Black and White in a Grey World

Has anyone else noticed the intense amount of race-related media coverage over the last few years or was it just my imagination? The United States has always gotten a bang out of dividing it’s people this way, so no real surprises there. But race-baiting throughout the western world seems to be a growth industry right now.

Perhaps the biggest indicator that this is not the result of a naturally occurring cultural problem, but a coordinated, media-lead effort to ignite conflict and division in society, was to see it’s emergence in British politics and sport. England, the country that managed to end slavery and set the end of slavery in motion throughout the western world without firing a single bullet, is apparently so racist that British cricket is in jeopardy and TV hosts are racist for asking a coloured man about racism.

50 years ago, so far removed from the British mind and British politics was racism that you could actually make successful comedies about it. Today, a single episode of Love Thy Neighbour would be enough to shut down Westminster and overcrowd London’s psych wards. I’m not saying that these were good quality comedies. But what happened? From whence comes our new outrage?

Are we more racist today than we were 50 years ago? If so, how did that happen? Are our laws more inequitable today than they were 50 years ago? And, if so, how did that happen?

Or is it possible that we, who are just trying to get on with our lives, have been duped by some irrational and emotionally driven campaign, orchestrated by who knows who, for who knows why?

And if so, how did that happen?

Whether it’s race, gender, politics or any other form of divisive activism, this is a question that all wise Christians should ask themselves before they leap head first into any ditch currently being dug by our cultural overlords.

How did we get here?

In the case of the current wedge being driven between people of different skin colour, we got here because we do not love the Gospel.

The word racism and the modern concept of race is barely one hundred years old and is a direct result of humanism and the theory of evolution, which includes the notion that human characteristics and abilities are determined by little more than melanin and the shape of your nose.

By contrast, the Bible says next to nothing on race. All men are made in the image of God and their differences lie, not in skin colour, but according to their tribe, tongue and nation. In other words, their culture (That is, the public expression of their religion – their ‘cult’) is the striking feature that separates people groups.

The bible condemns partiality as evil (James 2:1-4).

To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong. (Proverbs 28:21)

If we ought not defer to the cause of rich over the poor (Deuteronomy 1:16-17), then how much more should we be impartial when it comes to such superficial things as the colour of your cheeks?

But the world and the devil want you to be partial. Why? Because, Ching, Ching, Ching, someone can cash in. Racism pays. Partiality sells BLM mugs to people with a guilty conscience. Partiality entices those lucky enough to be labelled as victims with the prospect of gain.

What colour are you? Here, have some money. What gender are you? Here, welcome to the short list on tomorrow’s job application. What’s your chosen perversion? Please, let me fund your “goeth before a fall” parade.

Partiality, in whatever form it takes, works, because partiality pays.

But the Gospel prescription for our deliverance from partiality is not cash but Christ.

In the Gospel, repentance, that is, turning away from partiality, removing it from our law books and our conduct, puts an end to the matter. And where our partiality has caused harm to person or property then repentance in the form of restoration puts an end to the matter.

But putting an end to the matter might also put an end to the cash flow, the welfare privileges and the high status that comes from being a victim in our culture. And that’s something that just doesn’t appeal to our sinful appetite.

But those who love the gospel can see the problem and understand the solution. And the solution to our partiality is simple.

Christ died for the forgiveness of sins.

White folks must seek forgiveness from black folks for things done by them which, and only which, the Bible calls a sin. And black folks must forgive. Likewise, black folks must seek forgiveness from white folks for things done by them which, and only which, the Bible calls a sin. And white folks must forgive.

And if you find yourself breaking out in a nasty rash at that suggestion, because you think that forgiveness is something that only the other group should be asking for (whichever group that is), then congratulations, you are the problem.