Racial Harmony

Racial harmony is an important Biblical concept. There are two prime reasons. Firstly, When Jesus spoke of love he did not discriminate between people of different cultures, nationalities, ethnic origin or occupational groupings. His commandments were "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'" Matt 22:37-39.   Full-stop. Period. There were no qualifications based on any of the above 'groups' of people. And the two commandments are integral to a life of service in Christ. You love God through the love you show for everyone else. And, in loving everyone else you show you love God.

Jesus gave a great example of this when he talked about the Good Samaritan. To the Jews of that time Samaritans were not  particularly 'good' people. They weren't Jews. They were of mixed ethnic origins. They were regarded by the Jews as somewhat inferior. Yet, Jesus illustrated that even a despised 'Samaritan' who shows love for his fellow man is a much superior person to a self-loving, upper-class Jew like the priest who walked around the injured person, pretending he wasn't there, and worse, the Levite who went over and looked at the person and did nothing except keep walking. For Jesus, race didn't count. What mattered was Christian love. (Read the account of the episode in Luke 10:30-37 below)

The Apostle Paul was very explicit in his statement about the fact that in Christ, racial differences did not matter. He said "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29)

Adoption of the Biblical principles of racial harmony would go a long way to overcoming some of the racial problems in our contemporary society.

Luke 10
v 30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.