In Part One of this article we discovered that God created all people of all races in his image and includes all of them in the saving work of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, all have sinned, all have fallen short of the glory of God, and all are recipients of his grace through his Son.
The Bible does not set out skin color as a criterion of any kind, regardless of whether a particular people group is specifically mentioned in the Bible.
Illustration inspired by an Egyptian
mural from the tomb of Seti I
by Dan Rogers
What an incredibly politically incorrect thing to ask," I can almost hear some say. "What are you thinking, even considering such a question?" I had better give you a little bit of background.
In 1992, I took a class at Emory University in Atlanta called Introduction to the Old Testament. As I read the various required textbooks for the course, I saw something I had not noticed before. Many Old Testament scholars, particularly European scholars of the 18th, 19th and early 20th century, had written their books and commentaries on the Old Testament from the perspective that there were no people of color mentioned in the Scriptures.
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know of someone who might like to watch this program. If so, go to the bottom of
the page and click on "Email this page." Fill out the short form, and share the
good news! There's also a way to share the page on Facebook, Twitter,
Buzz, and other websites.
If you'd like to support this ministry, click here.
Christian churches are coming together in a renewed worship that freely borrows from various traditions of worship (Webber 1994, 44). This phenomenon is breaking down the walls of denominationalism. Since our congregations tend to be composed of people of different races, various ethnic groups, all ages and all socio-economic situations, it is important that the worship service somehow reach and touch these diverse categories of people. This can be accomplished only by "convergent" or "blended" worship.
Some of the greatest points of controversy within the church today concern worship. Church members regularly express dissatisfaction over, or confess that they are uncertain about, the meaning and purpose of what is commonly called worship. Some are defensive about their traditions. They feel that enough changes have already been made, so they ask, Why change the format of our church service? Some, seeking a "more worshipful experience," wander from church to church looking for a service that has music and a form of worship that appeals to them.
Our church has gone through an amazing transformation. This church has gone from being a sectarian group with unorthodox doctrines to being a member of the National Association of Evangelicals. In addition to major doctrinal changes, methods of management and administration within the organization have also changed.
As a church, our mission is to live and share the gospel. The gospel is the wonderful message that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, reconciles us to the Father. This reconciliation, a loving gift of God’s grace, is ours as we receive it by faith, placing our trust fully in Jesus.
