In 1995, leadership in the SBC apologized
for, repented of, and issued a statement repudiating, racism in all forms. Twenty-two
years later, instigated by William McKissic, the SBC leaders once again had to
apologize and issue not just another statement affirming its belief that racism
in all its forms is a sin, but a resolution that decries racism in every form. So,
apparently repentance and repudiation of racism by SBC leaders is not enough.
Apparently, apologizing for someone else’s sin isn’t enough either. And this
demand is coming, not from the non-Christian world, but from a Christian pastor
nonetheless. I think racism in all its forms ought to be repudiated and treated
as a form of hatred, a practice that no true child of God with genuine faith
can actually perform (1 John 2:9 & 11). Here is a serious question for you:
can you repent for a sin that you didn’t actually commit? If Bill offends you,
wrongs us, treats you unjustly, how is it possible for me to repent and
apologize for Bill’s behavior? I find it all very confusion and I am very
curious to know what is really going on here. I suspect there is more to this
than meets the eye. There almost always is.
The original resolution can be
found here: Original
Resolution. The resolution that passed can be found here: passed
resolution. Now that the SBC has passed a resolution, I suppose that
settles it. This is what done looks like. There, we killed racism with one
document, one resolution. It’s over. Next issue please! Yes, I am annoyed. I am
already wondering how the next apology for racism will take shape at next year’s
convention, or the one after that. I am not annoyed that the church preaches
that racism is a sin and is inconsistent with true faith and life in Christ.
That should be part of our preaching and teaching the same as any other sin we
peach and teach about, like, you know, adultery, or fornication, or lying, or
drunkenness. Right? I am going to go out on a limb here and risk it all: I bet
you that adultery, fornication, drunkenness, and lying are far bigger problems
for people in SBC churches than racism. I bet if you add the numbers up, it
would be embarrassing. So what are we to do? I know, let’s pass a resolution
condemning these things. That will fix it!
What exactly are the SBC leaders
doing? What exactly is William McKissic doing? Are we to think that unless the
SBC adopts a resolution condemning something as obviously sinful as white
supremacy that our members and churches may be deceived into adopting it? I
find even the hint of such a suggestion outrageous. I hate politics. I hate
even the smell of politics. The church entered into a long, dark period when it
embraced Constantinianism. This comingling of politics and Christianity was
devastating from beginning to end. And I cannot help but wonder if what I am
seeing now is simply political pandering. We want to be “seen” as condemning
racism. So we issue this resolution for the appearance it gives. What other
reason could there be? We don’t have a problem with white supremacy. If there
are those in the SBC who have embraced it (if you can actually define what this
alt-right-white supremacy thing actually is), do we honestly think that issuing a resolution is going to
produce repentance. Scripture already condemns it. If Scripture won’t convince
them, what chance does a resolution have? So, what are the leaders doing? What
is William McKissic doing?
Does McKissic think that it is
the mission of the church to end racism? Should we actively work to eradicate
the sin of racism from our culture? Why? Why that sin? Why not adultery? There
are a lot more adulterers than there are racists! Go ahead, bet me! Why pick
this one? Is it someone’s pet? Is it someone’s cause? It isn’t the mission of
the church to eradicate sin. The only sin we are called to eradicate is our own
as we grow in sanctification! We have real problems in our churches…big ones.
We have a biblically ignorant membership who would rather spend a 1000 years in
purgatory (if there were such a place) than to expend an ounce of REAL energy
attempting to understand Scripture, to study doctrine, to be absorbed in
these things. And this problem is on such a massive scale that it is
immeasurable. Fix that problem, and you won’t have to bother with another
resolution at the SBC convention…I promise!
Just stop it, SBC leaders. Stop
talking about the past. Stop talking about sins of other people who have been
dead for years now. They are not us and they never were us. If they were
racists, as racism is defined, then they never knew Christ. And God has
extended just recompense upon them. Preach the word! Thunder divine truth. When
you condemn racism, don’t forget to condemn all of it – black, white, yellow,
brown. In case you didn’t realize it, white people are not the biggest racists
on the planet.
If you are interested in the facts about racism and how big a problem is isn't, click below:
No comments:
Post a Comment