Racial Prejudice Is Murder (Part 1)

Living in the Southern part of the United States offers many different challenges. I am originally a mid-westerner, and some of the things I am going to say about the South are true there as well, but just not to the same extent. One of the biggest obstacles in the South is racial prejudice. Our country has come a long way in overcoming racial prejudice, but there is still a long way to go, especially in the south. Paul talks about prejudice in the book of Romans in a slightly different context than what I want to address. Even though the context is different here are the scriptures anyhow. Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Romans 11:13-21

Admittedly this passage is telling the Gentile believers not to be arrogant and prejudicial towards the Jews. But I think that we can apply this to our lives today not just in prejudices towards Jews, but prejudices towards anyone. The thing about living in the South is that tons of people are prejudice, but will deny it until the cows come home. For instance the town we live, Hopkinsville Kentucky, has recently built a new water park with slides, a pool, and other things. This was built by our Parks and Recreation Department after our City Council voted for it. Many people got up in arms over the water park saying that it was a waste of money. The number one complaint that I heard was that blacks were going to tear it up. That complaint was almost always prefaced with the words, “I am not prejudice but….” Others made comments like, “The water park needs to be cheap enough that we can use it, but expensive enough that the black kids can not hang out there.” Again these people claim to not be prejudice. In Clarksville, TN where I Pastor the stories are the same, but just about different issues. Prejudice is alive and kicking in the South still today.

The question I have is this. Does God love people regardless of race? Does God want to see men, women, and children from every tribe, nation, and tongue born again into the Kingdom of Heaven? The answers to both of those questions are a resounding YES HE DOES! So our prejudices must be sin then. We can make all the excuses we want, but prejudice is flat out sin and rebellion. And it doesn’t stop with just hatred, the sin of prejudice bleeds over into our evangelism. If you hate someone it is highly unlikely that you will share the Gospel with them, which then compounds your sin because you are disobeying the Great Commission. The church in the South is not free from prejudice either. Almost all of the comments made about the water park were by people who attend church on a regular basis. (None of them attend the church I Pastor) Are you and I prejudice against others? Are we sinning by holding hatred in our hearts? If your son or daughter married someone of a different race would you be ok with it. I hope that you would because really there is only one race, and that is the human race. May we seek to repent from our prejudices and may we share the Gospel with everyone regardless of their color, gender, national heritage, or any other factor.

Father God,
If I hold any prejudice in my heart I ask that you reveal it to me and then lead me in repentance from it. May you have your way in my life.