When Racism Rises Again
When hatred re-dresses itself in patriotism, how should followers of Christ respond?
Racism is not new. It has been America’s original sin and a persistent wound in the body of Christ. Yet, in today’s climate, it has found new boldness—speaking in politics, policies, and pulpits that ought to know better. This is not just a “social issue.” It is a spiritual crisis. And silence is complicity.
The church cannot afford to whisper when God’s Word shouts justice. We need courage—not the courage of brute force, but the courage to stand in love, truth, and solidarity with every image-bearer of God.
Anchor in the Word
Key Verse
“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28 (NLT)Key Scripture Context
Paul wrote these words to a fractured community. Some believers were drawing lines of superiority based on culture, law, and background. The apostle tears those lines apart with one radical truth: in Christ, division has no home. This verse wasn’t a suggestion—it was a revolution.
What We’re Facing
When Racism Becomes Normalized
Racism doesn’t always show up in burning crosses or hateful slurs. It lurks in subtle exclusions, policies that disproportionately harm, and “jokes” shrugged off as harmless. But Scripture says otherwise: “If you show favoritism, you sin” (James 2:9).
When leaders wink at racism, when churches stay silent, when we minimize the pain of our brothers and sisters, we’re not neutral—we are resisting the very heart of Christ.
This resurgence in America—cloaked in nationalism, economic anxiety, and religious justification—isn’t a coincidence. It’s a spiritual infection reasserting itself. To ignore it is to consent to its spread.
Then and Now—Drawing Parallels
In the ancient world, tribalism and prejudice were survival mechanisms. Jews and Gentiles rarely shared meals, let alone spiritual fellowship. Yet the gospel dismantled those walls. Paul’s vision of a multi-ethnic, Spirit-filled body of Christ was nothing less than treason against the prejudices of his day.
Today, America is building new walls: legislation aimed at exclusion, rhetoric that fuels division, nationalism that sanctifies supremacy. The parallels are chilling. Then, as now, the cross of Christ cuts through every wall humanity erects.
Just as early believers were called to resist Rome’s idolatries, we are called to resist America’s idols—power, race, and dominance.
Theological Truth in Plain Language
The gospel is not colorblind—it is color-honoring. God’s creativity is displayed in the diversity of His children. Heaven’s song is sung in every tribe, every tongue, every nation (Revelation 7:9).
As theologian Howard Thurman observed, *“Hatred destroys the core of the life of the hater.”*¹ When racism thrives, it doesn’t just kill the oppressed; it poisons the soul of the oppressor and corrodes the witness of the church.
Christians are not called to tolerate racism but to resist it—with prayer, with action, and with sacrificial love. Anything less betrays the gospel. Silence may feel safe, but it is not holy. Neutrality may feel polite, but it is not Christlike.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer declared in the face of Nazi Germany, *“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless.”*²
Practical Moves of Faith
Name the Sin
Call racism what it is: sin. Do not excuse it in yourself, your church, or your community. When prejudice rises, rebuke it. When policy excludes, confront it. To downplay racism is to downplay the cross.
Stand With the Wounded
Listen to the stories of those harmed. Believe them. Defend them when others mock or dismiss their pain. To love our neighbor means to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), not to lecture them about why the burden “isn’t that heavy.”
Break the Silence
Speak up when racist comments, policies, or ideologies surface. Love sometimes sounds like confrontation. Christ overturned tables when oppression masqueraded as holiness—why do we imagine He would be silent now?
Pray for Courage
Ask God to give you a heart that sees as He sees and the strength to stand when it costs something. Courage is not about fearlessness—it’s about fearing God more than the crowd.
Live the Alternative
Create spaces—at your table, in your friendships, in your church—that look like heaven’s gathering. A gospel that does not break bread across lines of race is a gospel we have thinned beyond recognition.
More Light for the Journey
- Micah 6:8 (NLT)
“O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
→ God’s standard of righteousness is not complicated: justice, mercy, humility. Bigotry violates all three. - James 2:1 (NLT)
“How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”
→ Favoritism, in any form, contradicts true faith. Prejudice is incompatible with following Christ. - Isaiah 58:6 (NLT)
“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you; let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.”
→ God rejects empty religion and demands action that breaks oppression and lifts up the marginalized. - Revelation 7:9 (NLT)
“A vision of heaven’s diversity, united in worship before God’s throne.”
→ Heaven’s picture is not uniformity but every tribe, tongue, and nation gathered in unity before Christ.
Let’s Walk This Out Together
Racism is not a side issue—it’s a gospel issue. When it rises, the people of Jesus must rise higher: in truth, in courage, in unity. Silence is easy. Love is costly. Christ calls us to the latter.
Fear will whisper, “Stay quiet.” But courage says, “Not today.” We do not march in arrogance—we march in the footsteps of a Savior who laid down His life for every nation.
Call to Action: Share your reflections, your prayers, or your commitments in the comments or on social media with #KingdomOverRacism. Let’s not just dream of heaven’s diversity—let’s live it now.
Journaling Prompts
“Lord, where have I stayed silent in the face of racism?”
Write about moments when you failed to speak and what courage might look like next time.
“What does it mean for me to actively live Galatians 3:28 today?”
Reflect on how you can embody the unity of Christ in your community, friendships, and choices.
“Who around me is carrying the weight of prejudice, and how can I stand with them?”
Pray for God to reveal one practical act of solidarity you can take this week.
Footnotes
¹ Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited (Boston: Beacon Press, 1949), 88.
² Dietrich Bonhoeffer, quoted in Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010), 240.
