How Do We Deal With Racism?

What is racism and how do we deal with this issue?
If you think about it – nobody who was born, asked to be born black, white or brown. None of us asked to be born African, Caucasian, Jewish or Arab. Neither did we ask to be born within a specific nation of our own choosing and to be born at a specific year of our own choice.
When we were born we had no choice or control pertaining to which family we were going to be born in and which ethnicity we would be a part of.

So, do black lives matter? Do white lives matter? Or – do all lives matter?
In order to understand the monster called racism we need to view this issue purely from a spiritual or Biblical viewpoint.

Biblical Worldview of Races
From a Biblical view, there is just one race among mankind – the human race. Therefore in God’s eyes there is no other race of people but the human race.
The entire human race came from one couple – Adam & Eve (Genesis 1, Genesis 2).
Both Adam & Eve could neither be classified as being African, Caucasian or even Asian. However every human being who lives and has lived on the earth has directly and biologically come from Adam & Eve.
Being African, Caucasian, Indian, Asian, Arab, or Jewish are not classifications of different races but they are different ethnicities of the human race.
All human beings have been created in the image of God regardless of ethnicity (Genesis 1:26-27).
All human beings are loved the same by God regardless of ethnicity such that His redemption plan includes the entire human race (John 3:16).
God is impartial. He does not show favoritism to anybody regardless of their ethnicity. God sees all people regardless of their ethnicity as being the same hence His impartiality (Romans 2:11).

Worldly / Secular Viewpoint of Races
Unfortunately the secular worldview is to subdivide people according to their ethnic background and this is where the demon of racism begins to appear.
These subdivisions have created false philosophies, false opinions, false assumptions & false conclusions that certain “races” or ethnic groups are better than others. This perception of one ethnic group being superior or better than another is the cause & definition of racism.
The worldly perception sees certain ethnic groups of people as being more superior to others.
The worldly perception sees certain ethnic groups of people as being more evolved than others.
The worldly perception sees certain ethnic groups of people as being more pure blooded than others.
This is the ugly face of racism which has resulted in strife, wars, unfairness, disputes and destruction of lives, families and society.
The spirit of racism doesn’t embrace people’s differences – it loathes them.

Racism first begins in the mind and then reveals itself through a spirit of partiality as one negatively treats others who have a different ethnic background.

How Do We Deal With Racism?
The truth is this: It’s not only white people who are racist. Even black people can be racist. Anybody can be a racist. The issue of prejudice begins inside individual hearts and then like a cancer spreads into a grouping of people fighting against another group.
Racism therefore must be dealt with at mind level, starting with how we individually perceive people who are of a different ethnic background.

Racism can be dealt with through understanding & applying the following life applications:

1. Every human being originated from ONE couple – Adam and Eve. Therefore there is only ONE race – that is the HUMAN race
2. All human beings are made in the image of God. Therefore there is no human being who is superior to another human being
3. God loves us all the same. He is does not show favoritism. Therefore when we have a racial attitude towards others then we are portraying an evil attitude towards someone who God loves and whom God created in His own image.
4. Nobody had a choice or any control into which ethnic background they would be born in or become a part of. Our birth wasn’t our choice – but it was God’s choice. Therefore no one has any right to prejudice somebody based on the colour of their skin.
5. As people we need to learn to love one another and to walk in love. Whatever we do should be under the motivation of love for God and love for our fellow man (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.