Jeff Keaton
As if the Coronavirus wasn’t bad enough, our nation has now been gripped by violence and chaos over the last week. When a criminal, acting as a police officer, murdered a black man recently, all of the pent up anger and frustration of the black community exploded onto our streets. Leftists anarchists have seized on this opportunity to agitate and destroy our inner cities. People from all sides of the spectrum are ranting and raving about what the problems and solutions are. Many are spewing Marxist, social justice rhetoric that only serves to fuel division, jealousy, anger, and vengeance. Others are demanding a crushing law and order approach that would likely lead to more division and death.
What is the solution? If you’re looking for something new or novel, stop reading. The solution is neither new or novel. Everyone lives with a certain life narrative. If you believe the social justice/Marxist narrative, then rioting, stealing, and even killing make sense. This narrative that is currently being taught to millions of school children leads children to believe that the oppressors (whoever is in the majority and holds the most power) are all evil and must be taken down. The oppressed (minorities who are being misused or abused by those in the majority or those in power) have a right to do whatever it takes to remove the yoke of the oppressors. When a rogue police officer who belongs to an oppressor race, murders a person who belongs to an oppressed race, all actions to retaliate against the oppressor group are justified. The problem with this narrative is that it’s totally unbiblical and does not work in the real world.
God is the author of justice. He is always concerned with justice, and His solution to the world’s problems is the only solution that will bring true love and peace to our broken world. In a biblical worldview narrative, sin is the problem, and the only solution is repentance, forgiveness through the blood of Jesus, and a new life of love and holiness that only Christ can provide. In a biblical worldview narrative, there is only one race, and we are all equal. Skin color does not define us, but the fact that we, as humans, have all been created in the image of God is what makes each one of us immensely valuable. Anytime we mistreat any human being, it is a direct attack on the glory of God. So, the solution for the problems we face today is to repent of any thought of superiority we might have when we look at others and to passionately love and care for every human being we come in contact with.
When we see discrimination of any kind, we must stand against it. When we see people being treated differently because of their level of wealth, skin color, or for any other reason, we must stand against that discrimination. At the same time, we must not promote hatred and bitterness against a group of people just because they happen to be a part of a majority or they happen to be wealthy, etc. The whole gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer, and all other answers will only continue the division we see today.
My heart breaks for those who are oppressed in any way, and we as Christians should lead the way when it comes to reconciliation, but we must not fall into the trap of believing a false gospel will in any way solve the problems we face today. Starting today, let’s make sure that we love every person we come in contact with and show special compassion to those who feel they do not have a voice. Together, we can make the world a much better place.