Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love. ...We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. ...As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation - either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.
-- Martin LutherKing (d. 1968)
In the light of today's confusion in religious and political
matters along with the typhoon of gender blender malapropisms, a number of
Christian leaders have put together a fourteen point statement on "Social
Justice and the Gospel." Endorsers include John MacArthur, Voddie Baucham,
James White, Darrell Harrison, Anthony Mathenia, Vesta Sproul, Douglas Wilson
and myself. Here is the affirmation and
denial on Race and Ethnicity (point XII):
WE AFFIRM God made all people from one man. Though people often can be distinguished by different ethnicities and nationalities, they are ontological equals before God in both creation and redemption. “Race” is not a biblical category, but rather a social construct that often has been used to classify groups of people in terms of inferiority and superiority. All that is good, honest, just, and beautiful in various ethnic backgrounds and experiences can be celebrated as the fruit of God’s grace. All sinful actions and their results (including evils perpetrated between and upon ethnic groups by others) are to be confessed as sinful, repented of, and repudiated.
WE DENY that Christians should segregate themselves into racial groups or regard racial identity above, or even equal to, their identity in Christ. We deny that any divisions between people groups (from an unstated attitude of superiority to an overt spirit of resentment) have any legitimate place in the fellowship of the redeemed. We reject any teaching that encourages racial groups to view themselves as privileged oppressors or entitled victims of oppression. While we are to weep with those who weep, we deny that a person’s feelings of offense or oppression necessarily prove that someone else is guilty of sinful behaviors, oppression, or prejudice.(Gen. 1:26–28; Acts 17:24-26; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; 2 Cor. 12:16-18)
