We know there are a variety of races. For us, we've kind of separated them into "white" and "color," as if these are significant or meaningful. Scripture talks about a different race. In contrast to those who reject Christ,
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)According to Peter, those who trust Christ are a "chosen race." Not by birth; not by merit (1 Peter 2:10). Imagine that! This race crosses our bland racial lines and includes people from all of our races. This race is not born; it is chosen. Chosen! We are massively privileged in this race without having any innate merit for being in it. It is a gift and bears its own assignment: "abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul" (1 Peter 2:11) and "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:12).
I think you'll agree. On one hand this is no small honor while, on the other hand, these are not small tasks. Our world screams for us to indulge our passions, and we're not supposed to do it. And, look around you ... including in the mirror. How are we doing at keeping our conduct honorable among unbelievers? Do our good deeds cause them to glorify God? Jesus said they should (Matt 5:16). And what about you, Christian? Do you identify as a "white" or a "black" or some other race, or do you find your racial identity ... in Christ? That's a radically different identity with a radically different calling that is way beyond any meager "white supremacy" or "antiracism" that the world around us is messing around in right now. It's a big calling. I hope you're working on it.
4 comments:
Indeed, the world is overly concerned about skin color (inventing "races" among us humans of various ethnic people groups), when the important issue is the state of our hearts, whether black or white (i.e. dead in sin or alive in Christ). The world is not comfortable with that "racial" divide!
~Lorna~
NO, this can't be the case. YHWH doesn't play favorites, except for the poor and oppressed. YHWH doesn't treat one group of people differently than other groups. This can't be right, because I've been emphatically told that it can't be True.
We are the marginalized race of this world, as we were told we would be by our Lord.
David,
Absolutely, Jesus was very clear that following Him meant that we would be oppressed, marginalized, and persecuted. This focus on skin color=race is simply a distraction from more important things.
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