Crushing Racism 预览

The Cross of Christ Crashes Racism

The dividing barriers that existed between Jews and Gentiles (those who were not Jews) in first-century Jewish society were just as deep as the dividing roots between blacks and whites in America and other ethnic divisions around the world today. In fact, they were so deep that Jews and Gentiles would not eat together nor go to each other’s homes. 

Paul’s big charge to the church throughout the New Testament is the following: if the blood of Christ has rescued, forgiven, and reconciled us to Him, then we are also reconciled to the whole body of Christ. We are brothers and sisters to both Jews and Gentiles––we are all one in Jesus Christ. Every barrier and division have been demolished at the cross of Jesus. Outside of Christ, we are still in our sin; as a result, we will erect barriers and walls between us. Sin always does that. But when we are united to Christ, those barriers go down, and genuine unity is the outcome. 

If you need more evidence, read the gospels. You will find Jesus treating everybody as equals: Jews, Greeks, Samaritans, women, men, children, slaves, or free. This mindset was entirely revolutionary for the time. Jews despised Samaritans because of their religious differences, yet Jesus chose to speak to a Samaritan woman. In our eyes, this may seem insignificant, but such an act was astonishing for the people of that day! 

What does this mean for us? It means that the essence of our identity is not our race, country, or political affiliation. Paul appeals to our minds and guides us into reasoning about the consequences of Jesus’s death on the cross and our responsibilities after becoming part of God’s family. The essence of our identity is in the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone! I am, above all, a follower of Christ. 

Consequently, it is my responsibility to teach my children that the blood of Jesus is stronger than the blood of our ancestors. In Christ, there is no Anglo, Asian, African American, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, or Libertarian. The cross crushes racism!

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for giving Your life to demolish all division and hostility between us. You gave Your life for men, women, and children of every race, tribe, and nation. Father God, help us to put an end to racism, starting in our homes. By Your grace, I pray that our example will lead the world to see that the cross of Christ crushes racism!