January 1999 Issue

Biases Against Other Races

By Mark J. Ward

I was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in the "heart of Dixie", in 1958. There were many racists in the country of America at that time...many of whom lived in the South. What does the Bible have to say about "racism"??? Is it scriptural to have a "bias" or a "prejudice" against a person based on their RACE? God's Word contains all things that pertain unto life and godliness (I Peter 1:3). What saith the Scripture on this interesting subject?

In the New Testament, we can find that God condemns having a bias against people because they are of another race.

Notice the following passages of scripture:

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the GREEK."

Acts 10:45 "And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Acts 11:18 "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

James 2:1 "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, with respect of persons."

Galatians 3:26,27 "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond or free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Notice that the above passages from God's Word indicate that we are NOT to be a respector of persons. This would include doing so on the basis of gender, race, or social status. According to these passages, it is sinful to hold a prejudice against a person based solely on the color of their skin! I am sure that we know of people who are racially biased. We need to speak out against this unscriptural practice. Parents need to teach their children, by a godly example, not to be biased! It is of significant interest (to me) to notice how children don't act this way until they "see" their parents or society acting so. Have you noticed how little children of different races play very well together (until the adults sometimes mess it up)? Let's be as little children in this regard!

When the "all white" school that I attended in Alabama was "integrated", many white families boycotted and kept their kids out of school and protested for several weeks. I thank God for my godly parents who were not biased against other races! I am a better person today for "crossing the picket line" back then and attending school in obedience to the laws of the land. What a blessing I received by making friends with those whose skin were black! We are all God's creation!

I am reminded of the song that we learned to sing as children,

Jesus loves the little children...
All the children of the world,
Red and yellow, black and white...
They are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Can you and I "truthfully" sing the words of the song above? Let's be like God and love everyone of every race! "For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Isn't that what GOD wants? Think on these things. --mjw

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com