Now that was perhaps the most unusual sermon opening you have seen. Thank you for putting up with my poor imitation of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood opening. So, why did I do it? The race issue is complex and and touches every sphere of society, history, culture, traditions, politics, education, economics, art and even religion. I certainly do not want to minimize that complexity by reading a children’s book to start this short series off. So why did I read that children’s book, “God’s very good idea” by Trilla Newbell, ? I did so for two reasons.
First, because in opening up the topic of The Bible and Race we need to begin at the beginning. That requires we go back to creation itself. So turn with me to Gen.1:26-27.
“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.”
Within these well known verses lies the profound, yet simple truth, that all people are made in God’s image and likeness. Of course that statement demands a definition. What is the image of God? There has been enough ink spent trying to define that image that one could fill up an ocean. In general the image has two dimensions, the first deals with our BEING and the second our FUNCTION.
Regarding our BEING we have been created with what Theologians call the, ‘Communicable Attributes” of God. These would include, in some small way, possessing the same attributes of God such as intellect, emotions, and will. These traits allow us to be self-aware, and able to relate to God and others. That brings us to the second aspect of God’s image, FUNCTION. As we have been learning in out Thursday evening Bible class on community, God’s image is plural. God eternally exists as a community, a relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Trinity. We see the BEING and FUNCTION of the Image of God best in Christ.
When Jesus came to earth He possessed all those communicable attributes of God fully. But He also functioned and used them in a three-fold manor. First, Jesus was whole life was directed towards God. In Jn.4:34 Jesus said;
““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
Second, Jesus life was directed towards others. He came to give his life for many.
Third, Jesus Christ ruled over the natural world. He ruled the wind and the waves.
Those three aspects are all part of the image of God and we see it in Creation. I like the way former Professor of Theology at Calvin Seminary, Dr. Anthony Hoekema, lays out these three aspects of the Image of God. The image of God gives us the capacity to relate to God. No other creature has that capacity. Man as a creature owes his existence to God and is responsible to Him first and foremost. In creating Humanity and blessing them God establishes a relationship with people.
Next, the communal aspect of God’s image means we are directed towards one another. He created “them” male and female. Prof. Hoekema writes;
“More than sexual differentiation is involved here, since this is found in animals, and the Bible does not say that animals have been created in the image of God. What is being said in this verse is that the human person is not an isolated being who is complete in himself or herself but that he or she is a being who needs the fellowship of others…This point is made even more vividly in Gen.2 which describes the creation of Eve; “The LORD God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.”
While marriage perhaps best illustrates the relationship, it should not be limited to marriage. This male-female relationship points to the general need of all humanity for community in some form. So the image of God has a communal aspect.
Third, the image of God means we have been given rule and authority over the natural world. Adam was created and placed in The Garden to work and care for it. Such continues to be our charge to care for God’s creation. Out relationship to the natural world is that of stewardship, the careful and wise use of its resources, not abuse and domination.
So the image of God gives us both the godly attributes needed to relate as well as the relationships in which to use them.
The image of God is universal, although the Fall marred and disfigured God’s image in us, it is still there. Acts 17:26 tells us;
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
Since we all have Adam as our father and Eve, the mother of all the living, as our mother, we are FAMILY! If it were possible to reconstruct a family tree every one of us, no matter what nation we are from, no matter what color we are, no matter what language we speak, we would eventually end up at the same spot, with the same parents and that makes us family.
Now God created within Adam and Eve the genetics needed to reproduce a mixed coloring of the one human race. Skin Color is controlled by just 2 genes which determines the amount of Melanin produce. The more melanin, the darker the skin, while less melanin the lighter the skin. This mixed genetic pool was preserved through Noah and his family. When people decided to build the Tower of Babel in defiance of God’s command, God confused their language and they scattered. Each scattered group had a gene pool that was more likely to produce the same skin color since they were separate from other gene pools. Hence, people in certain regions began to look similar in skin color. But the fact remained, everyone is of one race and one family. The variety of colors shows God artistic creativity and should be viewed as a blessing in the rich diversity of the spectrum. How boring it would be if every flower was only red! How limiting would it be to buy an oil painting set that offered only green! No, we admire the vast array of colors in flowers. Why don’t we likewise admire the vast array of skin tones in our family?
Being made in God’s image, therefore means every human being has dignity and deserves respect as a person. It also means every human life is important and sacred. It is interesting to note that God’s prohibition against murder is stated this way in Gen.9:6;
““Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God has God made mankind.”
In fact, God’s protection of His image in us is commanded not just in cases of murder, but even to cursing one another! James 3:9-10;
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
Think about it. How would you feel if someone cursed or made fun of your child, made in your image. I can still remember, 50 years ago, when my oldest daughter Tina was born. Helen and I were out for a walk with Tina in the carriage. Now let me say Tina was a beautiful baby but more importantly, she was our beautiful baby. Well, we were passing a couple of teenager girls and they stopped to look at Tina and were nicely complimentary. But as they began to leave, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them making strange faces and making fun of Tina. Well, my blood boiled and I my defenses were up and I was angry. Now, imagine how God feels when we do that, or worse, to someone made in His image!
“My brothers and sisters this should not be.”
Now, being made in God’s image is one thing, a most important thing we too often forget in our dealings with people. But, as I read in the book, sin defaced, marred and corrupted that image so people far too often do not behave like image bearers. Bearing God’s image while it gives you dignity and value, it does not automatically make you a nice person. When it comes to relationships skin color should not enter the equation. Rather, the heart and character of the person will determine what sort of relationship is possible.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, said it so very well;
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
If you are a nice person, I want you for my neighbor and in my neighborhood as Mr. Rogers’ song goes. I don’t care what color you are, white, black, brown, or any other shade. To use skin color is a false and sometimes dangerous criteria to evaluate a person. Racial hatred and discrimination are more than just glaring social injustices. They’re also a direct affront to God and an insult to the entire human family. Racism runs directly counter to everything the Gospel represents. The Gospel of Jesus Christ offers the only permanent solution to discrimination and racism.
Billy Graham was right when back in 1973, to a mixed crowd of 60,000 in Johannesburg, South Africa, he said;
“Apartheid is sin.”
At another time he said;
““Jesus was not a white man; He was not a black man. He came from that part of the world that touches Africa and Asia and Europe. Christianity is not a white man’s religion and don’t let anybody ever tell you that it’s white or black. Christ belongs to all people; He belongs to the whole world.”
“The closer the people of all races get to Christ and His cross, the closer they will get to one another.”
Yet, sadly, we see too many Christians divided over this issue of race. Whether they are true Christians or just immature in their faith, it should not be this way. Part of the problem has been that the effects of sin have set deep roots that are not easy to pull out. While our country has made great strides since when I was a child in the 50’s, Civil Rights Act, and even a black President, still racism exists in some form at varying degrees in nearly every sphere of society. And people, older people, are slow to change. Perhaps bad experiences have soured one not just to individuals but, and wrongly, to a race. We lament, why can’t the Jews and Arabs work out a peace? One problem is that no one wants to let go of the past and past hurts. Maya Angelou said;
“We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate - thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising.”
This brings me to the second reason I read that book. It’s a children’s book and I believe our future and the solution to racism rests with our young children. Because racism is a learned behavior. Children learn it from what they are taught and by what they experience. Parents if you ever want racism to end, teach your children well about what God expects from every person. Teach them that we are made in His image and that we are one family and that skin color is never to be used to judge a person. Read them books like this, “God’s very good idea” by Trilla Newbell, and other such books. Remember the Kingdom of God will be ablaze with different colored people, all worshipping God, loving Christ and one another in the unity of the Holy Spirit. We need to start learning how to do that now.
Luke 18:17 reminds us;
“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Parents it starts in your sphere of influence. In your home and in your church family. Our church is beautifully diverse. But we need to capitalize on that fact by building our relationships with one another so that we can better appreciate the character of one another. We, and our children, can’t learn to love others who look different if they are not exposed to them. In fact ignorance of others is often the seedbed for fear and prejudice.
Ask yourselves, “How many people of a different color have I had over to my home to dinner or fellowship?” “Do I make getting my kids to church youth functions a priority?”
Our church is the sphere of influence we all operate in. As the book concludes;
“Your church friends are your brothers and sisters- your wonderful and colorful church family. You can enjoy loving them and loving God with them. This is God’s very good idea: lots of different people enjoying loving Him and loving each other.”
That is my prayer as well.
