The Bible emphasizes that there is only one race, humankind. Each individual holds value and dignity as part of our shared humanity; all human life traces its roots back to a couple who married just one time, thus making clear that skin color or tribal heritage doesn’t matter in life or death.
The Bible strongly rejects any form of racism as an attack on Jesus’ work and Gospel. Here are six biblical truths regarding racism.
God is Love
In the Bible, there are only a handful of passages that address racism directly, but one of the most precise and profound examples can be found in John 14:6, where Jesus states: “Whoever does not love does not know God; for God is love.” Racism cannot exist within God’s heart for humanity – contrary to everything written within Scripture, including commands to love one another as well as Christ’s work on the cross.
Racism is a sin that manifests itself in many forms, from individual prejudices and biases to systemic manifestations of discrimination. Racism’s root cause lies in hatred and selfishness; all forms of racism stem from this. But the gospel offers an effective remedy and reconciliation power against racism: Christ’s love brings all people groups together while breaking down prideful self-aggrandizement that drives racial animosity.
One of the primary sources of racism lies in an inaccurate view of human nature. As Scripture shows us, humans were created in God’s image and should be valued and treated fairly (Genesis 1:27).
Human nature can often be used as an excuse for racism and other forms of discrimination. For instance, the story of the Tower of Babel can be used as evidence that people differ innately – perhaps this should lead to separation by race/culture/language, etc.
Slavery was an accepted practice in ancient societies. Even the most devout Jews owned slaves for personal gain or as punishment for unpaid debts; some also used them in military conquests against non-Israelites.
But Scripture makes it abundantly clear that slavery and racism are the results of our fallen world, not God’s plan for humanity. Indeed, Paul’s most effective response to racism was not simply calling out its symptoms but instead addressing its cause: racism itself.
God is Good
Racism is a grave sin that must be tackled head-on and defeated. God makes His position clear – any form of segregation is wrong, and His Word speaks powerfully against its causes, such as sinful choices that lead to racism; all are an offense against His loving and righteous character.
The Bible is a book about Jesus, who came to tear down barriers caused by racism and hatred. Jesus taught that every person is made in God’s image and should be treated with equal worth (Genesis 1:27); all people were created for one purpose–glorifying and serving Him (John 13:34; Matthew 22:37).
Still, racism exists today as an unfortunate by-product of humanity’s rebellion against God and sin. According to Scripture (Revelation 20:12), God will punish this behavior with His justice (and so do believers!). We should stand firm against racism and work towards building more harmonious communities.
Biblical history presents us with examples of tribalism rather than racism, yet even this can be problematic due to how it emphasizes differences based on race and tribe rather than gender or social class. One powerful example of fighting racism was Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus’ actions showed how race is not indicative of one’s worth or value as an individual.
Paul, the apostle, made racism crystal-clear when he wrote it was an offense against both heart and mind. Paul insisted those who practice racism rejected God’s gospel of grace for justification rather than trusting in their moral efforts to justify themselves – in other words, they were self-righteous.
Understanding that racism has no justification in Scripture is paramount to fighting it effectively. Scripture calls us to love our neighbors equally and treat them equally; thus, the best way to combat racism is not by lecturing those who practice it but instead by pointing them toward Christ’s message that forgives everyone who believes.
God is Righteous
Bible books throughout history – even within Israel – contained messages reiterating God’s love and concern for all nations, rebuking racism while at the same time calling out sinful hearts from idolizing race. Jesus entered history proclaiming to be the Servant spoken of in Isaiah 42 and proclaiming to proclaim “righteousness to the Gentiles” (Matthew 12:18-21) — not only was his statement an attack against racial stereotypes, but it fulfilled prophecy directly!
Even though Scripture prohibits racism, most Christians fall prey to it nonetheless. Paul describes its source: those who engage in racism still trust in their works rather than God’s grace; they try to feel superior by using moral efforts or pedigree as justification for feeling superiority over others.
God’s righteousness stands apart in that it does not depend on your works or family lineage or ethnicity or skin color; instead, He looks for devotion to Himself; those who commit their lives to Him are rewarded, and those who reject Him are punished retributively as part of His nature as we humans cannot achieve perfection and must therefore follow a different standard than He sets. This practice of “retributive justice” must occur for our well-being as we all fall short of meeting His perfect standards for righteousness.
The Bible speaks of this ideal standard as righteous coram mundo (“righteous in the eyes of the world”). This kind of righteousness encompasses how one treats one’s neighbors as well as all creation. That’s why the gospel is such good news–it liberates us from having to depend on ourselves or pedigree for salvation!
Some scholars have theorized that Noah’s curse on Cain must relate to his blackness since he was one of several Black men living during that period. Yet this theory fails to take into account several details: Cain wasn’t even the first Black person, and Hebrew “our” refers to signs or tokens–not skin color; furthermore, Noah only applied his curse against those living in Canaan and not all Africans as a whole.
God is Merciful
God remains merciful despite humankind’s sin and fall, for which He created all people equal in His image. Scripture condemns racism with good cause: prejudice, discrimination, and antagonism against someone based on skin color or nationality are forms of racism; they stem from believing one race or group is superior to another, leading to hatred, fear, or inhumane treatment against that group of individuals.
The Bible contains many examples of God’s mercy for His people, even those who have turned away from Him and sought salvation through their good deeds or heritage. Racists still try to justify their actions by exploiting racial differences among individuals as an excuse for their behavior, often using racism itself as justification.
Mercy can be defined in the Bible as any act that shows kindness toward those in need, which explains why most references to mercy in scripture involve helping those in need. Jesus demonstrated this kind of compassionate treatment when He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and visited those incarcerated; He taught His disciples that they should love their neighbors as themselves.
Jesus demonstrated mercy when it comes to race issues, confronting and breaking down barriers between cultures. He showed Jews how Samaritans were their neighbors while also commanding them to preach to all nations about his teachings – showing he loved all regardless of race or background.
God shows His mercy towards His people repeatedly throughout Scripture, providing hope that Christians can extend it to their neighbors as well. One way Christians can fight racism is by making a conscious effort to love one’s neighbor as oneself and following Christ’s example – this is ultimately the only proper solution against this form of discrimination and sinfulness.
