September 17
Ezra 9:1-10:44; Nehemiah 1:1-2:20
There is no place for racism in the church or in our hearts. This is clear from Scripture and from God's heart for all nations. Christians have tried to find rationalization for racism and prejudice in the Bible. Perhaps a passage offered up as support for these racist attitudes is the end of Ezra. Ezra condemns the Israelites for intermarrying with neighboring peoples. Is this somehow a command against interracial marriage? The answer is clearly no. God's concern was always for the spiritual condition and not ethnicity. This passage condemns the Israelites for marrying people who committed "detestable practices" (Ezra 9:1). In the Old Testament God’s people included non-Jews like Rahab and Ruth (both in the line of Jesus!).
So, it was never about ethnicity, but it was about hearts for God. We see this same position in the New Testament when we are told not to be unequally yoked to someone, which applies to Christians marrying only Christians. The person we marry has a powerful influence on us, so we need to make sure they are someone with a heart for God. If they are not, then we need to continue to pray for them and remain married to them (1 Corinthians 7). If we are single we are to commit to marrying only a believer. God's heart is for his church to be people from all ethnicities and nations, and for us to speak out against racism in all its forms, while also ensuring our closest relationships are Christ-centered.
Father God, help me to love all people like you love me. Amen.
How can you ensure you are intentionally loving all people?
There is no place for racism in the church or in our hearts. This is clear from Scripture and from God's heart for all nations. Christians have tried to find rationalization for racism and prejudice in the Bible. Perhaps a passage offered up as support for these racist attitudes is the end of Ezra. Ezra condemns the Israelites for intermarrying with neighboring peoples. Is this somehow a command against interracial marriage? The answer is clearly no. God's concern was always for the spiritual condition and not ethnicity. This passage condemns the Israelites for marrying people who committed "detestable practices" (Ezra 9:1). In the Old Testament God’s people included non-Jews like Rahab and Ruth (both in the line of Jesus!).
So, it was never about ethnicity, but it was about hearts for God. We see this same position in the New Testament when we are told not to be unequally yoked to someone, which applies to Christians marrying only Christians. The person we marry has a powerful influence on us, so we need to make sure they are someone with a heart for God. If they are not, then we need to continue to pray for them and remain married to them (1 Corinthians 7). If we are single we are to commit to marrying only a believer. God's heart is for his church to be people from all ethnicities and nations, and for us to speak out against racism in all its forms, while also ensuring our closest relationships are Christ-centered.
Father God, help me to love all people like you love me. Amen.
How can you ensure you are intentionally loving all people?
Recent
Archive
2025
January
January 1January 2January 3January 4January 5January 6January 7January 8January 9January 10January 11January 12January 13January 14January 15January 16January 17January 18January 19January 20January 21January 22January 23January 24January 25January 26January 27January 28January 29January 30January 31
February
March
Categories
no categories
No Comments