Day two of this 5-day event was focused on living hope. Look at the current state of this world. It is no secret that hope is one of the hardest things to find. Instead, it is significantly easier to perceive chaos, tragedy, and darkness. True hope is finding light in the midst of all of it. Those who choose hope over pessimism, belief over disbelief, optimism over cynicism, are the people who will find this light and be this light as they will cause change. Learning to stay hopeful irrespective of our circumstances remains one of the most important lessons of this life.
Lord Hastings, Chancellor of Regent’s University and Independent Peer at the House of Lords, spoke to us on Living Hope. Here he tells us encouraging, heart-wrenching stories, and gives us spiritual and pragmatic advice on how to remain hopeful, even in dark circumstances. If you’re looking for hope in these uncertain times, you’ll love this sermon!
Day one of this 5-day event began with us tacking, head-on, the issue of pain. When we look around the world, pain seems to be everywhere. It does. not relent and no matter how much money, power or things we acquire, no barricade is strong enough to resist pain. The uniqueness of this season cannot be overstated. Pain has been exposed on a systemic level; whether we consider the Black Lives Matter movement or the externalities created by the COVID-19 epidemic, we are all in pain.
Joe is a renowned leader, speaker & Pastor of the Ramp Church Manchester and on this day delivered a sermon helping us see pain through Gospel lenses. In this sermon, Joe gives spiritual and practical advice on what we should do when experiencing pain of any kind. If you’re currently dealing with any type of pain, you’ll love this sermon.
“Grief is powerful and grief is not wrong, however, if it is left to fester it can be a hunting ground for the Devil. A defect in our understanding of God, leads to a defect in our hope, which leads to a defect in the way we grieve.” – Femi Kalejaiye shares these words, during his sermon, where he delves into the topic of Dealing with Loss (here).
Grief
Grief. Growing up in church I always had a misinterpretation of grief that made me feel like an impostor to the experience. I followed suit in the example that I’d witnessed by many of my aunties and uncles, my mother and father, church mothers and deacons; I never displayed my grief publicly. It slowly became harder to even experience grief alone. I remember when my mum’s best friend (who was practically a second mother to me) died in 2010, I remember feeling like a zombie as I walked past her open coffin, stone cold and expressionless. People around me wailed and wept till the last chair was put away, and the final light in the church was turned off, but even on the silent ride back home, I still could not cry a tear. I felt guilty. She was gone but I convinced myself that I hadn’t properly grieved her because of the my absence of tears.
I had clearly misunderstood an essential thing about grief – that is neither linear nor is it monolithic in experience. However, I had also misunderstood another thing. I grew up thinking Christians were not meant to feel grief let alone display it. Empty platitudes such as ‘All is well’, ‘Praise God anyhow’, ‘He will fix it’ and ‘I’m not sad, but blessed and highly favoured’, were commonplace in my church upbringing. During times of grief, not only were they unhelpful, they were insensitive, superficial and untruthful responses to the experience of pain and suffering. When I look back I wonder how much the owners of these responses were suffocated by the false invincibility that God does not call them to bear in the first place?
Although I am probably an unqualified candidate to speak about dealing with loss and experiencing grief as my encounter with it has been scarce in comparison to others, I would like to share some truths that I believe will encourage you when grief comes knocking on your door. Because it will happen, it is inevitable. That’s the first truth.
Grief Wears Many Faces
One thing I wish someone told me as a child when I was unable to cry while dealing with the loss of a loved one, was that I was in fact still grieving nonetheless. Grief is a varied experience and looks different for everyone. Job wept whilst feeling suicidal (Job 3:1-26). Hannah refused to eat (1 Sam 1:7). Saul fell into manic depression (1 Sam 16:14, 18:9-12). I’ve spoken with close friends during acute periods of their grief, who have told me some days they felt numb. That grief made it difficult for them to process their emotions. Some days they felt like they had their grief well-managed; they were able to go outside and have fun with friends and enjoy the beauty of life. Other days their grief felt uncontrollable and the wave of sadness overwhelmed them to the point that the beauty of life was marred with pain and they felt no reason or need to leave their bed.
The psychologist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross notes down the ‘Five Stages of Grief’ :
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
It is important to acknowledge that all waves of grief whether it’s numbness from denial, rage from anger, or endless tears from sadness and depression; these all are normal responses to the brokenness we feel in relation to suffering and pain, especially when dealing with loss from death. Even more so, we must not forget that each of us in our experience of grief may fall on different places on this scale. In addition, it is more than likely that we will move forwards and backwards during different periods of dealing with loss. Grief wears many different faces and we must be willing to embrace all these differences in both ourselves and others.
As Christians, we must discard the misconception that these emotions are signs of unbelief or lack of faith. Instead, we must embrace the truth that God created each and every one of these emotional responses and is glorified in each of them. He has given us these emotions as a means to process our grief and suffering all while tasting His goodness, even in the saltiness of our tears. Paul himself did not encourage the saints to appear to have it all together and be strong. As seen in the words of James, we should ‘not boast and deny the truth’ (James 3:14). Paul, instead invites us to be honest in our weakness, and therefore rest and boast in the strength of Christ, the One who cares for us so much so that he implores us to cast our grief-stricken burdens onto Him (2 Cor 12:7-10 , 1 Pet 5:7)
God is Present
There is no set time span as far as grief is concerned. And we should not rush such a process. Or expect people’s grief to have an endpoint. Instead, we should take stock of the treasure we have in pain. The peace we have in torment. The joy we have in sadness. This being our God, who is entirely present with us throughout our grief. David made note of this reality in Psalm 34;
The LORD is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
While grief may feel like an unsettling deserted island, in the discomfort of our pain we must settle ourselves in the peace of Christ. During tough tides of grief when we are tempted to give up on hope, we should lift up our cry to our LORD who is waiting to listen to our groans of distress and hears intently to our pleas. He is there in a long and meaningful embrace from a sister. Or in the presence of a brother who sits with you in silence to comfort you as tears fall uncontrollably. Whether it is through His own words from Scripture or comfort from other fellow believers, He is always willing to be our respite. We have a family of God and we have God Himself. We are never alone.
We Do Not Grieve Like Others Do
Ultimately as believers, we have something that makes our grief bearable. This something is a living hope, which is the fact that our grief will not remain forever. Femi Kalejaiye highlighted during our Gospel in a Broken World event that regarding life after death, Christians face a completely different reality to unbelievers. For our loved ones who believe in the death and resurrection of Christ and trusted in Him and have now passed away, they are united with Christ; as are we, who are still alive and still believe and trust in Jesus.
God guarantees that through Jesus Christ, He will bring those who are dead in Christ along with Him so that when Christ returns we will all be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. This is a beautiful picture that Paul paints for us, of the church, in 1 Thess 4; a spotless Bride joining with the Bridegroom and praising and worshipping Him as He ushers in a new heaven and earth. This should be something that we, who have lost our loved ones in the faith, should look forward to and anticipate with hope and relief. We will see them again. He will not allow any one of us who are in Him to be lost or left behind. We cannot be separated from Him (Rom 8:31-39). Our lives are in Him and His in us (Col 3:3, Gal2:20). This should be an encouragement to believers when they mourn the loss of other believers because even as Jesus died and rose again, God will also resurrect those who have died in Christ (1 Thess 4:14-16). This certainty should lead us to grieve differently from those who do not believe in Christ and have no hope. We should grieve in faith, expecting this day to arrive.
This day will arrive at any time, we should always be ready and anticipate this eternal reality as we watch the world fading. More importantly, it should spur us on to preach and share the Gospel with those who are not believers; our loved ones who are not in the faith, for their salvation and so that we will see them also in eternal glory, with Christ.
“We are meant to be people of hope because our God is alive. Because we have seen the demonstration of the extent of His passionate love for us”. These are the words Lord Micheal Hastings encouraged us with, during the Gospel in a Broken World Conference (Day 2: Living Hope).
Times of Suffering
My grandad died when I was 9. The days leading up to his death are not a distant memory. Though I was a child and was incapable of comprehending the severity of what was taking place, I still knew something was very wrong. The day he died was one of those hot days where all you could do was either chores or sleep. I was obviously indulging myself in the latter until I was woken up by a searing wail. It was my aunt and I knew exactly what had happened. I didn’t have to ask, but still, I asked. My lovely, bald, towering, hearty grandad was dead. The next three days of mourning were just constant tears, constant visitors, constant cooking, constant lamenting until they buried him. Everything went back to its place but in a different manner.
Nothing can quite cover the great big gaping hole that someone leaves once they are gone. I always wondered how my grandma managed with the sudden death of the man who was meant to be there, holding her hand, as more etchings of wrinkles sprouted on her face, as her back gave up straightening itself, as more cracks appeared on her feet. How did she manage? How was she still singing? How was she still faithful to her Lord?
My grandmother is someone I considered to be a super saint. She calls Jesus the husband that will never die, wakes up religiously at 4am just to commune with God, her Bible is falling apart and in tatters and the soundtrack of her life is hymns. Whatever befalls her, she has so much joy in knowing God. When I became a Christian, I started to realize that her joy stems from the hope she has in Jesus. He is her living hope.
The Purpose of Suffering
One can never evade suffering in this world, just as Elisabeth Elliot puts it, “God allows both Christians and non-Christians to experience every form of suffering known to the human race, just as He allows His blessings to fall on both”. Because of the sin that was brought into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, suffering is rampant. Suffering is not just limited to death, it comes in all forms- be it a failure, a breakup, insufferable colleagues, family strife, homelessness, a life-altering diagnosis, redundancy, racial injustices, and worldwide pandemics. In many cases it has no introductory line or a theme tune, it may suddenly appear with no invitation. Just as it appeared in Job’s and my grandmother’s life and tormented them, it can appear in our lives as well. However, what makes the suffering of the Christian distinct to that of the world’s is this, we know and understand God (Jeremiah 9:24) and for this reason, it is why, though his suffering was great, Job fell to the ground and worshipped God and did not charge Him with wrong though all had been taken away from him (Job 1:20-22).
We have great knowledge and understanding of God because He has revealed Himself to us through His Son Jesus Christ, displayed His deep love for us through the death, life, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the dispensing of the Holy Spirit to all the saints.
God in His precious love and sovereignty does not always remove crises or suffering from our lives. Instead, He uses it for our own good, to refine and sanctify us. This allows us to: be instruments fit for honourable use in serving others with all love and humility, be able to comfort others with the comfort we have experienced from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) and also become more like Jesus- who for the joy set before Him, endured the pain of the cross and now He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 12:2). This is the hope we possess through suffering.
God, Our Supplier of Hope
Additionally, through all these sufferings we experience, God does not leave us to our own devices. He is not a negligent Father, all the promises of His guaranteed presence are spread throughout the Bible to bear witness to His character.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint
Isaiah 40:28-31
In light of this, the Bible beckons us to live in hope, in such a way that we radiate with it, even in times of suffering, as Romans 15 portrays it:
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
This hope stems from a trust that leans on the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Good Shepherd that is spoken of in Psalm 23, the One who leads us by still waters, the One who makes us lie by green pastures, the One whose rod and staff comforts us and the One who lays down His life for His sheep. With such a great and loving Saviour by our side, we must continue clinging on to Him as He is our source of hope because in Him we have the promise of eternal life which He purchased for us on the Cross. According to John 1, He is our Light that shines in the darkness and the One who gives light to those who receive and believe in Him and also the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that will be brought to completion upon Christ’s return. You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing Him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-7
Now dear brother or sister, bury yourself in the Word which sustains and builds hope in those times of hardship and sorrow. You are being kept by the Lord’s power, so that He may present you faultless with exceeding joy, before His Father’s throne above.
Last week, we were blessed to have Pastor Joe Reeser speak on the topic of dealing with pain at our online event “The Gospel in a Broken World” (Day 1: Dealing with Pain). Pastor Joe shared three ways in which God uses suffering and the process of pain in our lives, with the second point especially impressing upon my heart: God uses times of crisis to reveal where your hope rests.
The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew chapters 5-7 record one of, if not the most, important sermon ever recorded on the pages of sacred scripture: The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus shares with His followers the principles by which they ought to live by. The markers of followers of Christ, their heart posture and consequential way of living. Thus, some commentators have dubbed it the “the Kingdom Manifesto”.
A Tale of Two Builders
Where you choose to build your trust upon reveals where the basis of your hope lies. It reflects what you hold to be the means of security in your life. In times of pain you’re forced to confront the issue and ask yourself, “which foundation is my hope and my life built upon?” This is what Jesus communicated to the listeners as he brought his rousing sermon to its conclusion with a tale of two builders:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:24-27
Two Foundations
Each and everyone one of us has placed our trust somewhere. Our trust may be founded upon the Government, the economy, or maybe ourselves and our own devices. To do so is to be like the second builder who built his house upon sand. It is a waste of time, energy and resources building on such weak foundations upon which our hope is bound to give way. The present circumstances of COVID-19 and the racial injustices have exposed their frailties. Their fragility is revealed and insecurity highlighted. They are all unstable ground to base your hope upon which comes faltering when under attack.
We must be like the first builder who built his house upon a rock. A foundation which stands in strength and endures as the storms of life beat against it. To possess such fortitude, this foundation must be eternal; one which is dependable and firm. This foundation must be a safe place, providing certainty in its security through its immutability (unchanging nature). Jesus invites us to set our hope on Him as the divine and eternal Son of God, whose very words give life and stand forever amidst all danger.
For no one can lay any foundation other than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:8
Put Your Hope in Jesus – He is a Safe Place
In moments of pain and despair, it is difficult to muster up hope and place it in Christ. Although it’s tough, we must pray. We must ask God to increase our faith. He will strengthen our hope and assurance in Him, enabling us to make Christ Himself the basis of our hope. As we do so, we may joyfully sing in agreement with the hymnist:
Pastor Joe and Stacie are joined by Mike Omoniyi, founder and CEO of The Common Sense Network and Founder and Director of Our God Given Mission, for a fascinating and important conversation on racism.
As editor in chief of a media company and a committed Christian, Mike engages this urgent topic with poise, sensitivity, and perspective all with a spotlight on the grace of the gospel of Jesus.
If you’re looking for hope in these uncertain times, you’ll love this conversation!
It’s 2020 and racism is still alive. Thankfully, God is too. Here are three reflections on what the Gospel means for a world still wrestling with race and prejudice.
1. The Gospel is Not a Shortcut to Reconciliation. There are no Shortcuts to Healing, Only Deep, Gradual Balms.
Imagine you have a son, say 7 years old. He’s pushed down the stairs by your eldest son who is 10. He bangs his head against the railing, grazes his knee and cuts his arm. He’s never seen himself bleed before and is in a weeping state. The first thing you say to him is unlikely to be “By the way kid, erm – remember to forgive your brother, you hear?”
At this time, it is instinctive to want to provide solutions quickly. Many people are hurt and angry and we want to help. Yet we are reminded by the scriptures that “whoever makes haste, misses his way.” (Proverbs 19:2). We ought to be careful not to rush ahead to offer words that underestimate the problem of racism. It is helpful and important to acknowledge what has happened. To be measured. To come to terms with the seriousness of tragedy – to mourn. These are all important and necessary steps on the journey towards restoration.
In the book of Job, the most righteous man in the Land (in God’s own words), Job, is hit with devastating calamity fast and hard. All of his children are killed, his body is struck with sores from head-to-toe, and all his livestock are destroyed in a matter of days. When his friends came to visit him, they sat with him in silence – for 7 days. So deep was their grief for their friend, they mourned with no words (Job 1 – 2), (this was arguably their best choice of words given their ill advice later in the book!).
The Gospel is good news about God’s invitation to know Him in a relationship sustained by His love forever. The invitation was not free, as Jesus Christ, the Son of God became a man, gave His life, and rose from the grave to make it all possible. In dying, He destroyed the power of sin which separated us from God. In rising He proved His victory was permanent. So the gospel is an open invitation to anyone who will spend their life repenting from sin and trusting in Jesus. Yet it had a deep cost. It cost Christ His life. It was a painful, but yet necessary step for God to forgive us for our sins.
In Him, we have redemption through Hisblood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
Ephesians 1:7
As Christians, black or white, we should be careful when offering counsel during this time by attempting to quash people’s frustration with pithy statements that underestimate the problem of racism, and perhaps more specifically police brutality against black people. The Gospel offers real hope and serious restoration for our relationships with God and people through continual repentance and forgiveness. That is good news. There are no shortcuts to healing – only deep, gradual balms sustained over time. Jesus tells us “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:5). During this time we should remember that grief and hope are not mutually exclusive. They are intertwined, both helpful in making progress.
2. The Gospel Does Not Replace Racism. It is an Almighty Response to Racism.
“Racism is a sin issue!” is one quote that has been doing the rounds over the last few weeks. Some have quoted this to mean that if only everybody were a Christian, racism would go away. There is some truth here. All evil is a product of a sinful heart (Matthew 15:19). If God saves you, you are a new creation with new desires to love God and people, richly.
However, the statement still feels incomplete. The gospel is not a train that you jump on and leave all the problems of your heart at the platform. As believers, we carry ungodly unconscious biases even into our new life with Christ. We carry a carnal nature that must be crucified daily (Matt 16:24). Sanctification is a process. Repentance is a journey, not a one-time event. It is lazy then, to use spiritual words as a replacement for having difficult conversations that challenge our biases and help us to repent.
Racism is a sin, yes – that must be dealt with specifically and thoroughly rather than vaguely and hastily. When you have a tooth problem you need to see a health specialist. In fact, you need to see a dentist. The gospel empowers believers to take prescriptive action to be specific on sin and specific on how to cut out.
“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away”.
Matthew 5:30
When people hear “Racism is a sin issue” it sounds like “well let’s pray for Jesus to save these souls and this issue will go away”. Well yes, we should pray for salvation. But that is not all we should do, neither is it all we can do. We can speak about the issue because sin thrives in darkness (Psalm 32:7). We can petition and contribute to changing the narrative on race. We can educate ourselves about racism and addressing our own racial biases. For more on what can be done, have a read of How Should Christians Respond to Racial Injustice.
When all people have to say is “Racism is a sin issue” it is almost as though the gospel is silent on everyone’s moral responsibility to do what is right – which it isn’t. When you become a Christian, God gives you His eyesight to see morality as He does. To view sin, not as some ‘naughty’ or ‘cheeky’ action, but ugly and cancerous. To view holiness, not as a ‘good-goody two shoes’, but as separate and completely different in nature. Your perspective on morality is far more incisive because it is being seen through the lens of Christ.
Hear Jesus:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:27- 28
Jesus here shows that adultery, usually understood as a physical action, already happens in the heart of a person before they physically engage with anyone. That is the lens of clarity, precision, and perfection through which God sees morality. So when a handcuffed black man is choked to death for nearly 9 minutes on camera by those responsible for protecting citizens – the gospel does not swap that from the murder it is, to something else it isn’t. It tells us that it is wrong. It tells us why it is deeply wrong and why we should be upset. Also, we should be sure of this- if we are upset at sin, God is appalled (Prov 15:9). This is why His comfort is a great one. Because He understands injustice better than we do. He understands our pain better than we do. So the gospel does not move the goalposts of morality as culture changes. The goalposts are firmly rooted in God’s perfect, unchanging law of what is good and evil.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15
‘Despised and rejected by men, He was well acquainted with grief’
Isaiah 53:3
We should remember that the Gospel is not good news because it is convenient for people. It is good because God – who is good, lavishes love unto us – who are not good. “Oh, you’re racist? repent and believe Jesus and you’ll be fine. See now wasn’t that easy!” No, the gospel is not “convenient and easy” because reconciliation is not convenient and easy. It is messy and hard. Have you ever had to forgive someone who seriously wounded you? Do you remember how that felt? Have you ever overcome an addiction to a bad habit? Do you remember how militant you needed to be to end the cycle? This is the gospel. It is inconvenient. It is not cute at all. There is a daily dying to self (1 Cor 15:31). There is mourning (Matthew 5:5). There is blood (Eph 1:7). So it is disappointing to hear Christians underestimate the moral responsibility of every person to do what is righteous – be it matters of race or any other issue. And yet as Christians, we have hope in knowing that we do not fight sin in our own strength alone but with the power of God’s Spirit at work in us (Romans 8:13).
Eternity places our greatest problems into perspective. 500 years from now issues that are big today may not feel as prevalent then. Grief tends to lose its intensity over time – but facts don’t expire. Sin yesterday, is still sin today. Injustice yesterday is still injustice today. Similarly, the Gospel places our deepest problems with race into perspective. The Gospel does not change a lie into truth or a painful experience into a pleasing experience. Instead, the Gospel places all things into perspective in light of what we know to be true about God. Rather than a delete button, the Gospel is actually a great revealer – a piercing light shining on every evil thought, every hateful act, every sin everywhere. It exposes all that is wrong with the human heart against the backdrop of the Cross where God’s justice and His mercy intersect (2 Cor 5:21).
3. The Gospel Shows That Injustice and the Suffering it Produces is Not Meaningless.
Black people who have died at the hands of police brutality are a reminder that all is not well with our world. It is broken. And yet in God’s wisdom, He routinely intends for good using the same situations His enemies intend for evil. See the examples below:
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.
Genesis 50:20
This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Acts 2:23
From God’s perspective suffering is never meaningless. On one level we can already see global signs of solidarity never seen before in response to the killing of George Floyd (read There is Hope in the Midst of Racial Injustice). The point is that God does not waste our suffering. As Christians we have confidence in God’s ability and intention to use all evil, injustice, and oppression, to accomplish His purposes for our good – without removing our responsibility to do what is right (Romans 8:28, 2 Peter 1:10). Through suffering and grief we can know more deeply His God’s comfort. We can know more truly His compassion. We can know more intimately His promises and ultimately know Him, better.
So to summarise, the Gospel does not provide a shortcut to restoration from the scars of racism – healing takes time. The Gospel offers reconciliation between us and God and between ourselves as people, through continual forgiveness and repentance. The Gospel shows that God ensures no suffering is wasted but is purposeful to fulfill His plans for His glory and our joy.
This past month has brought to the forefront the racial injustices which continue to plague our world. The dehumanisation of black lives has captured worldwide attention. Such painful realities can overwhelm us with a deep sense of helplessness. Thankfully, there is hope.
Pilgrims on this Earth with a Duty to Represent Christ
The New Testament identifies believers as foreigners to this world (1 Peter 2:11), temporary residents of the Earth with their citizenship in Heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our lives are governed by the culture and practices of God’s Kingdom. We live with a heavenly perspective, setting our hearts and minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). This does not absolve us from the responsibility of pursuing justice in this world. Contrastingly, it further fuels our motivation to fight for justice because the Spirit of Christ is stirring our thoughts and affections heavenward where our compassionate Lord and Saviour is enthroned. Although His chief mission was to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), He did so whilst serving others, caring for the vulnerable and with a heart for ethnic reconciliation.
A Different Motivation for Racial Justice
With our citizenship in heaven, our motivations for pursuing justice differ from those of the unbeliever. We do so with our supreme joy made full in living in obedience to God’s commands as a result of our regeneration. Therefore, we strive to see racial injustice eradicated as we are driven by the greatest commandment Christ gave to His followers.
The Greatest Commandment
Jesus was repeatedly confronted by Pharisees who reeked of self-righteousness as they challenged His teaching credentials. One example is captured Matthew 22:
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
– Matthew 22:36-40
These two commandments are derived from the Mosaic law instituted by God to Israel, marking them out as His covenant people. The law is God’s means of reflecting His image (Leviticus 19:1-2). Therefore, God’s holiness is manifested in the observable obedience to these two commandments Jesus gives us. You cannot fulfill the first when bypassing the second; to love God is to love your neighbour. The display of neighbourly love vividly captures the Imago Dei (image of God), reflecting His character and His holiness.
What does this mean in the face of racial injustice? It means engaging in the effort against it and ensuring that the dignity of God’s image-bearers is protected as we push for reform in the structures that perpetuate systemic racism. It means educating ourselves, ridding our minds of racial bias and comforting those who are impacted by racial injustice. Christ taught us that all those we encounter are our neighbours. Accordingly, we must set aside prejudice and overcome racial barriers to show neighbourly love and compassion as beautifully communicated in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
A Present Hope
The mandate of the believer is to be compassionate to all those we come across especially in the face of injustice. This alongside the global solidarity against racial injustice ignites a matchstick of hope within me. At the time of writing this article:
Protests have been held across the globe from Dakar to Tokyo and Sydney.
Petitions calling for justice for Breonna Taylor have reached their penultimate stage of their goal.
Judges have decided that there is probable cause for the court to pursue a murder trial for Ahmaud Arbery’s lynchers.
Derek Chauvin, the officer accused of killing George Floyd, has been charged with 2nd degree murder, an elevation from the former charge of the 3rd degree.
In many homes and communities, people are engaging in important conversations, addressing deep-rooted perceptions of race and racial biases that they may subconsciously hold.
More people are actively choosing to be anti-racist rather than merely non-racist.
This gives us a meaningful, tangible hope.
An Eternal Hope
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth,
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
– Isaiah 65:17
God is working through global efforts in the fight against racial injustice, but the encouragement doesn’t stop there. God has given us eternal hope. In the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, we have been born into a new and living hope. One which is imperishable because it is reserved for us in heaven. This hope is gifted to us by the mercy of God. The preservation of our hope is not our own doing, but by God safely keeping us through faith until the second coming of Jesus. (1 Peter 1:3-7). In this knowledge and beautiful revelation of the Gospel, we have full assurance He will see us through all sin, pain, suffering, and hurt, including racial injustice. The injustices are temporal, as Apostle Paul states in Romans 8:18, the present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. Christ is coming to bring all things to perfection with the creation of the new heaven and the new earth, where we will dwell with our Lord, where there will be no pain, for the former things would have passed away (Revelation 21:1-8).
As I write this article, the last few words of George Floyd as he cried out for his mother are still ringing through my ears. I can’t breathe. In my short few years on this Earth, I cannot recall any three words which has moved so many people from all corners of the globe into action. As of today, there have been protests across the 50 states in America and 18+ countries across the world. As we have witnessed a rallying cry for justice in the world, how should Christians respond in the face of injustice?
Christians Lament in the Face of Injustice
During the last few weeks, I have witnessed many Christian leaders in response to the events of the past month, who have been quick to raise theological and esoteric arguments as though that is the prescription the bleeding world needs to hear right now. Responses such as these are insensitive and proceed to diminish the experience of those who face racial injustice on a daily basis. The default posture of the believer is not to immediately teach and correct but instead, as Paul instructs us in Romans 12 to weep with those who are weeping. Christians grieve and lament. Jesus burst into tears when He was faced with the death of Lazarus (John 11). It is good and right for a Christian to grieve. As Tim Challies says, “We grieve genuinely and unapologetically”.
What separates Christianity from every other world religion is that we serve a God who knows what it’s like to feel. There is not a facet of life which anyone reading this article has experienced, which Jesus in His thirty-three short years on Earth did not Himself experience. If you feel abandoned? Jesus knows what that feels like. If you feel rejected? He experienced that also. If you face temptation? Jesus was tempted in every way. And if you face racial injustice? Jesus was subject to it. Jesus, being a Jewish minority, under Roman rule, faced the same ethical, racial, and social-economic tensions which we face today. Why is this good news? As the writer of Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.” (Hebrews 4:15). The Jesus we run to is not a remote, distant deity. But rather He is active and has a unique understanding of our suffering (Hebrews 2:18). Because He understands, that is why we can come to Him with our weariness and heavy burdens and why He is able to give us rest (Matthew 11:28). When we see the injustices in the world, the response of the believer is not to haphazardly throw around scripture, but to lament, grieve and mourn with those who are affected.
“It must be right to grieve, not only with the people of God who are persecuted for our faith in Oman, Pakistan and North Korea but with all who suffer from other kinds of prejudice – whether apartheid in South Africa, Islamophobia in Myanmar, Anti-Semitism in politics or police brutality in Minneapolis. We must not harden our hearts toward the pain of those who grieve.”
– Richard Coekin
Christians Protest in the Face of Injustice
Christians can not remain apathetic in the face of injustice. It is not enough for Christians to simply be not racist, we must be anti-racist. Followers of Christ must challenge and aim to correct the divides which exist between different races, ethnicities, genders, and socioeconomic classes. The fight against injustice is not a secondary issue to the Gospel, it is a foundational one. Jesus, when gathered with the disciples in Matthew 25:31-36, taught that the way in which we treat those who are marginalised and oppressed serves as an indication as to whether we are truly followers of Him. If you claim to love God and love His people, you would not only hate injustice against God but injustice against His people. Because if you love what is good you will hate what is evil. If the Gospel you preach doesn’t result in you to fighting against the racial injustices we see in the world, then you have a truncated gospel.
Christians cannot remain indifferent when it comes to the issue of fighting injustice. Proverbs 31:9 instructs believers to “speak up, judge righteously; defend the rights of the poor and needy”. When Pharaoh, refused to let the Israelites go free, Moses protested against Pharoah to “Let my people go” (Exodus 9:1). Jesus, protested against the Pharisees when they wanted to unjustly stone the adulterous woman to death (John 8:1-11). When faced with injustice, Christians protest. Now, how this looks like on an individual basis would vary. Some Christians might go out on the streets and protest, some may sign petitions, some Christians may protest by giving money to the relevant organisations which fight against injustice. However, remaining silent is not an option for the believer. We are called to be the voice for the voiceless. Paul instructs us, when we see evil, to expose evil and where we see injustice, expose injustice (Ephesians 5:11). The one thing Christians cannot do is to look away.
Christians should protest, however, we protest distinctly to the world. In instances where a Christian might protest on the streets, we are to do so peacefully. We stand up as believers against injustice knowing its not our place to carry out vengeance or God’s wrath. We do not and must not carry out vengeance for vengeance is for the Lord- Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19, Hebrew 10:30. The hallmark of a believer when fighting injustice is that a believer knows who gets the final say. God.
Christians Pray in the Face of Injustice
When faced with injustice, the Christian response is not merely to bend our knee in protest but to also do so in prayer. The battle against the injustices of the world is not fought solely by creating and signing petitions here on Earth but also making prayers of petition to Heaven.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.
– 2 Corinthians 10:3-4
In times such as these, prayer almost seems pointless. When faced with injustice, it is easy to believe that social activism is the most effective approach. However, the most powerful tool a Christian has in his or her arsenal is prayer. We pray to the God who can bring about eternal change. We pray for God’s justice to be carried out. We pray for those who have been victims of racial injustice, we pray for God’s comfort, peace and healing over their lives. We pray for those in positions of power, we pray that they shall act justly and courageously. We also pray for those who oppress, we pray that they shall repent and come to know the love and mercy of God! And as we pray, we know God is able, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ can change lives, including the lives of those who are racist. We pray and live with the hope that the Lord Jesus would help all Christians to preach, obey, and apply a sufficient Gospel to this present evil age!
As you can most probably tell, black people are upset. In fact we are absolutely livid. And I hope that you understand why. If for some reason you are not aware of the gravity of our pain and frustration, allow me to explain it to you. The ugly foot of white supremacy and racism continues to crush and suffocate the rights of black people. Quite literally, in fact. In the past month, black people have had to endure the pain of watching the sore and weeping wound of racial injustice be reopened by more senseless acts of racially motivated murders by white police officers and citizens alike. To add insult to injury, the outcry of black people about this injustice is muffled by both the dismissive attitudes of white people who use their white privilege to discredit our experience and the oppressive white dominated justice system which tries, on many occasions, to falsify our claims of mistreatment towards innocent black people.
Your fellow black colleagues, friends, church members are not dealing with this well. In fact, they are distraught, some to the point that they feel a sense of consuming despair. Some are confused and losing hope. Others carry a burden of broiling rage on their shoulders and they’re not quite sure where to place the load of their pent up frustrations and anger. Simple things like checking social media and tuning in to the latest news updates have become a painful and burdensome task. Of recent, most days have ended in an overflow of tears and complex emotions. Why us? Why should we be the ones that are slain like dogs all day long at the hands of people who share the same skin colour as you? I know you do not have the answer to that question, nor do I expect you to.
But I do want you to know this. I am personally overcome with grief. Yet in my despair, as I pray in my tears on my bed, and struggle to form words, I cling on to hope. A hope I know that does not come from myself but from God. Because when I recall the day that has fallen to dusk and I count the many injustices, my soul questions what there is that this current world has to offer. The racial injustice that we see reminds many of us black Christians that this world is not our home, and that we are pilgrims awaiting a life to come that will be completely free of racial hatred; where we will no longer be abused and killed for the colour of our skin. This is a painful and bittersweet reality which makes us both upset and angry. This is how we feel and I want you to acknowledge it.
In light of this, I sincerely ask you to not downplay our frustrations. Even if you do not vocally project racist sentiments or live with bigotry lodged in your heart, do not be a practical racist. Do not behave as if racism is a minor or non-existent issue by remaining silent. Do not gaslight our experience as black people by understating the racial injustice that we face. Do not undermine the experience of black people by carrying on with your lives as usual as though this is an issue that soon will pass. This lets me know two things: you do not care about injustice and you do not care about us. We are already exhausted and upset by the tragedies that we are being faced with, do not insult us further by making us explain why black lives matter. Do not use the term ‘all lives matter’ to belittle the injustices of racially motivated murder and assault. Do not divert from the foul play that is taking place. We are not over-reacting. We are angry and our anger is justified.
The issue of white supremacy and racial injustice is not just a black problem. It’s not just an American problem. It’s a ‘you and me’ problem. Do not expect us to be able to deal with these injustices on our own. The racism that affects black people must mean something to you. Enough for you to want to use your white privilege to act and support us to fight against these injustices. If you don’t believe that your white privilege exists or fail to understand its impact in our society and, more specifically, to black lives, then I’m afraid you are contributing to the very injustice that we are fighting against. Do not use your privilege to be silent on the matter and do not use your privilege to patronise us. We do not need performative allyship. Publicly ‘supporting’ the cause in order to be seen by others, as to avoid the scrutiny of being silent or inactive on the matter is insulting. We do not need your pity. We need your genuine support. We do not need you to pretend that you care. We need you to care enough to do something substantial in the fight against racism.
If you are white and a Christian, then playing your part in standing up for justice is inescapable. Why? Because the God you serve is a God of justice. He hates injustice and therefore so should you (Prov 6:16-19, Prov 17:15). He continually defends and upholds the cause of the oppressed (Amos 5) and thus expects the very same from those who He has called through Christ;
Speak up, judge righteously and defend the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.
Proverbs 31:9
Our legitimacy to the world to whom we proclaim the Gospel relies on the way we live it out; this includes our response to racial injustice. By doing nothing you act in a way that is contrary to the God you serve and afflicts the members with whom you are united in Christ, serving an inaccurate and skewed picture of the Gospel for the world to see. I want you to care about me and my race as much I care about you and yours. Esteem and value the black members of your church and your society above yourselves (Phil 2:3, Rom 12:13), by using your voice and your efforts to help our plight. Being one body consisting of many members requires us to be united in this matter of fighting against racial injustice, in the same way, that we strive for unity in the body of Christ.
This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?
Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18
You are probably reading this letter and wondering to yourself; ‘well what can I actually do about this issue?’ I’m glad you asked. Here are a few things you can do. Firstly pray. If you genuinely care about wanting to see justice roll like a river, then you should pray (Rom 12:12). Pray constantly and earnestly as you would for yourselves, believing that the God of justice will judge and rightfully deal with these injustices (Rom 12:19). Mourn with us (Rom 12: 15). Ask us how we feel and be sincerely attentive to and concerned with the answer that we give. Engage in sincere and meaningful conversations with black people that you know and try to learn about their experience and how they are being affected. Educate yourself about why black lives matter if the answer is unclear to you. Do your research about the history of racial inequality, research on anti-racist policies, statistics concerning race-related crimes, and cases about racial injustice within the law enforcement and political frameworks both nationally and internationally. Then, use your voice. Speak out, on our behalf, to your fellow white friends and family, and to your local MP (who is probably white). Contact friends who are policymakers, law reformers, politicians. Use your white privilege for good. When the government and authorities try to discredit our voices and refuse to listen to us due to the institutional racism that is entrenched in its systems, we need you to stand in the gap and make noise for us. If white people like you do not use your voices to speak on our behalf then our black voices will continue to be white noise in a society that consistently devalues our existence and invalidates our experience. The change and justice for black lives that you expect to see, relies on you to play your part. Finally, put your money where your mouth is; sign petitions and donate to organisations and crowdfunders that support racial justice causes. Use your white privilege for effectual good.
Until black lives matter, no lives matter at all. Take heed of this.
