Racism and Casteism

Introduction

Church is the body of Christ and he is the head of the body. It is comprised of born-again, blood-
washed, redeemed saints. The body of Christ is composed of different members and each
member is equal in the sight of God and therefore is cherished. There is no member in the
Church who isn’t important or worthy. Irrespective of the distinct gift each member possesses, he
or she is needed for the edification, functioning and progress of Church. But sadly there are few
terrible sins which destroy the unity and oneness of the Church. And today I’m going to deal
about one of those toxic sins which is tearing apart the unity of the Church. And that is Racism
or Castism. I know the moment you heard these two terms you tried to zone out because you
thought you don’t struggle with these sins. And you are right, not only you but many in our
Church don’t struggle with these issues. But there are other sins which are closely related or are
inherently embedded in these sins from which we struggle. They are Elitism, ethnocentrism,
Statism, Statusism, Regionalism, and all the isms which make you feel superior and others
inferior. Let me define these terms, Elitism: The attitude that society should be governed by an
elite group of individuals. Ethnocentrism: Belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group.
Statism: A belief which deems one’s own state as superior to other states. Statusism: Dealing
with people based on Socio-economic status. Regionalism: A feeling of superiority because of
regions. All these and other isms, strive to make one feel superior to others and thereby treat
them based on their worldly credentials. This kind of attitude is no less than Racism and Castism.
And these are the sins which are dividing the churches, producing superficial fellowship and
love. Let us look at the Bible to see what it has to say regarding these sins.

1) Racism and the Image of God in men

God created every human being in his own Image. The Bible does not say, God put his image in
us or gave his image to us but He made us in his image. Therefore, every human being has
intrinsic worth. Every human being irrespective of caste, tribe, social status, language, color, and
education are created in the image of God. God didn’t make the educated, rich, and elites with a
superior image and the less fortunate with an inferior image. Everyone is made with the same
image (Gen. 1:26-27). Due to sin the image of God in man is marred but not eradicated. It is
defaced but not completely destroyed. Even after humanity fell in sin human beings still retain
the image of God (Gen. 9:6, James: 3:9). We all hail from our first parents; Adam and Eve who
didn’t belong to any particular race (Acts 17: 26). Therefore, when we treat or mistreat people
based on race, caste, tribe, etc., we are trying to diminish the image of God which is in them. It is
sinful to look down or humiliate anyone because of their race.

2) Racism and the sixth commandment

The sixth commandment recorded in the book of Exodus 20:13 reads: “You shall not
murder.” The reason why God told, “You shall not murder” is because we are made in
the Image of God. On the sermon of the mount, Jesus taught that if we become angry on
our brother or call him “Raca” or a fool, then we are in danger of hell fire. The word
“Raca” is an Aramaic word which shows contempt. In another words, the Raca means
you are nothing and you don’t any value or worth as a human. Jesus gives this higher
ethic in the context of murder. Therefore, what Jesus means is that when we show hatred,
or look down on our brothers then we are committing murder; we are in danger of hell
fire. And John explicitly says in 1 John 3: 15 “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a
murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” So, when we
discriminate our fellow brother because of his race, caste, tribe, and some other earthly
credentials we hate him and we are committing murder. And if this is our continual
lifestyle, then we are not Christians because eternal life doesn’t reside in us. The roots of
the sin of racism go down to the sixth commandment “You shall not murder.”
 3) Racism and Biblical theology

The term Biblical theology simply means the Bible’s storyline. How did God give his revelation
progressively? We will try to answer the question, “What does the whole Bible say about
Racism?” we will try to trace God’s view on this issue.

Pentateuch

Leviticus 24:22 “You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am
the LORD your God.”

Number 12: Over here we see that Miriam and Aaron were unhappy because Moses
married a Cushite woman. And according to Jer. 13:23 (Can a Cushite or Ethiopian
change his skin color?), Cushites were dark people. Therefore, Miriam and Aaron
discriminated Moses’ wife saying she is black in color, why did you marry her? And God
intervened and sided Moses and rebuked both Aaron and Miriam and said, “Moses my
servant is faithful in all my household and I talk to him face to face.” And God inflicted
Miriam with a skin she desired for, namely, leprosy. Her skin became as white as snow. It
was like God said to Miriam, “so you like white skin take white skin.” Miriam was put
outside of the camp for seven days.

Deuteronomy: 1:16-17 “And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes
between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or
between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. 17 Do not show partiality in
judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment
belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”
Here we can see the character of God, we can understand that God is just, impartial, and
respecter of no persons. He wanted his people to be like him.

Deuteronomy: 10:17-18: For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the
great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He
 defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among
you, giving them food and clothing.

He verse 17 we see who God is essentially, in his nature. He shows no partiality and
doesn’t discriminate the fatherless, widows, and gentiles.

Historical Books

The book of Ruth teaches us that God came to aid to a Moabite widow, Ruth. And he
used her to be the forerunner of the great king David who will later rule over Israel the
people of God.

Poetical Books

Proverbs 24:23 “These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good…”

Prophetical Books

Jeremiah 39:15-18 God saved the life of Ebed-Melech who is repeatedly identified as an
Ethiopian or Cushite. God promised that Ebed-Melech will live and be delivered when the
Babylonians attack the Jerusalem. Ebed-Melech rescued Jeremiah from the dungeon and that’s
why God kept him alive even though he killed Israel’s king and leaders.
Gospels

Matthew: In the Genealogy of Jesus we can find four women. Tamar, Ruth, Rahab, and
Bethsheba.

Luke 10:35-37: We can see here the story of the Good Samaritan who by risking his own life
rescued and loved the wanderer who was beaten and striped by robbers on the way to Jerusalem.
Jesus uses the example of a Samaritan (mixed breed) whom the Jews hated to show to us what it
means to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus made Samaritan who was a social outcast as the
hero of His parable.

Acts

Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Here we can see that the gospel will be taken to the ends of the earth irrespective of tribe, tongue,
and nation.

Acts 10:34 “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show
favoritism.”

Peter realized that God’s creation cannot be called as unclean. God gave Peter a vision where he
was told to go to a Centurion from Caesarea whom God chose to be saved.

Epistles

Galatians 3: 26-28 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you
who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor
Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

These verses doesn’t teach that there are no functional differences but they teach that in spite of
God-ordained functional differences, we are one in Christ, we are essentially equal.
Revelation

Revelation: 5:9 “And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Here we are reminded that at the throne of God there will be people from all tribes, tongues, and
nations.

4) Racism and the doctrine of Justification by grace and through faith alone.

Bible condemns all humanity as sinners. All people are under the wrath of God and must
pay for their sins eternally in hell. But God who is rich in mercy and grace sent his only
begotten Son born of a virgin woman, who lived a sinless life and who fulfilled the law
and paid for our sins by vicariously dying for us on the cross of Calvary. None of us can
approach God except through his Son who gives us his righteousness which justifies us
and makes us eligible to approach the Father. This is the doctrine of justification by faith
alone and it teaches us that no matter from tribe, tongue, and nation we are from we are
sinners and we are justified by faith alone (Romans 3:28-30)

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or
is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles
too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the
uncircumcised through that same faith.”

When we categorize people according to the race, tribe, and tongue we are diminishing
the doctrine of justification by faith alone. We are trying to establish our own
 righteousness. We are trying to approach Christ based on our tribe, tongue, and race. We
are self-righteous people.

Applications

1) Racism and Castism are sins and we need the gospel of Jesus Christ to clean us and
transform us thoroughly.
2) Racism and Castism divides the Church of Jesus Christ which He bought by His own
blood.
3) People who struggle with Racism and Castism are trying to establish their own
righteousness and in God’s eyes it is a filthy rage. And they are having identity crisis.
4) As Christians, we ought to love our neighbors as ourselves but Racism and Castism
makes us incompetent to do so.
5) Racism and Castism outpours hatred towards our brethren and the Bible calls us
murderers if we do so.
6) Church must deem equally people from all tribe, tongue, and nation.
7) Church must reflect and resemble the picture of heaven on earth where people from
every tribe, tongue, and nation are praising Jesus together.

May God give us grace to kill the sin of Racism and Castism! Amen!