You do know, right (?)… that we are actually all together one race? Today’s news events of hate-filled cops and hate-filled rioters and hate-filled political movements seem to indicate otherwise. Is anyone reading the Bible – and actually trying to follow Jesus?
I’m sure you heard about this murder of George Floyd. It happened in America May 25, 2020. It’s been plastered on the news. Most saw it on video:
- Viciously suffocating a man who is controlled by 4 policemen – is an evil, evil thing. Later facts made public clearly show the murderous perp to be racist; and the other three policemen, participants, did nothing to stop the suffocation for 8 minutes. What’s wrong with that department? They were trained to properly control and detain a suspect. This should never happen in America.
- Later: Rioting, looting, violence, taking what is not yours? That is bad and ugly – for any reason. What’s wrong with those rioters and the political movement that guided them?
Celebrate Colors
Where is the love? Why so much hate? We should be celebrating colors together! We love birds of many colors. Why not human color?
According to the Bible, in the book of Genesis, God created the first humans (from “scratch”), Adam and Eve. So therefore, whatever their skin color happened to be… all humankind is traced genetically from their one race – the human race. That makes us all brothers and sisters, one with another.
Every Christian believes that. Right? We all are “made in His image.” You’ve got a little Adam and Eve in your makeup. DNA tests will some day prove that.
Today’s “racism” is so totally not biblical. Christians should love all peoples. Christians should not hate! (This is so basic!) We need a lot of forgiving, each of us.
Jesus was the one who said, “…love your neighbor as yourself.” Loving each individual around you is an integral part of “getting born again“. Gives me pause.
Agreeing with Jesus
I wonder. Does Jesus’ theology (“beliefs about what God says is true”) teach this:
you cannot “be born again”
if you retain hate
in your heart
as being an okay thing.
Jesus said hate is very serious: If you hate your brother (“neighbor” or blood brother, etc) then you absolutely (as in “impossible”!) cannot love Me. The Bible teaches that love and hate are mutually exclusive. Hating anyone is totally anathema. 1
Hate: 1 John 4:20; Luke 6:27; 1 John 2:9; 1 John 2:11
Jesus’ actual words are a very stern warning, very precise. To paraphrase, Jesus said this: This is so very very serious. You must be born again. If not, if you are not reborn by my Holy Spirit, if you allow hate to run your life, then you cannot ever see the Kingdom of God (My Kingdom). Ever. You will never experience My Kingdom (Heaven).
His actual words (John 3:3; John 3:7):
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you,
unless a person is born again
[reborn from above—
spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified],
he cannot [ever]
see and experience
the kingdom of God.”
– John 3 verse 3
Do not be surprised
that I have told you,
‘You must be born again
[reborn from above
—spiritually transformed,
renewed, sanctified].’
– John 3:7
Are you surprised that Jesus would say this? After all, He is God. He knows what He is saying. And it is most definitely not hard to understand. He is pretty straight forward. From birth, we are so very deeply corrupted by sin inside our soul – that God has to remake us before He allows us into His Holy Heaven. He requires a brand new birth, spiritual birth.
Jesus is opposed to the evil block of “the world, the flesh, and the Devil” and all they stand for. These three forces are evil, always wrong. They are under God’s condemnation. They are the enemies of our soul.
If you support what Jesus condemns, then are you also supporting Jesus? Umm. I think that is clearly a big “NO”. Jesus reasoned this in this way:
What do you personally despise and reject? What do you devotedly stand for and defend? Jesus said you can’t live both sides and “be my disciple”.
Rebuke
Interesting verses, these:
‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you may most certainly rebuke your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. – Leviticus 19:17
Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble [with awe-filled reverence] at His word: “Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My Name’s sake, Have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy.’ But they will be put to shame. – Isaiah 66:5
The Old Testament teaches that it is totally permissible and reasonable to rebuke someone. It involves discernment. Rebuking is fine and very much needed at times. We are admonished to distinguish between…
- right versus wrong
- acts done in love versus acts of racism
- good things versus evil things
It is never right and proper to mistreat others and hate, nor is it proper to riot, steal, destroy businesses, nor shoot people out of hate. The biblical, proper way to act when wrong is done is to rebuke them lawfully: “you may most certainly rebuke your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him” (Leviticus 19:17). Acting poorly is never a good response to evil. Returning evil for evil? Never right.
Wise folk discern that such behaviors are never acceptable for any reason. Rebuking is biblical. But rioting, looting, destroying people’s businesses, shooting people? That is not the proper way to deal with cops who go bad.
Christians should live-out Jesus’ teachings to love and speak-out against evil… in love. Personal hatred, killing a handcuffed person under your professional care, and also the resulting rioting, looting, destruction, and shootings… would never ever be approved of by Jesus.
There’s a whole lot of change needed in the hearts of hateful souls. Here is what that change looks like: humble your self before God, confess your sin to Him, repent of your wrong deeds, and accept Jesus as your Savior. Jesus will forgive you. There is hope for love and reconciliation – in Jesus.
FOR MORE:
Getting right with God …What happens if/when I finally reconcile with God?
Verses on hate: (or see all together: 1 John 4:20; Luke 6:27; 1 John 2:9; 1 John 2:11)
1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you
1 John 2:9 The one who says he is in the Light [in consistent fellowship with Christ] and yet habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in the darkness until now.
Footnotes
- “anathema = “accursed”; “anything devoted to destruction” – https://biblehub.com/topical/a/anathema.htm.
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