To God!
4 Here is where the rubber meets the road as far as biblical Christianity centered in the love of God through relationship with Him is concerned versus the dead efforts and works of counterfeit manmade Christianity as religion. The love of God the apostle Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 cannot, has not and will not be displayed by spiritually dead Christian religionists because it is actualized by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). If you do not have the love of God in you as a professed Christian, the Lord calls you to repent to be saved or return to Him. Watch our ongoing Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube to learn more.
5 As I write in The Scourge Of Racism, loving each other as Christians in the Self-denying example of Christ is exceedingly more than toleration (see book pages 47 and 59)! Also, with a “fervent love” for each other, acts of discrimination that harms a brother in Christ are quickly reduced (1 Peter 4:8, NKJV). The book can be purchased in this Ministry’s Web Site Stores including the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. View the short book trailer.
6 Among this few are aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ I am blessed of the Lord to write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
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