The Scourge Of Racism
E-Book Availability 4/12-26
Released January 5, 2024
Download Your Copy
Now In The Strong Man Store!
Writing about the reality of racism in the first chapter of my book, The Scourge Of Racism, I am taken aback by how apparently many white Americans who also professed to be devout Christians nonchalantly tolerated, practiced and even advocated for racism to continue as the systemic social norm of the culture for over four centuries.1 So much so has this been the case that even now, it appears many especially white conservative evangelicals still feel like they are doing the objects of racism a favor to cease and desist from it as biblically and morally indefensible as it is. Indeed, some have believed God was and is like them in their outlook and supportive!2 But was and is He?
As always, God’s dealings with ancient Israel serve to instruct those of us who will receive correction from His Word objectively read, interpreted and applied! In Psalm 50, God Almighty presents Himself as He who “has spoken and called the earth from” east to west to witness His glorious, loud, fiery and “tempestuous” arrival as He comes to judge His people, Israel, “out of Zion.” Beyond question, “God Himself is Judge.” And while Israel is in view first as the saints gathered to God “who have made a covenant with” Him “by sacrifice,” followers of Jesus Christ the “Lamb of God” see ourselves assembled to the Judge too (Psalm 50:1-6; John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, NKJV).
In language and purpose remarkably similar to Christ’s as Judge among the churches in The Revelation Of Jesus Christ, God calls to His ‘“people’” to listen as He testifies ‘“against’” them (Psalm 50:7; Revelation 1:20-2:7, NKJV). Why do those that profess to be God’s people in large numbers seem to forget He sees and hears everything we do? One reason is clearly the spiritually deadening routines, worship rituals and works of religion! This is exactly what God rebukes the dull hearted, dutifully religious in Israel for as does Christ the church at Ephesus (Psalm 50:8-15; Revelation 2:4-5). Love for God in relationship is paramount; spurring ardent worship and works He rewards!
The foregoing truth explains why many white professed Christians for centuries to this hour could silently tolerate and practice racism in American churches. Just like many in ancient Israel and the churches already by the end of the first century, they were practicing Christianity as a spiritually dead religion of men.3 It was loosely based on the Bible, but became exposed when the racist cultural norms it upheld ran up on the Bible’s transcendent spiritual principles, morals and ethics. Without being born again, many did not have the teaching, will or power to resist the cultural status quo and went along with what their church going fathers, neighbors, co-workers etc. did as racists.4
In God’s sight, devoted racists that have filled and led churches would be among the wicked in Israel He now, turns Himself to judge in the Psalm. He wants to know, ‘“What right have you to declare My statutes or take My covenant in your mouth seeing that you hate instruction and cast My words behind you,’” (Psalm 50:16-17, NKJV)? Too, He indicts the wicked for giving if not overt, tacit consent to evil that included the harming of family and in American history, blacks known to be Christians (Psalm 50:18-20). Ostensibly Christian hate groups (a contradiction in terms if there ever was one) such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) terrorized blacks throughout the nation’s South.5
The KKK did this by burning crosses in targeted black yards, destroying property, raping the women, whisking away the men to assault and murder sometimes by lynching as their means of intimating the race to remain in its supposedly inferior place to whites. As with the wicked of Psalm 50, those that carried out their evil works of racism did so in the face of God’s silence believing He was completely like them and supported their evil deeds. But God declares not so and assures His ‘“rebuke’” that will set His charges ‘“in order before’” their ‘“eyes,’” (Psalm 50:21, NKJV).6 There is no place in Scripture God endorses, but only in sovereignty permits such evil until He judges it. He says, ‘“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’” (Romans 12:19-21, NKJV) as many have painfully learned.7
Consequently, God the Judge of His people warns the apathetic religious and willful wicked to ‘“consider’” what He is about to say with a view toward repenting; both, He says, ‘“who forget God’” in their sinning, ‘“lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver,’” (Psalm 50:22, NKJV). So much for the latter day false teaching that contrary to His Word asserts God is no threat for temporal or eternal punitive judgment upon sinning professed Christians (Romans 1:18-2:11; Galatians 5:19-21; Hebrews 10:26-31). The Lord does not change or lower His standards. He receives only genuine praise from the heart of obedience He saves (Psalm 50:23)! Having been gracious, merciful, longsuffering and forbearing with racism in His house over four centuries His judgment has come.8
1 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 31-32. 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 widely for purchase through your favorite E-Book seller. Watch the book trailer.
2 Many white conservative professed Christians obviously did believe God endorsed their bigoted and discriminatory acts of racism such as notable evangelists Billy Sunday (see the July 13, 2015 Blog post by Dr. Tim Gombis, The Racist Roots Of Evangelicalism) and Bob Jones, Sr. who founded the university bearing his name that openly practiced excluding blacks through the early 1970s. The Fort Worth, TX seminary I graduated from, Southwestern Baptist, in their history is among many that did not warmly welcome non-white students as I briefly touch on in The Scourge Of Racism, p. 34-35.
3 Read the two-part post beginning August 21, 2016, Christianity The Religion Of Men, under the category, Instruction. Also, read the September 4, 2016 post, Christianity The Religion American Style, under the category, Call To Repent.
4 The status quo being preserved within the context of loveless professed Christianity is the arrogance of racial superiority and privileges. God as Wisdom hates ‘“pride and arrogance,’” ‘”the evil way and the perverse mouth,’” (Proverbs 8:13, NKJV). See the November 12, 2023 post, Loving With The Love Of God, under the category, Instruc- tion.
5 The KKK in their full regalia were prominently featured in some Southern white churches (see the image at about the 9:56 mark in the PBS feature, Backs Against the Wall: The Howard Thurman Story). Four school age girls in a Birmingham, AL church bombing were among those murdered by the violence of racial hate.
6 Those who know and love Him appreciate God’s silence in the face of evil is never His active support and approval. Any that would believe this run into serious trouble at- tempting to sustain such a twisted view of God’s silence in the face of His own Son’s suffering at the hands of evil men (Psalm 22). In His sovereignty, God Almighty chooses the how and when of His intervention against evil as in His perfect or permissive will He allows it always to some good end for the one who puts faith in Him (Ro- mans 8:28)!
7 It is a reality of living in an existence with the eternally just God (Deuteronomy 32:4): sin does not go without being judged by Him. This means no racist that has ever harmed or harms the objects of their racism gets away with it. Equally true, the objects of racism that entitle themselves to sin as victims do not get away with it either!
8 The only God ordained avenue of escape is repentance as the apostle Paul stresses (Romans 2:3-4)! Watch this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube for help.
Join The Strong Man Of God Resources Conversation!
Get Your Copy Of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics Today!
Your purchase supports restoring men, families and communities through Strong Man Ministries!
Purchase It Now