Let me preface this by saying that I know this is a subject matter that can cause tension between people. All I ask is that this discussion be joined with careful language from loving mindsets, or don’t bother joining this discussion.
Race is a hot topic and has been for decades. We live in a country that has a troubled history when dealing with this issue. Going into the racial issues in the United States can escalate to passionate arguments very quickly. But setting aside the history of our country for a second, I still can’t help but notice that many church services in our country are divided by race. I have often wondered why that is. I understand that different subcultures may have different preferences for worship, but beyond that, shouldn’t the Church (as in all Christians) be able to worship together? Shouldn’t each individual church reflect the community it is in? So that leads me to this question: what does the Bible have to say about race?
We even have racial lines drawn within Christianity.
Slavery
Many Bible critics will try to make a claim that the Bible approves slavery. In the Bible, slavery wasn’t directly connected to race, but in our country the two ideas are inseparable. The slavery that existed in America’s past was enslavement of a certain race. So when this skeptical question about slavery is raised, its implication is that the Bible feels differently about certain races. So let’s dive into what the Bible says about slavery.
The skeptics use a group of verses to back their claim. Here are some of them.
“Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel (1 Peter 2:18, CSB).”
“Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord (Colossians 3:22, CSB).”
“Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ (Ephesians 6:5, CSB).”
Verses like these seem to push slavery as being acceptable.So how do you answer a skeptic on this matter? As is frequently the case with skeptics, scripture is read out of context. Often in these situations in scripture, the idea is not that slavery is okay, but that despite being enslaved, the enslaved person should focus on Christ and on spreading the Gospel. Basically, the writers were telling the slaves to be content in whatever position they were in, good or bad, because even in the worst circumstances, they could reach people who were not Christians.
So knowing the Bible does not push slavery, we still have to wonder if it is just indifferent toward slavery. This isn’t the case either. In many cases, Paul is displeased with slavery. In 1 Corinthians 7:21 (CSB) he says, “Were you called while a slave? Don’t let it concern you. But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.” Also, check out this passage from Ephesians where Paul is speaking to slave masters: “And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him (Ephesians 6:9, CSB).” Basically, Paul’s main concern was not a societal change, but spreading the Gospel. However, as seen in these passages, he obviously would prefer a slave to be free and considered masters on the same level as slaves. The entire letter to Philemon in the Bible is Paul writing to a slave master about an escaped slave. In the letter, he repeatedly says he would prefer the slave to be free, but would return him if need be.
Even in the Old Testament, you can see that God was not in favor of slavery. Look at this verse: “If a man is discovered kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from you (Deuteronomy 24:7, CSB).”
Obviously the Bible is against slavery.
Race
So knowing that slavery is considered wrong, what does the Bible say about different races of people. Jewish people, knowing they were the chosen people of God, were not known for treating other people groups with respect. Samaritans were a mixed race of people that the Jews hated. That’s why Jesus made the Samaritan character a hero in one of his parables in Luke 10:25-37. The Jewish people in the story had not helped a dying man, but the Samaritan did. Talk about racial divides being eliminated! And look at Galatians 3:28 (NIV): “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This makes sense, because the Bible has already explained that we are all descended from the same man, Adam. So that means we are all one people group. We are all one race. Consistently, the Bible tears down racial and economic divides, and unites us all under a wonderful Creator that literally breathed His life into humanity. Written in a time when slavery and racism was almost universally accepted, the Bible went against the grain and considered everyone as having equal value.
Fast forward to today, and it seems our world is as divided by race as ever, and often we even have racial lines drawn within Christianity. Once again, I understand that there are differences in worship just based on subcultures. My point, though, is if anyone should show unity among different races, it should be Christians. The Bible and a single Creator and ancestry unite us all.
For a self-reflection: do you feel differently toward other races or do you recognize that we are all of equal worth?
For discussion in the comments: Why do you think there are racial divides within Christianity, or do you disagree with me? Let me know your thoughts.
As always,thanks for reading and share if this resonated with you at all.
Convictions 