Forgiveness, Racism, & Injustice

 

We continue to experience a season of separation, where year after year there is a further separation of light and darkness. For those who choose righteousness they will be blessed and not forsaken. Life in abundance awaits those who choose the path of righteousness (Psalm 37:25). As the division becomes blatant, this forces the "spiritual middle class" to choose righteousness or unrighteousness, the Kingdom of God or the kingdoms of this world. Those who are lukewarm are challenged to become hot or cold. Those who are true followers of God must not to be silent in this season. Especially regarding repetitive tolerated sin in the lives of professing believers.

 

This season of separation is also manifesting in other areas of society. Not just within believers with unbelievers. Division ordained by God breeds life; similar to the division of cells in the womb as the baby develops. Division not ordained by God breeds unrighteousness; similar to the initial sin in the Garden of Eden, which brought the greatest separation; separating man from God. The greatest injustice is man’s failure in obedience piercing the heart of God. Nevertheless, God in mercy found a way to forgive men of their failures and provided the opportunity for reconciliation. When men are reconciled with God, they will reconcile with one another. When men fail to reconcile between one another they harbor unforgiveness in their hearts.

 

Unforgiveness binds unrighteous separation while forgiveness removes the chains of separation. In the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) we are instructed to pray. The verses that follow (vs 14 and 15) expand on the verse 12, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15, AMPC).

If we are going to receive forgiveness from God for the great separation our disobedience has wrought, we must do so with pure hearts forgiving others of the injustices they have perpetrated on us. This requires us to forgive their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment. How can we receive forgiveness from God harboring unforgiveness in our heart towards others? Matthew Henry’s Commentary provides enlightenment regarding the Lord’s Prayer. 

Most of the petitions in the Lord's prayer had been commonly used by the Jews in their devotions, or words to the same effect: but that clause in the fifth petition, As we forgive our debtors, was perfectly new, and therefore our Saviour here shows for what reason he added it, not with any personal reflection upon the peevishness, litigiousness, and ill nature of the men of that generation, though there was cause enough for it, but only from the necessity and importance of the thing itself. God, in forgiving us, has a peculiar respect to our forgiving those that have injured us; and therefore, when we pray for pardon, we must mention our making conscience of that duty, not only to remind ourselves of it, but to bind ourselves to it.

The only unifying force is Christ, who by His death on the cross openly demonstrated God’s forgiveness of man thereby becoming the supreme example of forgiveness.

 

The Apostle Paul addressed racism of his day in Galatians 3 and we can draw from it direction for our society today. The Galatian church had begun to slip away from the faith and in chapter 3; the Apostle Paul brings correction and explains Justification by Faith. The establishment of circumcision in Genesis 17:10-14 distinguished those who were part of the everlasting covenant with God from those who were not. It had become a point of racism, slavery, and punishment for some. Paul’s address clarifies the equality of men in Christ when he writes:

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ. There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:26-29, AMPC)

 

Christianity is not a group of cultures or ethnic groups that make up a kingdom, but a Kingdom that shapes, defines, and corrects culture and ethnic groups. The Church seems powerless and lost in challenging wrongs, molding and shaping lives, and providing guidance and stability for our nation to exist peaceably. We are at a pivotal point; will Christians seize this opportunity to present the only answer, Christ, or will Christians continue to remain powerless in molding, shaping, and influencing our society? Here is a great opportunity for THE CHURCH those who are in right standing with God to proclaim Christ. The Apostle Paul declared we are one in Christ. Can churches, pastors, and believers of all ethnic groups, cultures, and denominations come together to demonstrate the truth of Christ as the unifying force as one Kingdom under God? If men will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, God will heal our land. There is a voice crying from the wilderness proclaiming the way of the Lord (Isaiah 40). All believers must stand together in unity found in Christ. If we are part of the body of Christ, we are part of one family through adoption, leaving our ethnic and cultural groups and becoming a part of the Kingdom of God.

 

The command to believers is to live justly.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8, AMPC)

God has the power to vindicate us and deliver us from the unjust and we must turn to Him in those moments.

Judge and vindicate me, O God; plead and defend my cause against an ungodly nation. O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! (Psalm 43:1, AMPC)

In addition, Romans 13:1-6 outlines the Christians responsibility to obey civil authorities and if not obeyed, we will receive not just punishment from those in authority, but also from God. All authority flows from God. He will direct authority and when unjust, we must look to Him to correct misguided or unrighteous authority. We can use provisions for peaceable demonstrations and expressions for change granted to us by those in authority. However, we must also petition God, who grants all authority, for this change as well. Romans 13:7-10, encourages justice between men and repeats the call to love our neighbor as ourselves. Love is supreme because God is love (I John 4:8). The remainder of Romans 13 encourages Christians to become earth-suits for Christ, living honorably, separating ourselves from works of darkness, and not giving in to the desires of the flesh.

 

Much of society is looking for man to correct injustice. The hearts of the people own the desire for justice and revenge instead of depending on Christ who corrects all injustice.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord. (Romans 12:19, AMPC)

The promises of God contain exponential returns for those who surrender the hurts, wrongs, and injustices over to Him. For seventy years the Babylonians held the Jews captive, but when release came they received over double (Isaiah 61:7). Job lost it all (Job 1:13-22), however when he realized he was powerless and God was powerful, God restored all he had lost and more (Job 38-42). Joseph was sold from a pit (Genesis 37:28), accused of adultery (Genesis 39:10-14), and locked in prison (Genesis 39:20). Later he is second in the kingdom (Genesis 41:41-46). The Apostle Paul experienced much suffering, yet for him he declared, “to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).”

 

We cannot dare understand another individual’s experiences, injustices, or shame (Matthew 7:1-6), however Christ does and peace is only found when we turn it over to Christ and allow Him to operate through us to heal those hurts and correct injustice. The foundation of Christ enables us to build relationships beyond earthly troubles. We must follow Christ’s example as outlined in 1 Peter 2:21-24:

For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps. He was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit (guile) ever found on His lips. When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly. He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:21-24, AMPC)

 

Let us pray for forgiveness for our nation and ourselves. Let us pray for our leaders and those in authority. Let the true CHURCH stand as one body, one Kingdom declaring an end to racism. Let us seek to obey those placed in authority above us. Let us call for justice, God’s justice to reign again in our nation.

 

Other Scriptures to reflect upon:

If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 AMPC)

 

I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25 AMPC)

 

I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (John 10:9, 10 AMPC)

 

See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah). (Colossians 2:8 AMPC)

 

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. (Romans 12:1, 2 AMPC)