A House built on Sand

 

In evangelicalism today we can see what can be called an undefined blob of something akin to plasticine; when something that the world views as important, it morphs and adapts to fill the apparent void. This is the current method for the church to be seen as if it is doing something before the watching world; and yet, this is dangerous. Instead of it holding to the convictions which has made it a force to be reckoned with; we find that it is all too quick in accommodating. In the past it has always been recognised that the convicting work of the Spirit and the correcting work of the Spirit that has led to the most fundamental signs of new life and new direction. whatever happened to that truth and that reality? Does the church not believe that where the Spirit is active there will lasting effects of change in peoples live and the society at large when they recognise that Christ is King?  It sure seems that those who are seeking a worldly answer are compromising the truth. 

Let us take note of one more group that is compromising the Gospel truth for the sake of want to be relevant to the society: the FIEC or Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches; this association has recently shown its support for the social gospel (a perversion of biblical justice and the gospel of grace). I can not help but agree with JC Ryle on two fronts "a scriptural understanding of sin is the best antidote to that vague, dim, misty, hazy kind of theology." and   "extravagantly broad and liberal theology." In both of these cases, we see that this is the case with FIEC, they say that they hold to evangelical doctrine; but they teach it in such a vague and non committal manner that liberalism has been able to get a foot in the door. And that is a sad fact.  

Let us now consider how this unbiblical premise can shipwreck ones faith if they are not careful. We must be discerning.

A thorough examination of the division

The question of why this division has take place is not hard to discern. It simply comes down to the fact that many Christians do not want to think through the presuppositions and biases they hold too when it comes to such issue; and therefore, they seek to bring these unbiblical ideas and philosophies into the faith which was "once and for all delivered unto the saints," in other words, the faith is not be defined and changed based on such ideas as BLM or Social Justice; but rather it is based out of the same truth that has defined it from the beginning. Let us stand firm on this foundation. 

Let us look at an example of what we are dealing with in the last few days the FIEC has put a video out called "leadership blind-spots: ethnic minority" where the young lady seeks to give her reason why the church is failing to do its job of dealing with social issues. Again, the blatant assumptions are well noted. Can someone provide a single passage which says this out primary role or even apart of our duty? No. But that does not stop this kind of idea from being expressed at all. Our sole duty has always been to proclaim the Gospel; and it is the Spirit's role to transform lives whether that be individually or collectively. It matter not because it is not our concern. Why do you think the scriptural preaching and prayer has always been filled with God's work being a sovereign act upon the soul of men. It is a sad thing for us to even begin to understand. 

Take note of what this young lady has to say: "(1) Partiality: we are not as welcome to those of other ethnic background as we are of our own. (2) Diversity: being willing to explore other ways of giving an exposition of scripture; other than the one you are comfortable with.  (3)  Tokenism: the idea that one cannot be racist because they have one friend who is black." Now it must be to her credit that she does say that "the Gospel does transform us." But it is, as JC Ryle says which I quote in the introduction and I agree, a very vague, dim, misty, hazy reference. It does not explain anything and leaves the door wide open for mass confusion.  

If we are gong to speak on the sin of "racism" then we must start with the common buzz-words: Partiality of any kind is forbidden; we know that for sure because the scriptures teach us that just as God does not operate under this manner (Romans 2; Acts 10) therefore, neither should His people (James 2). Salvation has been grant to all people regardless of their ethnic origin and we must remember that.  Diversity there is no such term in biblical frame work since all men and women regardless of their ethnicity have been created in the image of God; therefore, they are all equal in God sight: firstly, as fallen sons and daughter of Adam; then secondly, as redeemed Sons and daughter of God in Christ. It must be seen that if a church to be identified as "diverse" or seek it; they have misunderstood the Gospel and the Faith and are acting contrary to it. And let us hold onto that.  Tokenism this is simply a faulty and erroneous method of employing the second category of error.   

Now if this is the true position and it is; then how do we understand this thing that has been allowed to seep into the church over the last few years. Doug Wilson correctly identifies it in these words:

So the problem is sin, and that problem is resident in the heart of Everyman. The problem is human wickedness. Our problem is systemic, but it is systemic rebellion against God, not systemic racism. The problem is our hatred of God. And when I say “our,” I am referring to every son of Adam and every daughter of Eve. Nobody gets a bye because they had ancestors who were mistreated — because all of us have ancestors who played the role of oppressor, and all of us have had ancestors who were grossly mistreated. How does that provide us with any good reason for remaining in our sins? Why should that let us off?"

Let us be sure to understand that this is not what Christian are called to do at all. We must confront all sin; even this most deadly one as it produces hate for people who are created in the image of God. But worse than that, we can understand it in this manner: He who hate His brother or sister in Faith hates Himself and does not know God. What this is is inborn prejudice. 

 A misdiagnosis of the problem

I wonder if you have ever thought through what lies behind "racism." Let us be sure to fully understand truthfully that there is no such thing as racism; for there is no such thing as races-- there is only one race; Adam's fallen race. Or to put that in another way: the human race. "okay" someone will say, "I get what you say; but you deal with all those who seem to contradict that by speaking to another in a racist fashion?"   I answer that by pointing to the fact that the scriptures are clear on this:  

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;  male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth. (Gen. 1:26-28)

The key term in this statement is "image of God" that is to say, we are all equal before God because of this reality and this single truth. That is to say God created us as His image bearers. So how do I, therefore, explain racism? it is very simply really. I repeat what I have said all ready: there is no such thing as racism. However, there is a much deeper issue that needs to recognised: Man is revealing his anger towards the creator God to whom they owe their existence too; and are, therefore, sinning against Him only. Let us remember the confession of David in the 51st Psalm it reads  "Against you and you only, have I sinned." (vs 4) Now while it maybe true that to a lesser extent man sins against man; it is that treason and that act of disobedience and rebellion against God.    

 A diversity that kills biblical unity

When Christian's seek to establish this "diversity" they are doing so for unbiblical motives. Let me put it in a more understandable manner: the diversity that the bible speaks of a secondary matter to the primary one of the unity of fellowship. And, therefore,  what needs to be recognised in this is that the diversity that the world promotes is nothing more than a sin-fill and abhorrent perversion of the true position. It harbours and festers even more "racism" than we care to admit in more pleasant company.  

In other words, when a church celebrates this kind of diversity by saying  "our church is not exclusively white." Or that "our church is made up of many from different diverse cultures and ethnicities."  What this does is show that the church is not truly unified by the bible nor in the Spirit. But the other extreme is equally dangerous too. And what is this? To eliminate another people based on a preconceived notion, it was said by one person: "I feeling I cannot worship in the same church as white people."  The church should never be divided based on this kind of mentality; but in these days, it has become more and more the case. 

Let us note what the bible says should be our aim as Christians:

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  (Eph. 4:1-3)

Do you not see the point?  We are to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. That is a most important reality.  But we need to know what does this look like practically. Let us look at a few passages:

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.  (Galatians 3: 25-29) 

 

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.  Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3: 10-14)

The church is made up of men and women who, though they come from diverse backgrounds; they are not defined by them.  The thing that defines them is that they have been given new life in Christ; and therefore, are new creatures by the decree of God. Before God, such things as who you are as a human; what colour your skin is; whether you are rich or poor; slave or free man; male or female does not enter into this issue. You and I are, as the text tells us, "one in Christ" That is what defines you now as a Christian. The church must stand on the principle that all people are equal in God's sight and should in ours; because all are as we said above created in the image of God.  

 Let us just make three important points: (1) this unity cannot be replicated by human attempts. (2) This unity has its basis in the person and work of the Son of God. (3) this unity is one that is therefore applied by the Spirit of God. 

A call for biblical clarity

As a Christian, you will soon find out, that not everything we once held to be important and correct ultimately matter in God's sight. And one of these matters is personal or collective superiority. That is to put it another way: no individual or group is to be viewed as more important than any other individual or group of people. We are, in the end, all of the same position before God sinners guilty in His sight or saints redeemed by His grace. And it all comes down to one undeniable fact: God alone who has the final authoritative say on the matter; and not you or I.  

There is one passage which shows the correctness of this understanding Ephesians 2:11-22:

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 

And so we see that those who belong to two groups: the circumcised and the uncircumcised. They both had different positions before God. In the case of the Jewish man and women; we are told that they were God special people in the Old Covenant scripture (Deuteronomy 7:7;  Amos 3:2); and this has nothing to do with supposed race issue. It has always been down God own purpose and will. 

But we are likewise told about a second group: the gentile in the flesh or "uncircumcised." They were outside the blessings of God; but never completely cut off from it. In time they would be recipients of it too as we are told: 

 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 

One might want to note that the gentiles, those who were "far off" and "outside of the common -wealth of Israel (vs. 12) are now in among those to whom were apart of it first-hand. They are now enjoying and basking in the same wondrous gifts because they are "now in Christ Jesus"... "by the blood of Christ."   And I tell you that the colour of ones skin can no more qualify you as much as it can no more disqualify you. There is only one truly significant qualification that any one needs and that is God has united you with Christ in His death and resurrection from eternity and in the present. The only question that a black man needs to ask is the same one that a white man must ask; and that is not does my skin colour matter but rather: does Christ matter to me when I am bringing these antichrist views into His church? Because we both agreed that He died for us and yet, one of us is seeking to divide the body and call Christ's work insufficient in what it states it has done.

 And we leave off with the central though in these next words:

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

I simply ask this: is there anything even remotely similar to the picture that we provided in these words when we are divided over such a sinful thing? Remember that even if there is division in the church let it be for good and noble reasons such as rejection of the core doctrines and not because of the colour of ones skin. Remember Christ has died in order to secure you peace with God; therefore, let us live with that as our sole goal to live in peace with each other. It matters not of what skin colour you are, if you are a Christian, then you are my brothers and sisters as I am yours. 

Postscript

Now let me put it the clearest form possible, when it comes to the idea of races. There is a legitimate use and an illegitimate use of it. That is to say, from the biblical perspective. And it has nothing to do with ones skin colour at all as people are led to believe; but rather the position one finds themselves in. And to put it in more understandable form, biblically speaking there are only two races of men.

In the first place: every man; women and child born of two parents becomes apart of Adam's fallen race or humanity. (Romans 5:12-21) And there is nothing one can do to change this fact: all men everywhere are sinner in the sight of God; and this is due to two matter: first, every man has be declared a sinner because of the Adamic headship. When he sinned, we all sinned in him and because of Him.

In the second place: every man; women and child who has been born again has received a new disposition whereby all that once was true is no longer the case. We are now united in the New Adam; that is Christ (Romans 5:12-21). And there is nothing that change this reality. In a similar way, due to this union with Christ, each and every believer now lives his life in Christ Christ's righteousness becomes ours. 

Let us be thankful that God has only created one race of people on this earth; and are accountable to Him Alone.