The United States Declaration of Independence says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” The United Nations Charter agrees. It says, all human beings “are born with equal dignity and rights and all form an integral part of humanity.” But most importantly for followers of Jesus Christ, it is what He taught about equality before God. One day in a Jewish synagogue, he insisted that God accepts all people who trust in Him, irrespective of race or ethnicity. In Luke Chapter 4, we find where Jesus described how God turned away from faithless Jewish people to embrace and bless non-Jewish people who trusted in God. The local people quickly realized Jesus was condemning their attitude of racial and moral superiority. We read, “When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.” Claiming and practicing racial superiority violates the ethic of love and acceptance Jesus Christ taught and modeled.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
