 OR Racism is Sin!! Racism in the body of Christ by those who hold to a teaching or preaching position, the level of accountability for you will be much higher. Let's just be honest.... If you can't have unity with the brethren because of skin color ..... Do you really have unity with Christ? They will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another! Not they will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another as long as they respond in the way you want them to or how you feel they should, but because of the unity in Christ among His own they will have love for one another! It seems the more the world claims to be woke .... there are those in the church that instead of pointing the woke ones to the Hope found in the one that is Christ Jesus, they just join them. Instead of responding from a biblical worldview seeking restoration through Christ, some seek restoration through reparations. Probably wondering, what I mean by that?? It seems unless you are willing to agree with those who are seeking more of a social justice approach to our faith when it comes to racism you can't say anything about it or even ask the questions without being labeled, unaware, privileged, and/or racist. If you challenge prominent men who may have been used by God to bring about some needed changes in our society like Dr. Martin Luther King who held to unbiblical views of Christ and other theological errors, the same type of labels are used against you. God has used ungodly men at times to bring about His graciousness to His people throughout history. While we can appreciate the work in which God used these men to bring about change, we should never worship these men or esteem them higher than they are. And we should not have to fear or be labeled falsely for examining the theology of these ungodly men in which God has used to bring about His purposes. There is also a serious problem within the professing body of Christ when a Christian is told they aren't able to speak to the issues of racism because they are white. When I see posts like that, which imply that unless you are the same skin color then you can't really speak on it, unless you agree on it, truly grieves my heart. What is happening within the body of Christ? Christ revealed a mystery to us of bringing Jew and Gentile together and it seems like there are those who want to separate over ethnicity.  The above statement was made by Thabiti Anyabwile, a prominent leader in the church today. Link here>> https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabiti-anyabwile/await-repentance-assassinating-dr-king/  Another well known pastor, Eric Mason said this on twitter. Does anyone see anything wrong with this? As I stated above, if you pushback (Mason's words) or disagree, well you are just out of luck because you wont even be able to engage due to your privileged position. Does racism still exist today? Yes
However, this is not the way the body of Christ should be responding to one another. This type of response only causes division in the body and not unity, as Christians we should know and understand that better than anyone, yet it seems that so many are falling for the same type of thinking of the world. What should be the response? Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that changes the hearts of men. Heart change is the only true change that will bring peace, hope and restoration to man. First to the one we all need to be restored to, which is Christ Jesus, then to our fellow man. Brothers and sisters in Christ should be in unity with one another, seeking to grow in sanctification, not perfection but growing in sanctification and where there is the sin of indwelling racism in a man, whether he is black or white, repentance is needed. 1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We look to the scriptures to see that the gospel goes forth to both Jew and Gentile, the dividing wall has been torn down by Christ, we should not be seeking to build a wall of hostility back up among other brothers and sisters based on their ethnic background, nor on the basis of their so-called privilege or lack of, regardless of social status that society may put us in based on your income, where you live, or any other area by which they try to make divisions, for those that are in Christ Jesus they are one! Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Does that mean only preach the gospel? No, preach the gospel, and love your neighbor as yourself, that may mean get involved and love those around you. Be a light in the darkness as an ambassador for Christ. Let us as believers not seek to tear down those in the body but build one another up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Exercising the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. My heart in this is not to add to or cause more division, I already see to much division over this as it is. My heart is grieved by what I am seeing and my only desire in this is that it will cause us all to think through the issues at hand and grow deeper in our love for one another. Starting with the body, which is not ours but belongs to Christ. When a brother has experienced racism towards himself as a body regardless of color we should grieve when that saint grieves and rejoice with our brethren when they rejoice. Racism is sin! It's not going to go away, there will always be a form of it until the LORD returns for His bride. As the bride for which Christ will return let us walk in a manner that brings glory to His name by being united in Christ and not divided in the same manner and way in which the world divides. May the grace of our Lord bless you and keep you until He returns for His bride. Soli Deo Gloria Ricky Gantz
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