What Does The Bible Say About Racism & Social Justice?
Just when states and countries began re-opening after months of quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a video of a black man killed by a white cop in Minneapolis set off protests all around the world. It’s all anyone is talking about and everyone has an opinion.
My heart for Tirzah Magazine has always been that this would be a place that would provide guidance based on the Bible on the issues modern young Christian women face - that we’d point you to Jesus in all aspects of our lives. And right now, the topics of social injustices and racism are in the spotlight, so in the coming weeks, we’ll keep trying to address these topics from various perspectives, but also always rooted in Scripture.
I’ve been talking a lot about this on my personal instagram (see the “Racism” and “Activism” highlights), so I won’t be sharing my personal opinions on these issues here. Instead, I want to take the time to look at what the Bible has to say about justice and Christians activism on behalf of social injustices.
In the US, the issue of racism has primarily become political right now. People are making blanket statements that anti-racism is a liberal issue, often associated with the Democratic party. Many Christians align with the Republican party since it’s the more conservative party, and therefore appear to feel like racism isn’t “their” issue. Those are general stereotypes, I know, but I hope they help explain why there is so much decisiveness amongst Christians right now on whether to speak up during these times.
But racism in the US is not merely a political issue. It is also a social issue, an economic issue, a human rights issue, and so many other facets. And it is very much a Christian issue.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
Just like you can’t ignore a page in the Bible that makes you uncomfortable, we can’t hide and pretend these issues don’t impact us and the church. If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors (Jam. 2:8-9).
In the book of Obadiah, God told the people of Edom that they will be punished because they stood by and did nothing as Israel was tormented and persecuted by other nations. They watched terrible things happen to their neighboring nations, and although they did not participate directly in any of the conflicts, they also did not help when they could have. Later, in the book of Amos, God said He will punish the people of multiple nations for participating in evils like the slave trade and neglecting the poor.
Here are a few other Bible verses on the topic of social justice:
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. -Isaiah 1:17
Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart. -Zechariah 7:9-10
Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. -Jeremiah 22:3
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. -Romans 12:15-18
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. -Psalm 82:3
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. -1 John 3:17-18
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. -Proverbs 14:31
There are many more such passages, but I hope you get the idea: God does care about whether His people act against acts and systems of oppression, if we help those in need, and maintain the rights of the afflicted and the destitute.
To go even deeper into this, take five minutes to watch this video by the Bible Project on what the words “justice” and “righteousness” mean in the Bible:
Yes, racism is a fruit of sin. But so is abortion and human trafficking and we protest and sign petitions and raise awareness against those issues. Proverbs 31:8-9 instructs us: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
So, what does this mean for us right now? What should we do? Say?
Pray.
Our country needs healing right now. Since our God holds the entire world in His hands and the hearts of kings are like a river under His command, He is able to bring peace and healing as a result of the prayer of His people. Our leaders need wisdom right now and as a child of God, you have the authority to pray for that.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. -1 Timothy 2:1-2
This is also the time to pray for wisdom and discernment. There are many contradicting voices and messages, so it is difficult to know who and what to believe. But the beauty of being a child of God is that we have the Spirit in us who has access to the Father and guides us in which way to go (John 14:26). Our God isn’t a God of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33), but of peace and wisdom. If you seek Him, you will find Him. For all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:33
Educate yourself on these issues.
Take the time to research and educate yourself on these issues, including what racism is (it comes in many forms!), what white privilege is, how our systems may leave black communities at a disadvantage to white people, etc. Look at the data. Listen to the stories. Read up on the proposed solutions, even if it’s across political party lines. And then check yourself and your actions. Have there been ways you’ve intentionally or unintentionally aided in racism - directly or indirectly? In your actions or by your lack of action?
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. -Colossians 2:8
Speak up as the Spirit leads you to do so.
Peace does NOT mean silence or inaction. To know God is to plead the cause of the afflicted. You can influence peace among neighbors and enemies without ever raising your voice, resorting to violence, tearing down the other side.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace. -James 3:17-18
Peace is speaking with a gentle kind of wisdom that comes from a heart filled with the fear of God and lead by the Spirit. It is a kind of wisdom rarely seen in any of today’s discussions, even amongst Christians. It’s wisdom that is pure — untainted by the world or by sin. Holy in heart, life and conversation. It is full of mercy and good fruits. It’s filled with compassion for those in distress, because it sees a neighbor in need, hurting, oppressed, and Love shows up there. It’s not just words or social media posts, it’s a life of good works and service to God and others.
Wisdom from above is without partiality, esteeming others better than herself. It does not judge men's characters by their circumstances, to think well or ill of them by external appearances, treating them accordingly. It just sees that Jesus died on a cross for that person too.
It is willing to learn, however disagreeable may be the lesson. It doesn’t assume it knows everything and is willing to yield to reason; readily persuaded, compliant. It is not obstinate, unbending, implacable.
Peace with heaven makes peace on earth. Get on your knees and into the Word to seek Heaven’s guidance on what to say or if you should say anything at all. Then go live out what God asks of you.
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? -Micah 6:8
True wisdom is the gift of God (James 1:5) and no man can have the reason to expect it without asking and you won’t find it in social media posts or from online influencers.
So, if you haven’t yet, take the time to seek God’s face on these issues. Don’t rush to speak based on peer pressure, restate/repost what other people with similar beliefs say or take your political party’s stance without prayerfully doing your due diligence. Put in the time to seek God’s wisdom in all of this.
And then go, love your neighbor like yourself and be faithful to the Spirit’s leading right where you are. That’s where change begins. That’s how people will see God in us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yelena is the founder and editor in chief Tirzah. Yelena works as an attorney in tax and in her spare time, she is working on her first book for unmarried twenty-something women in extended waiting seasons and running Tirzah. She has a passion for pointing young women to Christ, and enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with her family.