This a “hot topic” in today’s world, especially here in the United States of America. Racial bias, which can lead to racial inequality and injustice, is a real problem and we need to trace this problem to its root in order to try to solve it. When Adam partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 2:16-17 with 3:6) he plunged the whole human race into sin. All the misery and heartache all around us dates back to that fatal act of disobedience, for we read in Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners…” (NKJV). We all, without exception, were “born sinners.” King David admitted this in Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was brought forth iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” And because were born in sin, we “have all sinned.” The Apostle Paul bore witness to this in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Paul also discovered that the very “principle of sin” lived in him, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do,; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but SIN THAT DWELLS IN ME.” So, to sum up what we have just learned, we all: 1) were born in sin, 2) have sinned, and 3) have a sinful nature in us that causes us to sin.

You may be thinking, “Why aren’t you answering my specific question?” As I stated earlier, I am trying to answer it by “getting to the root of the problem.” SIN is the root of the problem and until that problem is solved we are powerless to solve it. The reason there are racial biases is because of sin; men are born with a sinful nature that results in hating others. We see this in Titus 2:3 where Paul reminded Christians what was true of them before they were saved, “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in MALICE and ENVY, HATEFUL and HATING ONE ANOTHER.” This “hatred for one another” reared its ugly head very early in man’s history when Cain rose up and murdered his brother Abel (see Genesis 4:1-8 with 1st John 3:10-12).

Now that we know the ROOT of the problem, what are we to do as Christians? Should we join a political group to protest racial inequality and injustice? Could that solve the problem of sin? No, political protests may actually “add fuel to the fire” (as we have seen in recent demonstrations across our country). Should we join groups who seek to persuade Congressmen to pass stricter laws that would solve this problem? No, for there has never been a law passed that can solve the problem of sin. It may serve to “deter” people from acts of hatred and violence in fear of them being punished, but it does change the heart of the sinner and take away their hatred for others.

So what is the answer? I believe our place, as Christians, is to show people the LOVE OF CHRIST by “loving others instead of hating others” and then by giving them the GOSPEL OF CHRIST so they too can be saved and experience a New Birth, which would then result in them having a real change of heart. We must avoid the pitfall of showing racial bias in our own lives, as we see in James 2:1, “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, WITH PARTIALITY.” This simply means we are not to “show favor to some people above others,” which naturally leads to “looking down on those who we do not show favor to.” Sin will naturally lead us to favor those who are LIKE US (with the same SKIN COLOR, the same EDUCATION, the same ETHNICITY, etc.) and to show bias against those who are NOT LIKE US. The Christian must show LOVE TO ALL MEN, for James goes on to say, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (verse 8). In doing this, we are truly showing them the LOVE OF CHRIST.

If people see that we love them, we may then have the opportunity to present the GOSPEL OF CHRIST to them. This should be our ultimate goal, for our “love for them” alone will not change them; only the Word of God can accomplish that. Our love may pique their interest and cause them to approach us to ask us why we are different than others, but our answer to them will prove to be the real solution to their problem of sin. We are told in 1st Peter 3:15, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who ask you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (NASB). What a privilege it is when this happens; to actually witness a soul coming to you to ask you about your faith in Christ! For then we can “answer them with the Word of God”; we can take out our Bible and point them to the “savior of sinners” and show them what Christ did for them on the cross so they too can experience the miracle of the New Birth and have the hope of eternal life. This, dear fellow-believer, is what the Christian can do to help solve the problem of racial inequality and injustice. For once a soul is born again, they can, by the power of the new life imparted to them (2nd Peter 1:1-4) and the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-22), begin “loving others instead of hating others.” Granted, the whole world isn’t going to be converted to Christ so this problem won’t be eradicated until Christ comes to establish His kingdom, but we can help “one soul at a time” as the Lord gives us the opportunity to witness for Him.  (450.1)  (DO)