Ok, yeah… I gotta step out there and hit on a few social/political issues every now and then.
I haven’t touched a whole lot on racism/CRT/white privilege. I’m a wee bit late to this game, but it’s such a complex topic and I don’t want to speak out of turn or in ignorance. And I’m sure I still won’t say it all right.
What I’m Not Saying
I’m not here saying that I understand what it is to be anything other than white.
I’m not here to deny that racism is a real issue. (We live in a sinful world and sinful people find all kinds of reasons to look down on other people.)
I’m not here to say we shouldn’t take an active stand against racism when we outwardly see it in the heart and actions of another person or organization.
I’m not saying that this current encouragement toward “White Guilt” equals or is exactly the same as the racism that other races and cultures have felt over time. There’s no way to measure such a thing and really there’s no need to.
I’m not here to point all the fallacies of BLM/CRT/White Privilege, (though there are many!). That’s a whole other blog for another day.
And I’m not saying that seeing this worldly trend of creating the white man as the oppressor and certain minorities as the oppressed really surprises or shocks me. Our world is at war with itself and always will be. Our world is lost in the darkness of sin and looking for answers to our wretchedness in all the wrong places. Our world is looking for someone to blame for all the wrongs that have been done. They’re trying desperately to find a fix. So, it makes sense that they happen to have currently chosen “the white man” as their scape goat. This is simply part of the ongoing mess created by sin.
The fact that this is occurring in our nation at such incredible speed is disturbing… but only so much can be said to unbelievers at large about how wrong this is because there is no moral compass by which to guide them if they don’t look to the Scriptures.
What I Am Saying
What I am saying is that there is another platform on which this idea is quickly spreading and it’s of great concern to me. A platform that ought to be offering the only hope any of us have. A hope that ought to seek to unify in Christ rather than seek to divide. A platform that ought to be running from the world’s answers at break neck speed rather than embracing them. There’s a place where truth and grace should beautifully combine and never be at odds. There’s a place where no man or woman should be above or below another. There’s a place where we should say:
“Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. (Acts 10:34-35)
There’s a place where we are usually told that the blood of Christ covers EVERY sin, no matter how evil, for those who believe. A place where our guilt and shame should be met with redemption and forgiveness.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24
A place where we should know:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
What I’m here to say is that the Church of Jesus Christ should never be a place where people are singled out, demonized, and offered nothing but guilt and burden because of the color of their skin.
And yet… CRT, social justice, and the painfully broad accusation of white privilege and the need for white guilt are clearly making their way into the body of Christ and many see this as a healthy step because they think it means taking a stand against “racism”.
And I kind of get it. Racism is real in some church bodies and people want desperately to find the remedy.
But can I just say this? We do not “fix” any real past or current racism toward one or more groups of people by setting racist hearts against another group of people. We’re simply tipping the scales for a new kind of racial inequality.
Problems In Pulpits
The fact that anyone believes we can overcome racism by stereotyping and alienating an entire race on the accusation of racism is baffling to me.
Even pastors for which I’ve held high respect over the years are stepping boldly into this territory, with what are, granted, the best intentions.
I used to love Matt Chandler but a few years back he started hitting hard on the dangers of “white privilege” And I feel like it’s been a downward slope. Here’s a recent quote from him:
“When you say, ‘Hey, we’re not going to get involved, let’s just preach the Gospel to that’ — which by the way I find so hypocritical,” … “You don’t just preach the Gospel on sex trafficking, you don’t just preach the Gospel on the issue of life and abortion. No, you act! It’s like this brain-broke disjoint that’s got us acting absurd and then critiquing this movement as being evil and dark…(Speaking of the BLM Movement)”
Now, I have no issue with taking action against tangible, heard and seen acts of racism. I mean we are to love our neighbor and stand against injustice, right?
For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. (Jeremiah 7:5-7)
But keeping far from worldly and sinful ideologies does not mean the church is neglecting the fight against racism. I’ve always despised racism. Clearly spoken out against it as I grew up in the Deep South culture that reeked of it. But I will always speak out against wicked and unbiblical ideals that masquerade as being out to do something good. The church simply cannot side with BLM, with CRT, with crying “guilty!” at every person that God made white and call it “seeking unity”.
And I find Chandler’s argument to lack potency because although believers are to take an active stand against sexual abuse of any kind, we were NEVER called to look at any certain type of people as systematic sexual abusers. And though we’re called to fight for life and against the murder of our children, we were NEVER called to label any certain people group as systematic abortionists. We are most certainly called to stand against racism… but we were NEVER called nor are we Biblically allowed to look at any certain people group and because of their outward appearance, say they are inherently racist or superior or privileged. And that’s exactly what this entire movement demands.
And to the social justice warrior, I get it! You’re probably thinking, “Come on! People have been judged by their appearance and color for hundreds and thousands of years and that’s what we’re fighting!” I know you’re seeing America’s past and disturbing issues of racism are undeniable and you want so badly to fix that.
But when will you see that you aren’t truly fixing anything? You’re simply flipping the script.
David Platt (another well-known pastor I used to follow) has even said in the recent years: “As a white pastor, I am part of the problem.” Once again, taking it back to skin rather than the heart.
For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7)
Actually… Mr. Platt, God made you white and that is thusly not a problem. Now if you have racism or self-righteousness in your heart, that’s a problem. Fix that. Your skin color, on the other hand, was given you by God and as Psalm 139 reminds us: You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
You’re not fixing anything by calling out everyone with white skin, you’re simply passing the hate on to a different people group rather than aiming to truly see and change the heart of individuals, no matter their color.
Voddie Baucham deals out a heart felt warning to Pastors striving to shepherd their flock in our current days:
“Pastors, I beg you to consider what I have written here. I believe the Church—your church—is under attack. As shepherds, we must defend the sheep. We must repel the wolves. And yes, the wolves are many. However, this one is within the gates and has the worst of intentions. He desires to use your genuine love for the brethren as leverage. Don’t let him! Recognize the difference between the voice of the Good Shepherd who calls you to love all the sheep and the voice of the enemy that tells you some of them are guilty, blind, ignorant oppressors and that others are oppressed—all based on their melanin. Reject cries that take principles and stories of individual restitution (Numbers 5:7; Luke 19) and eisegetically twist them into calls for multi-generational reparations. Reject the cries of those who twist the repentance of Daniel and Ezra 1) on behalf of theocratic Israel and 2) for sin that took place during their lifetime, in an effort to promote multi-generational, ethnic guilt that rests upon all white people by virtue of their whiteness.”
― Voddie T. Baucham Jr., Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe
Where “White Guilt” Fails The Church
IT DISCOURAGES UNITY
White Guilt encourages hatred and disdain towards a certain part of the church and that ought to never be tolerated in the body of Christ! We will one days stand united before the throne of God and we ought to reflect that to the best of our ability when we gather as believers.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, (Rev 7:9)
From an article by John Simmons:
“This is the first problem with social justice. It pits people groups against each other and instills jealousy in those deemed “oppressed” of those who are “oppressors.” It creates a victim mentality in the oppressed and forces them to look to blame others (oftentimes unjustly) for their plight. While biblical justice unites and uplifts people, social justice tears down certain groups and creates division.
Opinion: Social Justice is Not the Same as Biblical Justice
IT FORGOES FORGIVENESS
Grievances are surely real. Racism is a wicked thing. But when we look to reparations, to ongoing accusations, to claims of irreparable damage rather than true forgiveness from the heart… we’ve traded grace for guilt, mercy for the sword, and we’ve spit on the forgiveness we’ve received.
There is no forgiveness in the “woke” world. You can be crucified for something you said 30 years ago, yesterday, or never at all. And no matter what explanations or apologies you offer… you. are. guilty. And you owe a debt.
Just like that Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35, this movement encourages believers to forget the great and unfathomable debt they’ve been forgiven by a holy God and hold a much lesser debt over their fellow brothers and sisters (not to mention, they may or may not have even committed the crime). God forbid.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)
IT DOESN’T BRING GOD HONORING TRANSFORMATION
There is always work to be done in love and respecting and appreciating those who’s color or culture vary from ours. But the call for Critical Race Theory or White Guilt in our churches is not bringing a Godly transformation but rather a world conformation. The world wants us divided. If they can cause us to have hate or self righteousness toward one another… they win a victory there. How blind will we be to the fact that the same culture that’s burning our country to the ground and boldly stands for things God hates is asking the church to stand with them and some are answering that call? We’re following culture rather than Christ.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
IT LACKS APPRECIATION FOR CREATION
There is worship of the creature rather than the Creator when image bearers are scorned simply for the color of their skin. For a pastor to point his congregation and say that they are innately part of a problem simply due to skin tone… is not appreciating diversity in the body… it’s saying, if there’s more of your kind than of others, you are a problem.
God made white. Just as he made every other color. And he made everything BEAUTIFUL and with purpose. You aren’t appreciating one part of God’s creation more by scoffing at another part of it.
IT HINDERS THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL
Racism is a sin that can make its home in the heart of any man or woman regardless of their skin color. It’s a sin issue like any other. And it can only be overcome through Christ. How is it, churches that are known for saying “Come as you are!” are also saying “Except maybe be a little less white.”? How is it that the same pulpits that preach that Christ’s blood covers every sin of those who believe in him are holding guilt over the heads of those same redeemed simply for the color of their skin? How did we get here and when did we gain the NERVE to say that this is a kingdom work?
The Gospel is judging RIGHTLY:
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24)
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
The Gospel is looking to the heart of each individual, not to the color of his skin:
But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. (Matthew 15:18-19)
The Gospel is redemption not reparation:
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:10-12
Ok… I’ll Wrap Up
Sorry… that was incredibly long and could always be written better. I feel like I could write for days on this and it’s hard to say what’s on my heart and make it all make sense.
I’m just begging anyone who’s dipping their toe or jumping fully into this movement would think twice… or maybe ten times.
We will never live in a Utopia this side of heaven. Racism is a battle that should be fought and will be fought till the end of time, just like countless other sin battles. Stop trying to seek the “world peace” that this fallen humanity will try and offer through sinful means.
If you are looking for hope and a remedy in the midst of the hatred, division, and oppression we see in our world…
The proverbial blood of the white man will not be the answer.
It’s the precious blood of Jesus Christ, spoken into to the lives of individuals, shed for every word, thought, and deed of hatred in humanity… that is the answer to this calamity. Speak of Christ and love as he loves. Restoration will come. We will one day be completely healed of our brokenness and what has become so “black and white” will one day burst into beautiful color.
One day we will look and we’ll behold
The people of God as they stand before the throne.
From every nation, tribe and tongue
Lifting our hearts and our voices as one.
The sin that separates shall be no more
What creation broke Creator will restore.
My Family Freedom 