- Aug 2, 2016
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People always have a tendency to focus on whatever conflict is getting the most attention. But it’s still good to step back from time to time and review one’s foundational assumptions and values. For Christians, that means doing constant course corrections to make sure that the Bible, rather than one’s own emotions—or peer pressure—is the motivation for one’s actions.
Consider how Southern Christians defending the institution of slavery prior to the Civil War. In hindsight, their motivation was clearly cultural rather than Biblical. Instead of going to the Bible to see what it really said, they went to the Bible to find passages that proved what they already believed. They managed to find a lot of verses that appeared to be accepting of slavery, but then they completely missed the fact that race-based slavery is never found in the Bible, anywhere. On the contrary, it was perfectly legal for a Hebrew man to own a Hebrew slave. There is no support anywhere for the idea that a black man could be a slave, but a white man could not.
Following up on that fact, it is also true that there is no Biblical justification for racial or ethnic prejudice of any sort. Consider Revelation 7:9-10:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”
In this vision the Apostle John sees people from every nation, every ethnic group, and every language worshipping the Lamb (Christ) on an equal footing. There is no hint that in heaven some earthly groups will be superior and some inferior. And even if (purely for the sake of argument) there were distinctions in “worthiness” in heaven, there certainly would be no mistreatment of a “lesser” group by a “greater” one, as Paul says of different members of the Body of Christ here on earth: “On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor.” [1 Corinthians 12:22-23]. God does not show favoritism among His children, and He clearly does not approve Christians doing so, either. So any individual or group that advocates or approves of “white supremacy” is not following the teachings of the Bible.
Much more could be said on that topic, but I will save that for a separate post. All I want to add right now is that the idea that one political party is essentially pro-Christian while the other is anti-Christian is not supported by the Bible. Both parties (not just one of them) hold to some principles that are taught in Scripture, and both parties (not just one of them) hold to some principles that the Bible strongly condemns. Most particularly, members of both parties seem to subscribe to the doctrine of “Love your friends and hate your enemies,” which Jesus very specifically taught against: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:43-45]
If there is one aspect of modern politics that I particularly dislike, it is the hatred both sides so often display toward each other. It so happens that after many years of voting Republican I now vote Democratic, but God does not allow me to hold any hatred toward Republicans, and any Christian who sincerely believes that he should vote Republican should hold no hatred toward Democrats. No matter which “side” we come down on, we should be showing the world how Christians behave, and Jesus taught that the first and most important thing we should be showing the world is that we Christians love each other [John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”] and we demonstrate our faith by doing good to all, not just our “friends” [Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”]
Specific points of political belief may matter, but our fundamental moral behavior matters most of all.
Consider how Southern Christians defending the institution of slavery prior to the Civil War. In hindsight, their motivation was clearly cultural rather than Biblical. Instead of going to the Bible to see what it really said, they went to the Bible to find passages that proved what they already believed. They managed to find a lot of verses that appeared to be accepting of slavery, but then they completely missed the fact that race-based slavery is never found in the Bible, anywhere. On the contrary, it was perfectly legal for a Hebrew man to own a Hebrew slave. There is no support anywhere for the idea that a black man could be a slave, but a white man could not.
Following up on that fact, it is also true that there is no Biblical justification for racial or ethnic prejudice of any sort. Consider Revelation 7:9-10:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”
In this vision the Apostle John sees people from every nation, every ethnic group, and every language worshipping the Lamb (Christ) on an equal footing. There is no hint that in heaven some earthly groups will be superior and some inferior. And even if (purely for the sake of argument) there were distinctions in “worthiness” in heaven, there certainly would be no mistreatment of a “lesser” group by a “greater” one, as Paul says of different members of the Body of Christ here on earth: “On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor.” [1 Corinthians 12:22-23]. God does not show favoritism among His children, and He clearly does not approve Christians doing so, either. So any individual or group that advocates or approves of “white supremacy” is not following the teachings of the Bible.
Much more could be said on that topic, but I will save that for a separate post. All I want to add right now is that the idea that one political party is essentially pro-Christian while the other is anti-Christian is not supported by the Bible. Both parties (not just one of them) hold to some principles that are taught in Scripture, and both parties (not just one of them) hold to some principles that the Bible strongly condemns. Most particularly, members of both parties seem to subscribe to the doctrine of “Love your friends and hate your enemies,” which Jesus very specifically taught against: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:43-45]
If there is one aspect of modern politics that I particularly dislike, it is the hatred both sides so often display toward each other. It so happens that after many years of voting Republican I now vote Democratic, but God does not allow me to hold any hatred toward Republicans, and any Christian who sincerely believes that he should vote Republican should hold no hatred toward Democrats. No matter which “side” we come down on, we should be showing the world how Christians behave, and Jesus taught that the first and most important thing we should be showing the world is that we Christians love each other [John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”] and we demonstrate our faith by doing good to all, not just our “friends” [Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”]
Specific points of political belief may matter, but our fundamental moral behavior matters most of all.
