Racial Pride

 

Racial Pride

                         It is amazing to me that there is so much emphasis on pride when it comes to race in a society that says it is against racism. If we are not to be prideful about our race, then shouldn’t we just be silent about our race? But the underlying issues go much deeper than pride or silence.

                         I would appreciate you thinking for just a moment. Really, I want you to honestly think about my next question. When, at what specific point in time, did you decide the year of your birth? I don’t ask that in order to be comedic. It is an honest question. When did you decide which era to be born in? Was the 20^th or 21^st  century your first choice? There really are a lot of conveniences that come with this era. I mean really, if you had decided on 317a.d. you wouldn’t have had an XBOX not to mention the total lack of espresso. Now had you decided on 1427a.d. there would have been some conveniences over 317a.d. but still it would not have been the modern society we have today. So, you made a good choice. You decided to be born in the late 1900’s to early 2000’s. Right?

                         Ok, well maybe not. But you did decide to be born into a wealthy family of British royalty. Not British? OK, maybe you chose to be the child of an American icon. At least you didn’t choose poverty. Right?

                         Possibly some of those options were not available to you. However, since there is so much pride in race we can certainly understand you choice of continents. The Asian continent is certainly a better choice than the Artic. And if not there then you would certainly have chosen the European over the South American. Right?

                         Is this stupid enough yet? Prior to your birth you had no choices at all. You did not choose to be born in any era. You could have been born in 317a.d. just as easily as 2067a.d. And you could have been born in poverty as easily as in royalty. You had no choices. You could have been born an Eskimo, a Russian, a Pigmy, or even a giant brother to Goliath. All choices were completely out of your control. You came into awareness after you were born and simply realized, “Wow, I live here with these people. And I am going to have to deal with it.”

                         If you do not believe in God, then it was all random chance, and you have nothing to be proud of. If you, as I do, believe in God then there was a real divine purpose every step of the way. But again, my pride is replaced with His purpose. I have nothing I can be prideful about concerning my birth. Either it was random chance or it was Divine design. Either way pride goes out the window.

                         We are all people created by God. We can take no credit for our existence in time, location or status. God decided where we would be born, when we would be born and in what circumstance we would enter this life. God created people. Is He partial to any one skin tone more than another? Does He love one class of society more? God is the redeemer of all. And all come to Him for grace and redemption regardless of status or race. When the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” there were no exceptions or stipulations. He meant “whosoever.”

                         No matter you status in society or your national heritage, God loves you and wants to save you. You do not have to spend eternity in hell. Unlike your choice of skin color, your eternity is your choice. God is calling out to save you, BUT THAT CHOICE IS YOURS.

THE STANDARD OF PUBLIC OPINION

THE STANDARD OF PUBLIC OPINION

I was told, indirectly, I am not a loving person because I said that homosexual relationships are sexual perversions. 

If one believes that there is a God and that He will judge sin, what should one’s response be? Should we not make every effort to help people find a right relationship with God? And does that not mean they must come to a proper understanding of sin so that they actually can repent (Luke 13:5; IICor. 7:10) and begin to build that proper relationship?

 

The problem I am seeing is one of reluctance to stand for righteousness. If all we have for a foundation is public opinion then I must concede the issue and agree with those standing in favor of….well, whatever they happen to be standing in favor of at the moment. Because you see, if all we have as a standard is public opinion it will shift with the wind. Today homosexuality is wonderful. When I was young it was understood to be sexual perversion. Today bestiality is considered sexual perversion, but for how long? Today child molesting is considered to be wrong, but for how long? Today pornography is (generally) considered to be improper behavior, but for how much longer? The list is endless. It is endless because there is no standard of right or wrong behavior. All of these can and will change just as soon as public opinion shifts. When society is properly corrupted all of these and many others just as vile will be acceptable.

 

When we come to understand that there is a God and that He will judge in accordance with His Holy Word then the standards change. We call drunkenness wrong because the Bible does (Eph. 5:18). We call harming a child in any sense wrong because the Bible does (Luke 17:2). The emphasis that the Bible puts on sexual sin is strong and extensive. I can provide a study on it if anyone actually cares to read it. The point though is simple. We stand against all of these because the Bible does and because the end result is eternity in a very literal Hell.

 

Am I more loving if I passively stand aside and smile at you as you slip into Hell for eternity? Or, is my love and compassion better expressed by screaming at you and standing in your way in an attempt to keep you from being cast into the pits of Hell for all of eternity? The letter that Jude wrote expresses it this way in verses 22 and 23, “And of some have compassion, making a difference: (v.23) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” How cruel is the person who would speak soft and gentle words of encouragement and acceptance to someone who is about to stand in the presence of Almighty God to face judgment knowing, that person is currently living in open rebellion to God’s righteousness clearly expressed in His eternal Word? Am I not the most heinous of individuals if, in an attempt to retain their friendship, I passively stand aside and smile when I could have done something to prevent their suffering? LOVE will step in and come to one’s aid even if it is currently uncomfortable to do so. What should we call that which allows suffering in an effort to prevent friction in a relationship? It certainly isn’t love.

 

Because I do sincerely love people who are drunkards, liars, thieves, homosexuals, and otherwise generally self-absorbed people living in open opposition to the righteousness of God, I choose to stand in their way. Love compels me to do so. And by the grace of God and with the Word of God I will stop some, and turn them to the love and grace of our God expressed by the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on Calvary for the redemption of their very souls.