Resources/Articles
Discipleship Matters Part 2: Prejudice & Racism
The greatest prejudice and racism that exists was explained by Jesus in John 15.18-25: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated me and my Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’”
If we really want to discover the truth about ourselves in terms of being prejudiced and a racist, follow Jesus in teaching what he taught. If we really want to discover the truth about others in terms of being prejudiced and racists, follow Jesus in teaching what he taught.
If we seek an answer to the question, “Why does hatred, prejudice, and racism exist?”, here is Jesus’ answer: “Men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3.19-21).
