June 10, 2007
“Racism, Not in Our Church!”
Acts 17:24-28
I. Racism is wrong biblically, even the concept of races is wrong, unless you are speaking of foot races, the entire idea of “races” is not biblical – Acts 17:27
1. It is essential to our salvation that we are all of one blood, that we are all descendants of Adam – Romans 5:12-19
2. It is essential to our witness that we love one another with the love of Christ – John 13:34-35
3. It is part of Christ’s glory that He has redeemed us from every tribe, tongue, people and nation – Revelation 5:6-9
4. It is part of our joy (and to our credit) as a local church that we have a variety of people groups represented here, with no stupid prejudices among us – Galatians 3:26-28
5. The so – called curse of Ham does not exist -
II. Racism is wrong scientifically –
What scientific evidence do we have for there only being “one race?”
1. All human beings can interbreed (obviously)
2. DNA every individual person’s DNA differs from every other person’s DNA about .2% of that .2% only .6% is due to skin color difference.
3. This means that if I needed a kidney transplant that other than my nuclear family the closest match it is virtually just as likely to be Chieko, Erica or Henry
4. We all actually have the same skin coloring pigment in our skin “melanin”
“This is a dark-brownish pigment that is produced in different amounts in special cells in our skin. If we had none (as do people called albinos, who inherit a mutation-caused defect, and cannot produce melanin), then we would have a very white or pink skin coloring. If we produced a little melanin, we would be European white. If our skin produced a great deal of melanin, we would be a very dark black. And in between, of course, are all shades of brown. There are no other significant skin pigments.
In summary, from currently available information, the really important factor in determining skin color is melanin—the amount produced.” Don Batten
5. The evolutionary view point that one race or people group is or was more highly evolved than another is just plain bad science –
Charles Darwin visited the land of Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America. The natives there, then numbering about 7,000, have since died out, but because of their very simple way of life, Darwin and others believed they were far less evolved than European man. He is quoted as writing: ‘the difference between a Tierra del Fuegian and a European is greater than between a Tierra del Fuegian and a beast.’1 Charles Darwin
III. Racism is wrong morally – Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 7:12; Luke 10:27
Applications:
1. Realize this is one of the strengths of our church, be encouraged by it
2. Realize God is not against inter-people group marriage but He is only against Christians, believers marrying non-believers
3. Realize the love we show one another shuts up the mouths of the world who now a days likes to call Christians “racists”
