The Scourge Of Racism
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Released January 5, 2024
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Of the many sins that professing Christians of all American hues that are guilty must repent from before experiencing authentic, Holy Spirit fired revival is the practice of racism. Founded upon the twin evils of human arrogance and showing partiality, the American legacy and reality of racism and all of its related evils has been shamefully intertwined with and sanctioned by that which is outwardly professing Christianity from colonial times. If the proclamation of the Gospel will bear the greatest possible fruit in souls saved during the temporary door of opportunity God is opening, then the true nature and character of biblical Christianity must be put on display by us.
Catholicism by way of Georgetown University currently on the hot seat within professing American Christianity does not bear alone the institutional shame of being fully engaged in the business of slavery which was completely predicated on the presumed racial inferiority of my black forefathers. To this hour, many conservative white evangelicals still believe themselves racially superior. And though there have been many welcome public apologies for and denunciations of past racially based sins by evangelical leaders, the evil is so systemic and culturally entrenched, many especially in the rank and file carry on in their ways as if no apologies had been made.
Being a black American, of course, I am an experienced witness to the still practiced racial arrogance, discriminatory attitudes and conduct of many of my white brothers that profess with me to be Christians. I have written about some of my experiences in a booklet entitled, The Scourge Of Racism.1 For this blog, though, the Lord has led me to pinpoint from my experiences how progress toward real, biblical brotherhood is stymied primarily due to the typical white evangelical’s natural presumption of racial superiority. This attitude persists in spite of Scripture teaching the rise, fall and wisdom of peoples and kings is the sovereign work of God (Psalm 75:4-7; Daniel 2:20-23, 4:28-37).
Many of the even well meaning white evangelical brothers I have known over the years do not see how the presumption of superiority is deeply embedded in them through cultural conditioning. By default as a result, these brothers cannot begin to accept, for example, that the way they see a matter or a solution they have may not be right compared to what is offered by their brother of color. To this day, a once close brother expects me to apologize to him for the hurt he experienced because I told him the truth about his presumption of racial superiority and how it had influenced his judgment. Tangible evidence then and since proved he was wrong.
In denial (and pride), he not only maintains his position, but clearly does not appreciate how I may have been hurt by having my sound judgment from God rejected in his false presumption of superiority. He believed he had moved beyond racial bigotry. He had to a degree, but in his heart where self-perception and worldview reside, he still needed repentance and the Holy Spirit’s renewing work to transform and empower him to see me as his equal in Christ subject as he to error. Now, expand this brother out to the many well meaning evangelical Christians also with the same need along with the smaller, but still significant number that are racially bigoted and proud and you have this planet sized elephant seated in the midst of professing American Christianity.
To be sure, we Christian black Americans deeply wounded from four hundred years of America’s racism are a piece of work in glacial progress too. Add to all of this the deceitful work of demons through manmade Christianity the religion widely practiced by men operating in both camps and one that is willing can easily see how the Lord’s call to repentance is justified. Indeed, biblical Christianity is founded upon and driven by the love of God which brought Jesus Christ into the world to die for, save and reconcile fallen mankind as sinners back to God. That same love of God is poured into the hearts of those that repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit who also renews our minds and regenerates our souls (Romans 5:5-11, 12:1-2; Titus 3:1-6).
The Holy Spirit so transforms us that as new creations, we think and act as our Redeemer. God is love! Christ commands us therefore, to love and make Him known by our love for each other (John 13:34-35).2 And since love does no harm to a neighbor and in His perfect character our God shows no partiality, the arrogant mindset, attitudes and acts of racism are incompatible with biblical Christianity--period (Romans 13:10; James 2:1-10; 1 John 4:20-21).3 It is not possible that the world should out love us who profess to know God intimately is it? Yet, media images abound with young white, worldly faces taking a stand with blacks and other minorities against racism among their other social justice causes, while historically silent and aloof evangelicals largely remain so.
In the Donald Trump era made possible by an over 80% evangelical vote, the Lord calls all professing to be His followers to repent from any willful and lingering practice of racism. The Gospel message and witnessing of Christ can no longer stand to be tainted as it has been historically by the hypocritical practice of racism among professing Christians if we will be fruitful in this temporary door of opportunity God opens for us. The world saw enough of this a generation ago and rejected it; they will rightly continue to do so. Only Holy Spirit fired love for each other as our Lord Jesus originally commanded and His power will authenticate our message and witness going forward. The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord's side?”
1 This booklet is available in the FSTVEP Resource Store.
2 Read my March 8-15, 2015 blog, Known By Our Love, Pt. 1&2, under the category Instruction.
3 Read the December 6, 2015 blog, Celebrating God’s Racial Diversity Initiative, Call To Repent.
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