Tuesday 28 March 2017


RACISM – GREAT TOPIC TO BE DISCUSSED
Racism is a theme to be discussed by all people.
 
WHY SHOULD ALL PEOPLE FACE RACISM HEAD ON?

Because it affects all of us in one or other way. Racism is a social evil, but racism resides in your inner being of man. The bible calls it your heart.

Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

 
BUT WHAT IS RACISM?

" A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race"   - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism

"A belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races." - http://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism

 "Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. Racial separatism is the belief, most of the time based on racism, that different races should remain segregated and apart from one another." - https://www.adl.org/racism

 Various nations and groups have seen themselves better than others. Some have acted upon that believe and treated those they see inferior differently.

We see the effects of racism in the extermination of the Jews by the Nazis.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

We see the effects of racism in genocide - Example Rwanda
Hutu Tutsi





 
 
 
We see the effects of racism in the slavery trade by various nations.
 
 
 
 
 
 

We see the other face of racism in xenophobia
 
 
 
  We see the effects of racism in the policies, laws, and practices of people in positions power, to exclude others for participation. (Segregation, "apartheid" and also in so-called "reverse-apartheid")

 Racism must be seen as a disease.

 A correct analysis en diagnoses must be made in order the get to the right “solution” and “treatment” for racism.

 
WHERE DOES RACE COME FROM?

Does the mere fact that a person belongs to a different race make them evil of wrong or inferior? No

 Most anthropologists recognize that there are four major race classifications in the world, which include Caucasian, mongoloid or asian, negroid or black and australoid. The race classification was created by Carleston S. Coon in 1962. The four major races can then be further subdivided into 30 subgroups. - (https://www.reference.com/world-view/many-races-world-bb7c1ea95ddd1c57#)

 Although all races share over 99% of the same genetic material, they are classified into groups on grounds of their Physical appearance, to a lesser extent their language.

According to a 1998 study published in the Scientific American, there are more than 5,000 ethnic groups in the world. - (https://www.reference.com/world-view/many-races-world-bb7c1ea95ddd1c57#)

 

But where did it all start?



According to Biblical teaching we all have one Father Adam and one mother Eve.
·         Gen 1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

All humans have one origin
 
 
  After they sinned various groups were formed. During the world wide flood, God destroyed all because of their wickedness.

In Genesis 3 their sin and punishment are recorded. In chapters 4 to 9 we read of their wickedness, their sins and their punishment, death by water during a the world-wide flood. 
 
Noah, his wife, his three son’s en their wives were spared (saved) From them originated all nations on earth. Read the account in the Bible in Genesis chapter 10.


But we really find the formation of nations during another event that took place. At that stage all the people had the same language and lived in one place.

Then we read of the action that the Lord God took in forming the nations.

·         Gen 11:7-9 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.  So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
 
 
So where does race come from?  RACE COMES FROM GOD. 

 Are race inherently wrong? NO.

 GOD CREATED RACE, NOT RACISM

  

SO WHERE DOES RACISM COME FROM?

 This is a pivotal question. In order to address racism we must make sure where racism comes from.

Reading through the Bible, the teachings of God especially the teachings of Jesus we see, that there is no place for hatred, murder, jealousy, etc. Thus there are no place for racism.

 

But where does all this evil come from?

The day Adam and Eve sinned, sin entered into their lives. From then on all men are polluted with sinful behaviour, including racism.

·         Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

 
In essence all men are sinners; yes all men racists in their inner being. It’s not your skin colour, language, physical features, position in life, qualifications, etc that makes you a racist; it is your inner being.

 The root cause of racism is no different than the root cause of all sin, namely a sinful heart

The motivation for racism is the same as for all sin, and we see it in selfishness, corruption, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, the abuse of power, materialism, wrath, strife, envying, murders, pride, etc.

 
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION TO RACISM?

Some people act on the urges of their inner being and commit the crimes of their inner being; that which is in their heart. Other people try to keep it under control. Some rape, steal, lie, commit murder, commit adultery, etc.  Others refrain from it.  In the same way some act out racism and others refrain from it.

 Just as some people control their inner sinful nature to steal, murder lie, rape, etc so some people control their inner sinful nature of racism.

 This control helps in making life better. This control helps us tolerate one another. But it’s not the real solution.

 The laws of a country are there to help to order society, in controlling and punishing crimes, also concerning the acts of racism. That is the duty of government.

·         Rom13:3&4 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

 But it’s never a solution to the problem of sin (including racism) its only a controlling instrument, and that only to a certain extent.

The real solution for all sin, including racism is a change in the inner being of man. The change in the heart of man brings the real solution.

For this reason David, in the Bible, cried out to God.
·         Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.


In Mark 7:21-23 we see where the problem lies, it lies in the inner being (the heart) of man. Thus the solution is to change the inner being (the heart) of man.
 
 
But no man can change his own heart, his own inner being. It is only the Lord Jesus Christ that is able to do that.

 All people (from all nations and tribes) are racists/sinners in their inner being, thus the only way to change is for the old racist person to die and a new non-racist person to take its place.

That is why the Bible says – “You must be born-again"
 
What happens when a person is born-again?
·         2 Cor 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This new person is a sinner no more, this old racist has died and became a new person in Christ Jesus. He/she now has the responsibility and ability to live out this new life, as sinner no more, a racist no more.
 
 
 
 
In heaven there will be different nations tribes and languages, but no racism and no sin.


 
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

Through the gospel of our Lord Jesus the Christ.

 It can be explained through the use of various verses in the bible, I will use a number of verse4s from the book of Romans in the Bible.

 I am a good person - won’t that be enough?

 

Romans 3:23 NKJV – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:10 NKJV – As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
Romans 5:12 NKJV – Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned–

 What is the punishment for sin?
Romans 6:23 NKJV – For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 Jesus took our punishment for us - how could He willingly die in my place?

Romans 5:8 NKJV – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 
How can I be saved?
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV – that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

Did God hear me? Did He accept me?
Romans 10:13 NKJV – For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

 
THIS MY FRIENDS IS THE SOLUTION FOR ALL SIN, INCLUDING THE SOLUTION FOR RACISM.

 
 
 
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