Last Sunday we jumped into the topics we are going to cover in our class on Christian Ethics. The topic was race, ethnicity, and Kingdom diversity. We had a good conversation in class. But, on the whole, I think many people still have a hard time having open and honest discussions about these things. Most often, this is because our culture pushes one way of speaking/thinking about them. And if you step outside of that one way, you are often portrayed as racist, uneducated, backward, or worse. Some have even been "cancelled" and are unable to show their face on social media for apparently saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
But I hope Sunday was a good starting point to be able to talk about these issues, humbly and respectfully. The Scriptures give us all of the truth we need for a worldview that allows us to address any topic or situation. Sometimes this comes through direct commands or prohibitions. Other times, there are clear implications. Still yet, it speaks through principles that can be applied on various levels to complicated situations. Rather than avoiding controversial topics in fear of saying something wrong or speaking in unhelpful ways about controversy, offending other with great abandon; we should lean into the Bible's teaching and wisely, calmly, and clearly speak to what is most important and essential with love (Eph 4:15).
Like many of our Sunday classes, there always seems to be much more that could be said on any given topic. Sunday was no different. Usually you know that the topic will come up again and you can say more. But after Sunday, I realized that there was something I really wanted to say and just ran out of time to say. Specifically, I wanted to speak about the prevalence of racism in our culture at this moment. One takeaway from Sunday may have been to think that our nation is riddled with racist thinking. And while I do think there are racist and prejudiced people in our country, I also believe they are in the vast minority.
So much of increased conversation in recent years is the result of news media. Comments and actions are often claimed to be racist in an effort to stir up indignation by viewers or readers. There has been a long track record of headlines claiming concerns that are shown to be completely unfounded once more information or clearly context is given. And this makes sense because the media wants attention. Attention brings views and clicks which become ratings and revenue. Getting people mad about something causes people to be more likely to tune in and login. The BBC news service—who is just as guilty as anyone for reporting this way—actually reported on this phenomenon.
So, what did I want to say? Namely this: that we should be very cautious in accepting at face value what the news, a social post, or an individual says about people and events when racists motivations are attributed to people without clear cause. Likewise, be cautious when someone claims that to believe or not believe, to do or not do some actions reveals in you a racist heart. J.C. Ryle is right in that the seeds of every sin lie in the heart of every person, ready to spring up with the right watering. But that doesn't mean that, by necessity, everyone will struggle with every sin. This includes the sin of racism. By all means, we should examine our hearts if we find our conscience pricked. But we need not scrape the depths of our soul looking for non-existent sin so we can repent—even the sin of racism. Ask the Lord for wisdom (Jas 1:5) and discernment of your own heart (Ps 19:23–13). And let no one bind your conscience when it comes to attributions of your motives or accuses you of sin apart from Scripture.
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