Experts tell us, people who claim to be racially pure are mistaken. These experts say those who claim to be racially pure may be suffering from some early childhood trauma that left them feeling emotionally insecure. Such people then think claiming to be racially pure is a way to compensate for feeling worthless. What is clear from biblical teaching is that God ignores our claims of ethnic purity and superiority. He loves and accepts us as we are. He guided Matthew to show in his Gospel how inclusive God was in implementing His plan to save the human race. Matthew chapter 1 records three non-Jewish women—Rahab, Ruth, and Tamar—as having roles in the bloodline leading to God’s Son’s entry into the world. God wisely and purposely included these non-Jewish women as He honored His covenant commitment to Abraham. God promised the patriarch that all families on the earth would be blessed through Him. Since God accepts all people irrespective of racial or ethnic identity, we who are followers of Christ must accept those whom God accepts. Certainly, we can retain our own ethnicity and cultural distinctions, but we are called to love, respect, and treat all people with justice, just as God does.
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
