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In 1924, W. E. B. Dubois said this about race relations in the United States. He said, “The problem of the 20th century will be the problem of the color line.” That is, the dominant issue during the century would be the racial conflict between Blacks and whites. Today, despite the progress our country has made in race relations, we still have a ways to go. I find it helpful to compare our ethnic struggle with the Jew and Gentile struggle of biblical days. The Apostle Paul argued forcefully that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, God destroyed racial and ethnic barriers among His people. He did it by establishing the church. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2 that “Christ himself made peace between Jews and Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us. Paul goes on to say that when he thinks of way God united his people into one body–the church, “he falls on his knees and prays. He prays that God will give His people inner strength to live out experientially what Christ achieved when he died for us. This will happen when we truly permit Christ to make his home in our hearts. Christ’s love will so permeate our hearts that we will overflow with love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ and this same love will overflow into society. In this way, others will see God’s love expressed through us.
