Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Racial Harmony Selected Scriptures I was taught to be color blind toward people Prejudice in the northeast is also strong, it is just expressed differently. Racial harmony in the church is important

I Have a Dream Rev. Dr. King is to be commended for: A man of courage Advocating peaceful means to bring about equality before the law Willing to suffer to reach his goals Ordained ministers must meet a higher standard – 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1

I Have a Dream Pursuing political goals must not compromise the Gospel Pursing political goals will not bring Christ’s kingdom to earth True emancipation is being freed from the bondage to sin - Romans 6

I Have a Dream Pursue equality in the law, but don’t expect it until Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom Discrimination in the law based on ethnic heritage is contrary to the original Civil Rights movement

I Have a Dream Recognizing that God created all men equal before Him and so should be equal before the law is good The desire for a national brotherhood irrespective of ethnic, social or economic heritage is good

I Have a Dream The longing for oppression to yield to freedom and justice is good The dream that people should be judged by the content of their character and not their skin color is good

The Origin of Races People naturally separate themselves into groups that are similar - language being the first factor Sin brings pride and arrogance which generates a disdain for those that do not speak your language Cultural differences and physical variations increase the divisions

The Origin of Races Evolutionary philosophy gave justification to these already evil divisions and made them even worse Evolutionists commonly believed that human races were descendent from different apes

The Origin of Races Ota Benga Grave robbing and murder to get specimens for scientific examination in search “primitive” people Evolutionary philosophy became the foundation for Nazism’s racist policies

The Origin of Races Modern evolutionists have backtracked to think all men evolved from only one common ape ancestor Evolutionary philosophy diminishes the value of human life

The Origin of Ethnic Groups Genesis 1, 2, 9, 10, 11 God created man - Genesis 1, 2 All humans descend from Adam & Eve All humans are descended from Noah’s three sons & their wives - Genesis 9, 10 God forced mankind to spread throughout the earth by confusing their language - Genesis 11

The Origin of Ethnic Groups Genesis 1, 2, 9, 10, 11 The isolation of small gene pools resulted in genetic differences between people groups The genetic code in your chromosomes control all your physical characteristics

Eye Color Eye color is complex - but Brown is dominate & other colors are recessive Bn Bn Bn bl bl Bn bl bl

Skin Tones-Nat Geo 01769 Skin color is complex, but all people are simply different shades of brown due to amount of melanin

The Descendents of Shem Genesis 10:21-31 Lud Eber Ashur Aram Elam Diklah Ophir Havilah Abimael Arpachshad Shalaph Sheba Havilah Hazarmaveth Obal

Descendants of Ham = Ham Put Canaan Cush Mizraim Cush Raamah Sheba Dedan Cush

The Origin of Ethnic Groups Genesis 1, 2, 9, 10, 11 It is Canaan, not Ham, that is cursed The Bible does not justify enslavement / segregation of Africans

Descendants of Japheth = Meshech Gomer Tarshish Magog Riphath Tubal Tiras Javan Ashkenaz Togarmah Kittim º Madai

Genesis 10 The earth’s population is descended from Adam & Eve - then through Noah’s three sons & their wives

Man’s Effort to Reach Racial Harmony Intermarriage - Political marriages; “Melting pots;” Voluntary Forced

Man’s Effort to Reach Racial Harmony War - Necessary for self defense. God uses to chasten - and even destroy wicked peoples Annihilation; Conquest and complete assimilation; Conquest and subjugation

Man’s Effort to Reach Racial Harmony Segregation - helps to minimize immediate conflict, but generally increases animosity It is not an approved Biblical practice or concept Christians are restricted to marrying other Christians irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds

Man’s Effort to Reach Racial Harmony Desegregation – voluntary programs have helped, Forced programs are resented and increase tension Affirmative Action - Correcting past injustice by creating new injustice hinder instead of help harmony

God’s Means of Producing Harmony TRUTH All people are of one blood no matter how different they may appear physically The successes and failures of your ancestors were theirs, not yours You are one in a long line of sinners - not the culmination of a line of wonderful people

God’s Means of Producing Harmony SUBMISSION Humble yourself before God - James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5 Have faith to believe and seek God. Hebrews 11:6; Jeremiah 29:13 Have faith in the person & work of the Lord Jesus Christ – Believe His claims, Trust His promises

God’s Means of Producing Harmony CHRISTIAN HARMONY Your identity is changes into being a first and foremost a Christian Jesus broke down the walls of separation - we are brothers and sisters in Him Believers respond with love even to enemies - non-Christians are the mission field

All Christians are to be unified and walk in harmony regardless of ethnic, social or economic positions

Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ