The reason for this article is to be an open letter to the world. A letter to discuss a topic that all too often gets ignored or leads to arguments. My objective is simple, but not so simple to achieve. I would like to share what I believe the Bible teaches about racial the best I can. The reason being simple as well. Too often have I have seen individuals and churches pick and choose and bend Bible verses to agree with how they feel about the topic. This is a serious problem, and one I feel really doesn't need to be one because the Bible is very clear on the topic.
People have differing opinions on where the different races originated and as interesting as some ideas might be, they aren't all biblically correct. For the sake of covering this topic in its whole capacity, I would like to go through a quick overview of some major opinions.
I have heard some say that this mark was where God made Cain black. My problem with this is that the Bible doesn’t say this. It only says that God marked Cain. The Bible never says that his children or anybody else would be influenced by this mark. The Bible also clearly uses the singular form when talking about Cain being cursed, and why do we completely miss the fact that God marked Cain out of love? Let me explain: Cain expressed to God that everyone would want to kill him out of vengeance, so God being the loving God that He is: Still showed love towards him. Even though what Cain did was wrong, God still loved him enough to protect him from being killed himself (Genesis 4:15).
Others have said that maybe the different races/colours/nations we have today come from Noah’s sons, each heading off in to their own direction and adapting to the environment (Genesis 9:19), or maybe came as a result from what happened at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)? The Bible simply doesn’t say, and because God didn't see it as important to tell us through the Bible, I don't think it is important enough for us to fight about. There are many different places where we can make assumptions, but assumptions put words in the mouth of God, and this is a dangerous place to start an argument from. So personally, I would like to focus on what God does actually tell us.
We can’t deny the fact that people are different. We look different, we talk different, we act different, the list is endless. Some people have the ability to make a success of about anything and others just seem to fail at life in general. Is this because some are white and some are black? No, this is influenced by culture, religion, education, nutrition and not to mention how God is working in certain individual's lives.
The world as we know it is a collection of different nations, each with their own special identity and characteristics. The word "nation" in short means:
After Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son when God tested him (Genesis 22:1). God told Abraham:
"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice"
- Genesis 22:18 KJV (Emphases mine)
Let’s stop there for just one moment. God said, all the nations shall be blessed through Abraham’s seed. This seed being Christ (Galatians 3:16). Not just Abraham's family or the Israelites, all the nations will be blessed through what Jesus did for us.
In the past God had special plans for the Israelite nation alone, but through what Jesus did, these plans opened up to all nations all around the world. In the past the Israelites had to stay away from, or exterminate other nations because the other nations didn't serve God. This wasn't because because of the colour of their skin, it was because God's promise was not open to them at the time. I say again: Things have changed through Jesus and salvation is available to all that believe.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
- John 3:16 KJV (Emphases mine)
The reson being: