Fundamental Christian Values
The vast majority of what has been described as “whiteness” is nothing more than fundamental Biblical values. These values are not color based but character based. American values include family, community, education, and patriotism. According to commentator Elise Ehrhard, “Decisions that lie in personal responsibility know no race. Everyone in America has the possibility and the responsibility to adhere to American values; values the Smithsonian seems to be considering ‘white.’ Considering such values to be inherently ‘white’ sows greater racial division in the United States. That, more than anything, is truly un-American and a sign of hatred for this nation and the values that built it.”
Christianity steeped in neighborly love ended slavery and defeated Jim Crow. The gospel, not the BLM movement, already has what we need to heal the nation. The idea that the gospel is not enough to defeat evil is a belief that could severely hamper the work of God in our society. Thankfully, the history of the last two centuries is enough to prove otherwise.
Many of the most influential and successful abolitionists were Christians who used the Bible to soften the hearts of men and win the fight to end the horrible practice of slavery in the West. Picking up where Christian Quaker abolitionists left off, evangelical Anglican William Wilberforce was the driving force behind the British Empire’s ban on the slave trade in 1807. Ultimately, the efforts of Wilberforce and the movement he spearheaded with fellow Anglican Thomas Clarkson led to the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, ending slavery throughout the British Empire.
Those who practice authentic Christianity do not need any pointers on how to defeat evil. They especially don’t need to borrow ideas from the Black Lives Matter movement, which, since the tragic death of George Floyd has led to multiple new deaths as a result of violent rioting, looting, and chaos. While the true cost of the vandalism and destruction unleashed by the movement may not be fully known for years to come, the latest estimates place property damages at more than $500 million in Minnesota alone.
Of course, much of this could likely have been avoided if instead of encouraging and standing with the BLM movement and other radical leftist neo-Marxists, the more than 210 million self-professed Christians living in America took the text of the New Testament to heart.
Christians don’t need to adopt the positions of BLM movement to spread a message of equality. The instructions on how to live in harmony with our fellow brothers and sisters are right before us. In Ephesians 2:14 the Apostle Paul proclaims, ““For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” (NIV)
1 John 3:4 reminds us that, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” (NIV)
In a similar way 1 Peter 4:15 lets us know that, “If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.” This should be a reminder today that riots and chaos is not the way to approach or attempt to solve today’s societal problems.
We also see in the New Testament that the misinformed nature of many found at riots and scenes of chaos has not changed for thousands of years. Just as recent rioters destroyed black-owned businesses, while others vandalize statues of abolitionists and others they mistakenly suspect of being Indian hunters or slave traders, Luke relays a similar scene in Acts 19. When angry Ephesians felt Christians slighted their pagan god Artemis, a riot broke out. Anger boiled, “the whole city was filled with confusion,” and, of all things, “most of them didn’t even know why they were there.” The rioters involved in so-called BLM protests obviously do not even know the history behind the statues, let alone why they are there rioting to begin with.
As stated in James 1:16-20, “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Indeed, James warns against being carried away by earthly movements. The only cause we should be following whole-heartedly is the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ. James writes, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. . . . My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” (James 1:16-17, 19-20 NIV)
The Word of God should already be sufficient. We’ll never know perfect human equality here on earth. But until our Lord returns, Christians can take comfort that the Bible contains the only guide needed to heal our broken world.