What does the Bible tell us about “race relations” and living together well as people who come from many backgrounds, tribes, and nations? Christians must start with God’s revelation to us in His Word.
Every person is intrinsically valuable, made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Every person is “fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
Because of sin, our natural inclinations are not in line with God’s ways (Genesis 8:21). We need a transformed heart (Ezekiel 36:26) and mind (Romans 12:2) to be in right relationship with God and with one another (John 3:3).
The Bible speaks of families, tribes, and nations and the human race. This is remarkable and consistent with modern biological understanding that there is only the human race (technically: Homo sapiens sapiens).
There are three themes which repeatedly show up in the Old Testament instruction to the nation of Israel:
1. Treat aliens and strangers well, because you were aliens and strangers in Egypt (e.g., Exodus 22:21)
2. Care for the poor and the vulnerable (“widows and orphans”) (e.g.,Exodus 23:11)
3. Judge justly, and promote justice. (e.g., Leviticus 19:15)
It is up to us to obey God’s instruction. God punished the people of Israel (and other nations) when they did not follow His instruction.
Jesus emphasized the two great commandments: Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). We are called to love neighbors without regard to what they believe, or where they come from. This was a key point of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Loving ourselves properly is hard work; loving others properly is also hard work.
Jesus took his disciples into foreign territory (Samaria, and the Decapolis), not for a short-term missions experience, but a significant cross-cultural ministry strategy. He demonstrated God’s love and concern for these “foreigners.” He commanded his disciples to take the Gospel message from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the world. (Acts 1:8) This is a fulfillment of the overall Biblical message of God reaching out to the entire world, to all peoples, all cultures (see Isaiah 49:22 for one example).
The Church from it’s earliest days has wrestled with living as Christ-transformed people, each of us a work in progress, in multi-ethnic congregations worshipping one Lord. A significant fraction of the New Testament letters are about how to live with different people with a common identify in Christ. This new identity in Christ is a basis for cross-cultural unity.
Repentance (Matthew 3:8), receiving forgiveness (Matthew 26:28), and reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18) are beautiful elements in proper relationship with God and with others. These have to do with behaviors, not the immutable characteristics of our identity (e.g., it’s not a Christian idea to ask forgiveness for skin color or gender which is part of how a person was created by God).
Christians are commanded to submit to one another in love, out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5) We fear and worship God, show appropriate respect to government, and honor everyone. (1 Peter 2:17) No one is justified in looking down at others (Luke 18:9-14, Romans 14:4).
The world will recognize Christians by how they love one another (John 13:35). We love because Christ loved us first (1 John 4:19).
Living “in step” with the Holy Spirit will be a blessing to us and others, but is not a promise that people will create heaven on earth, or avoiding suffering and persecution(Matthew 24:9, 2 Timothy 3:12). God’s creation — including us — is struggling in the current time and long for God’s restoration (Romans 8:22). The return of Jesus will set everything right (described in Isaiah 61, fulfilled in Revelation).
The Bible teaches that there are dark powers operating in opposition to the will of God (starting in Genesis 3:1). Our enemies are the “principalities and powers,” not individual people (Ephesians 6:12). We must not be ignorant of these schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). There are clearly forces at work which fuel hatred and discord for their purposes. God wins in the end (see Revelation).
God is sovereign and not surprised by anything. We do not understand the full extent or timing of His plans (Isaiah 55:9), but put our confidence in Him rather than ourselves (Philippians 3:9). God is not confident in us, but perfectly confident in Himself working in and through us.
