It was sad to watch the events of Charlottesville unfold recently. I lived in Virginia for 15 years, working in the public schools, shopping in the stores, and worshipping at church, all with people of many colors; even today at Central Plains church we have people of different backgrounds and ethnicities, worshipping as one body. Racism is wrong and evil in any form, and it is God’s intent to have a multi-racial community, living in peace, through Jesus.
All humanity came from Adam and Eve, our real and historical ancestors. God declared His creation, “Good,” and as their children were born and spread out across the world, races and nations came into being. Acts 17:26-27 tells us, “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. All men should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him; He is actually not far from each one of us.” It is because of sin and rebellion that racism and racial bigotry exist, but God is working towards His plan: a community such as Ephesians 2:11-22, where “He himself is our peace, who has made us both [Jews and Gentiles] one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.” We, people of all colors today, can be fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. It is in Him we can be built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. He is gathering a people of many colors and languages, to be in a place and in His presence. This has happened, is happening and will happen in a time to come. Followers and believers of Jesus are part of this work He is doing today; you are invited to be part of this community, through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
What justifies us before God and brings us together in community? Not the color of our skin, but the blood of Jesus, forgiveness, and new life in His death and resurrection. What happened in Charlottesville is wrong. Racism is wrong. Supremacy and bigotry are wrong. Every color of life has value. “Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight.” This is part of the good news of knowing and following Jesus.
Follow us on social media!