“RACISTS’ ASSERTIONS OR THE REDEEMER’S ATONEMENT?”
By: J.Farrell Fisher, August 15-17, 2017
Let me just put it out plainly: “Racists’ Assertions” are the most absurd, asinine, asphyxiating, asylum-leaning attitudes that unveil arrogance and racial stupidity as dangerous as anything I know that can isolate, separate, divide, and destroy human relations whether locally, statewide, nationally, or world-wide! And beyond that, it is saying to Holy God, “Though You intended cooperation, affirmation, and loyalty to one another, You, God, opened the Pandora box of troubles, pain, and hostility in the hearts of men and women who have no appreciation for anyone different from what they see themselves as being, and You made a mistake.” How stupid does that sound?
Racial intolerance exposes hardened hearts filled with ‘self-pride’, ‘selfish attitudes’, and ‘sickened hearts and minds’ with Satanically controlled wills, deformed, defiant, and departing ideas further and further away from the God of amazing love and awesome grace. Racists reveal within a nation the central attitude of the hearts and minds of people who live under Satan’s control in obstinacy, rebellion against others who aren’t their skin color, clouded minds to the truth of God’s desire of His world of the whites, the blacks, the browns, and even the combination of all colors! God’s desire is for men of every race and color to extend His love, express His grace, and edify one another in the Spirit of His heart, mind, intent, and eternal will and pleasure!
Racists are enraged with anything or anyone who doesn’t see ‘hatred’ of other colors than theirs as being “stupid folks” who ought to be hurt, harmed, and even annihilated if they refuse to bow down to “forced separation of the races”!
Highly interesting truth in 1 John 5:1-2 when the beloved one wrote: “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also LOVES HIM WHO IS BEGOTTEN OF HIM. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.” But YOU are rebellious enough, unbelieving enough, defiant enough, that if you’re told by Christ to love all in His name, you’ll just join “satan’s band” and play his tune of disrupting, alienating, separating, and fighting against “unity among, yes, God’s people”!
Of course, there is a huge difference between the ‘kingdoms of fallen men’ and THE KINGDOM OF GOD. The ‘kingdoms of fallen men’ are, yes, under the direct influence and administration of Satan himself! Satan loves “race riots” and the people who promote them! He’s a ‘master of deception’ and thrives on keeping people alienated, separated, hating one another, mistreating one another, disrupting any attempts by “Peace of God” people, missionaries, disciples, churches, and governments in bringing people together under God’s Sovereign Administration!
And, of course, fallen men re-born through the blood of the Lamb, in their immaturity, in their lack of understanding of the nature and character of God, are often bound by their ‘vicissitudes’ or ‘changing phases’ until they, yes, mature “in Christ” – so, let patience, love, grace, and mercy abound when you witness spiritual stupidity! Be bold with God’s love for all, including immature believers who don’t as yet know the “BIGNESS” of God’s heart!
Racial bias is antagonism with God Himself and all He has created! Racists live shackled in an evil conscience and seek to pervert the minds of any that they can with their horrific, ungodly, bitter resentment of ALL who are not just like them! In my 81 years of life I have witnessed men of various colors who honored the King of kings and Lord of lords. Some of the greatest preachers I ever heard were black preachers with brilliant, Word-based, Spirit-anointed, heart-warming truths that “touched” Heaven’s Throne and shut Hell’s gates! But…,
racists are the “dark clouds” of some cities, some churches, even some pulpits! “Dark clouds” are blinding and binding! “Dark clouds” are ‘self-willed’ “stallions” that want to toss you as a lover of men’s souls, any color, and stomp you to the ground! God’s world was never intended by Him to be the location of ‘racism’ but the “Community of love and grace”! Racism is a triumph of evil, and for it to remain is for individuals, families, cities, schools, churches, governments, and leaders to be silent!
Do you understand and grasp that WE live in a God-birthed world and, I have no doubts, God didn’t intend evil but a world of His blessing and blessings, but He also knew He had no desire for “robots” but fully surrendered lives to His love and Lordship – and that has to be chosen!
The ‘darkness’ of “racists assertions” is overshadowed by God’s rays of light, of hope, of help, of courage, of commitment to be His followers who want “Light” over every city, state, and nation in the world – and those ‘rays of light’ are to be His children of redeemed faith, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and declared to be sons and daughters of His eternal family, regardless of the color of a man’s skin!
Where there is EVIL, and racism IS EVIL, there must be the weapons of God’s warfare against it – and His weapons are His own children of faith made strong in the “fruit” of His Spirit! Has it ever dawned on you that as a follower of Christ that you have been commissioned in the midst of a “racist’s time” to stand as a “tool” in His hand to speak Truth to one bound by racial resentment?
All racism, white against black, black against white, is evil deception that needs the renewal of Faith in the Fatherhood of Holy God! Your life, your witness, your relationships WITH ALL people-groups is to BE God’s disc of His infinite, all-inclusive light and love of all men! “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” and, redeeming YOU was to extend His life, express His love, and prove His power!
But some are indifferent to God’s great concern of bringing all people groups together under His Lordship! The nature of fallen men, by choice, is beastly, devilish, self-centered, indifferent to anybody of any color but his/her own. Charles Caleb Colton once wrote: “There are three modes of bearing the ills of life: by indifference, which is the most common; by philosophy, which is the most ostentatious; and by religion, which is the most effectual.” (Sadly, in this 21st Century, ‘effectual religions’ isolate rather than inspire “togetherness under Christ’s Lordship”!). When it comes to “racism”, it endures in many hearts because of, yes, indifference about any of another color than his own; or ostentatious ‘white pride’ or ‘black pride’; or, sad to say, “Religious orientation”, and some who’ve just determined that it’s best just to take care of your own! Really?
Even if the Word in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 instructs to “Abstain from every form of evil”? Sorry! But I believe to be indifferent to those of another color other than your own is the height of religious bigotry, spiritual stubbornness, and ‘piggish prejudice’, with one indulging in another form of evil!
If one promotes separation of the races, how does he/she relate to the “Fatherhood of God”? Ignore His compassion for every life, regardless of race, or ‘self-determine’ that “Holy God understands my prejudices, and He forgives me”? Really? What may be ‘truth’ to you may be criminal in the eyes of God! Just as there are ‘scarecrows’ flying around your sky, it doesn’t mean “God allows Scare-Crows, black or white, to keep the ‘religious’ scared of unveiling God’s heart in the ‘true church’, which I grew up singing about: “red, yellow, black or white, all are precious in His sight”!
I was a pastor for about 22 years before God called me to preach, teach, and evangelize across India mostly, but other nations in Asia and Africa as well. It was never in my “spiritual genes” to choose for myself what nations, cities, or races I was willing to serve – I wanted to be available to every race, because it was for them, as well as me, that Christ Jesus shed His blood on the Cross! We’re not called to tolerate ‘racism’ but to see it transformed into ‘citizens’ of the eternal Kingdom of God, regardless of race, color, or even men’s creeds – we’re captives of the very heart, mind, and will of God! And, MY GOD “SO LOVED THE WORLD”!
Do you understand that whether black or white, red or tan, the imagination of human hearts is evil continually unless there is by God’s grace and love a heart, mind, and will change, fully surrendered to His Sovereignty? I’m sure this is why David wrote in Psalm 37:1-3, “Do not fret because of evildoers (Dare I tell you that “racists” regardless of skin color ARE evildoers?), nor be envious of the workers of iniquity (of vocal racists!). For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good (Yes, it’s time to “do good” in the U.S.A. concerning race relations); dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
We’re called to “The Redeemer’s Atonement” in personal salvation and “new life” ministry and representation and proclamation! An old hymn entitled “Jesus Calls Us”, written in the early 1930’s by Mrs. Cecil F. Alexander and William H. Jude says: “Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult Of our life’s wild, restless sea, Day by day His sweet voice sounds, Saying, “Christian, follow Me.”
Jesus calls us from the worship Of the vain world’s golden store, From each idol that would keep us, Saying, “Christian, love Me more.”
In our joys and in our sorrows, Days of toil and hours of ease, Still He calls, in cares and pleasures, “Christian, love Me more than these.”
Jesus calls us: by God’s mercies, Savior, may we hear Your call, Give our hearts to Your obedience, Serve and love You best of all.”
Jesus calls us, yes! But Jesus also knocks on the doors of mens’ hearts! In Revelation 3:20-22 we read, Jesus speaking, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
And you don’t think sitting with Christ on His throne and listening to His voice would include, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel”? In Matthew 20:27-28 Jesus said: “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
When the call to follow Jesus comes and the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, it’s vital to understand, yes, what He is leading you into after your “New Life” birthing in Christ! Going back to the prophetic Word in Isaiah 53, we hear that “Holy Calling” of ministry service in Jesus’ Name! It says: Isaiah53:11-12, “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My Righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
It’s so interesting to me to hear Christ Jesus say in John 12:26, “If anyone serves Me, let Him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” And, in following Jesus through the Four Gospels, where and what do you find Him doing? Watching, witnessing, ministering, comforting, challenging, confronting, caring, touching His needy world with redemptive ,heart-changing, Life-giving care?
In Acts 1:8 we read, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Local ministry, area ministry, statewide ministry, national ministry, and, yes, world-wide ministry! All disciples are not called and set aside for world-wide ministries, but they are called to support those who are and express His love to every “race” where they are!
Discipleship “in Christ”, yes, DEMANDS availability for Him to be Himself in you and through you for God’s honor, His praise, and the fulfillment of His heart’s desire – “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes (trusts in, relies upon, adheres to) in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
In his book, “My Utmost For His Highest,” (p.198), Oswald Chambers wrote: “The summing up of our Lord’s teaching is that the relationship He demands is an impossible one unless He has done a supernatural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that there be not the slightest trace of resentment even expressed in the heart of a disciple when he meets with tyranny and injustice. No enthusiasm will ever stand the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His worker, only one thing will, and that is a personal relationship to Himself which has gone through the mill of His spring-cleaning until there is only one purpose left – I am here for God to send me where He will. Every other thing may get fogged, but this relationship to Jesus Christ must never be.”
Yet, how many believers, even pastors and their churches, live in a “fogged relationship with no concern for those outside the confines of their local (?) assembly”? ‘Local’ SHOULD highlight for disciples touching one’s needy world around them with the amazing grace of loving, caring God – but it’s so easy and so demonic to be proud of one’s ‘religious self’ without an ounce of concern about the perishing world around them!
Fanny Crosby and William H. Doane published the old hymn “Rescue the Perishing” in “The American Hymnal”, copyrighted in 1933!! Of course, modern-day churches aren’t moved by “classic hymns of Truth”! It says:
“Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, Lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.
Tho’ they are slighting Him, Still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently, He will forgive if they only believe.
Down in the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, Wakened by kindness, Chords that are broken can vibrate once more.
Rescue the perishing, Duty demands it; Strength for your labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way, Patiently win them; Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died.
Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.” Amen?
With all my heart, I believe it’s time for churches, pastors, and all disciples in every corner of God’s globe to examine their hearts and ministries as to whether or not they are committed to and fulfilling His command to “Go into every corner, nook, location, “in His Name”, as His representatives, ambassadors, messengers, “sent ones”, missionaries, faithfully sharing His love, grace, and mercy! ARE YOU?