The following article was co-written with my friend and brother in Christ Derwin Gray.
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What The First Christians Can Teach Us Today
Over the last five years, there have been numerous high-profile trials involving police brutality with members of the African American community. Hate groups abound, and so does the violence associated with them.
Media coverage has heightened passions on both ends. Conversations about race, law, injustice, prejudice, guns, etc. are all being argued and inflamed.
In this article, we don’t want to weigh in on the public debate. Instead, our passion is to encourage God’s people everywhere to transcend the debate that the world is holding on its own terms by seeing ethnicity through the eyes of our Lord.
In the physical realm, there is only one race, the human race, which is comprised of different ethnic groups (Acts 17:26). But that’s not the whole story.
We want you, dear Christian, to take your cue from the New Testament believers, for they can teach us a great deal about this subject.
A Walk Into the First-Century Church
The world of the first-century was littered with racism and oppression. In the mind of a first-century Jew, Gentiles (Africans, Romans, Greeks, Syrians, Asians, etc.) were created to fuel the fires of hell.
When a Jew called a Gentile “uncircumcised,” he spit it. It was a name of profound contempt.
If a Jewish person married a Gentile, the Jewish parents held a funeral service for their child. In their eyes, their child was dead.
On the flip side, Gentiles regarded Jews to be sub-human. Historically, the Jews have been an oppressed people, living under the thumb of one Gentile nation after another (e.g., Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome).
In all of human history, there has never been so much animosity, hatred, and violence between two groups of people as there has been between the Jew and the Gentile.
But alas, in the first-century, there emerged a group of people on the planet who transcended this racial hostility.
Here was a group of people who saw themselves as members of the same family . . . a people made up of Jews, Gentles, slaves, free, rich, poor, male and female.
These were the early Christians. The Roman world stood in awe as they saw a people who hated each other began to love one another and do life together in the Name of Jesus.
Watch them walking into the market place together, arm and arm, singing with joy in their hearts.
Jew and Gentile.
Slave and free.
Rich and poor.
Male and female.
Look at them closely. Jew and Gentile eating together, working together, greeting one another with a holy kiss, raising their children together, taking care of one another, marrying one another, and burying one another.
This fact blew the circuitry of every person living in Century One. It shook the Roman Empire to its very foundations.
The church of Jesus Christ was a classless society. It’s members didn’t regard social status, color, or position. For them, there was no Jew or Greek in the body of Christ. There was no slave or free. There was no rich or poor.
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Colossians 3:11
For the first two hundred years, the Christians only addressed each other by their first names. The reason? Because their last names indicated their social position in society.
Here was a classless, raceless society where all social distinctions were erased.
To their minds, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, rich and poor no longer existed. The early believers saw themselves as part of the same family . They were a new race . . . a colony from another realm, not of or from this earth. Yet for this earth.
How Did This Happen?
Enter Jesus, a prophet from the ill-starred town of Nazareth.
In His humanity, Jesus was Jewish.
But take another look. He was something other . . .
“I am not of this world.”
“The Father sent me.”
“I came from the Father and I will return to Him.”
To borrow the language of Arthur Custance, Jesus Christ was a new species on the planet, a new creation, a new kind of human.
Jesus of Nazareth was the first child ever to break open the womb of a woman who would be part of a new creation. A human being after God’s original thought. A creature who lived by divine life, expressing God’s image in the earth.
And He had a holy intention that was shrouded in a mystery for ages (Colossians 1:25-28; Ephesians 3:2-6).
What was that intention? It was to take over the planet by establishing a colony of His own species on the earth. And He would do it in a way unthinkable to humans and angels.
He would die, rise again, and reproduce Himself, becoming the head of a new race, a new humanity, a new creation.
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24
In His death, Jesus took all social distinction, all racial tensions, all forms of human separation, and He crucified them.
But that’s not all.
In His resurrection, He brought forth a new humanity out of Jew and Gentile, destroying the wall of division and hostility that separated them.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility . . . His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Ephesians 2:14-16
Jesus Christ became the firstborn of a new creation (Romans 8:29).
The Third Race
Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God. 1 Corinthians 10:32
This little passage contains a monumental truth. Before Jesus Christ entered the pages of human history, there were only two races: Jew and Gentile.
But with His resurrection, three races appeared on the planet: Jew, Gentile, and the ekklesia of God.
For this reason, the second-century Christians called themselves the “third race” as well as the “new race.”
The body of Christ, then, is the restoration of God’s original image that creation was designed to bear. An image where there is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
Within this new non-ethnic community, the dividing lines of gender, race, class, and social status are wiped away. And new distinctions of spiritual gifting are bestowed.
Watch how Paul opens his discussion on the functioning of the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12—14.
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12
This passage is perhaps the most mind-bending text in all the New Testament. It destroys all our natural assumptions about the church. If you read the passage quickly, you’ll most certainly skip over its explosive meaning.
Paul tells the Corinthians that, just as the physical body is one unit having many members, so also is Christ. Notice that he doesn’t say, “So also is the body of Christ.”
He says, “So also is Christ.”
In other words, Christ is a body who has many members. Or to put it another way, the church is Christ. While that sounds heretical to traditional ears, this is exactly what Paul wrote.
From God’s perspective, Christ is no longer a single person. He is a corporate person. Christ and the church are a single reality. The church is the bottom half of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s idea is not that the Head is somehow screwed onto the body. His idea is that Christ embodies the church. The risen Christ is a living, inclusive, “more-than-individual” personality.
Put another way, the church is the visible image of the invisible Lord. It is the corporate Christ. It is Christ in collective human expression.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
Mark it down: JESUS CHRIST IS THE MOST UNIFYING PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE!
If Jesus can bring Jew and Gentile together to form a new humanity, He can bring any group of races together.
But here’s a very important question for churches and pastors: Church, if we are racially divided (87% of churches in America are homogenous), how can we heal a racially divided country?
A multi-ethnic local church, fueled by the grace of Jesus, is the ultimate public testimony against racism (Galatians 2:11-21). In reality, a multi-ethnic local church is the future church in the present (Revelation 5:9). Only in close proximity to one another does grace replace racism.
So from God’s standpoint, you, dear Christian, are part of a new race of humanity. You are part of a “new species”—a new humanity (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11; Ephesians 2:15).
In the eyes of God, the church is nothing more and nothing less than Jesus Christ on earth. It’s a new species that’s kin to divinity; a body to the Son and a family to the Father. Kind of His own kind.
It’s no wonder that the dominating image of the church throughout the New Testament is the family. “Brothers,” “sisters,” “mothers,” “fathers,” “new birth,” etc. populate the Epistles when speaking about the ekklesia of God.
In this hour of clenched fists, God is looking for local communities of His people . . . ekklesias of God . . . made up of Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Jew, Gentile, living out of their true identities as members of the new creation.
A people who will know one another, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
A microcosm of the kingdom of God, where all racial and ethnic divides are erased and Jesus Christ becomes our identity.
A model for this world to see what God’s image looks like in visible form.
A people who will provoke the universe to look with amazement and say, “Behold how they love one another.”
Political solutions will only go so far. Adjustments to our laws will always be limited. Nuances to the justice system won’t do enough.
While all of these things are good and we applaud them, they cannot remove racism from the hearts of fallen mortals.
Only Christ can. And His ekklesia can show it forth . . . visible, tangible, touchable, experiential.
This is the “race card” that the early Christians held in their hands. And it is the heritage of all of God’s people today.
The earth awaits such . . .
Click here for all the articles in the Kingdom of God Series
I have read this article several times and shared it several times and it never gets stale, because really deep truth is manna from heaven and it will give you pause moments that will cause you to really think.
When I read this part from the above post “In other words, Christ is a body who has many members. Or to put it another way, the church is Christ. While that sounds heretical to traditional ears, this is exactly what Paul wrote.” I read it a few times and the penny/dime dropped, it was one of those onion skin moments when I had to peel away an understanding that I once held but that moment was like releasing one of those canon balls Frank from my spiritual rucksack 😉
Thank you again for more gold brother.
AMAZING!
Using the term “Race Card” in the title betrays a shocking insensitivity to people of color. Surely a less inflammatory term could be used? Even “Racism and the Early Christians” would address the issue, without being so derogatory.
I am reluctant to share this otherwise insightful article with my African-American friends.
Todd, this article has been read by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world and shared profusely by people of all races (it’s been republished by numerous periodicals since 2013). You are aware that Derwin Gray himself is a “person of color,” right? (He’s the co-author of the article). I’m not sure what your basis is for claiming that the title contains “shocking insensitivity.” Derwin and I don’t find the term “race card” as being derogatory to anyone. It’s a term in common usage today employed by people of all races.
Hi, Frank and Derwin, this is a lovely article.
Beautiful, thank you!
I look forward to reading more.
“Jesus Christ is the most unifying person in the universe” might be the single coolest sentence that I have read today. GREAT article, guys.
This is beautiful I’ve learned so much reading this. It was truly inspiring. But I have a question. What would you say to people who take the scripture of “there is no male or female” to justify same sex relationships and being accepting of that race as well? I am curious about anyone’s thoughts on this. Thank you and blessings.
Frank & Derwin…thank you for this wonderful post. My journey and life experiences have prepared me for a heart that is sensitive to race relations and the needs of the underpriveleged and parentless youth. I didn’t seek out this path but found myself in the midst of this work within my home and family and then looked back in my life to see poingnant moments in my life that prepared me. I have mixed race nephews and daughters who date outside of race. A young black man has lived in our white home for three years finishing high school and now attending college. The insensitivity, lack of understanding, and often anger/hostility that I hear in the voices and posts of some fellow christians regarding race & class (not on this blog), hurts my heart to the point that like-mindedness and fellowship become impossible. Frank & Derwin, your post and the responses of my brothers and sisters in Christ here on this blog are blessings to my heart. Like I tell my children…we are not going to combat these ills by returning hostile arguments, but we must live out our color-full lives in love and joy and success in front of the world and let Christ do his work. Thank you again for presenting TRUTH 🙂
Beautiful
Good article. However, as an African American Christian, I’m concerned that my non black believers tend to hide behind these verses on ecumenical day BUT cannot actually live it out. Reconciliation is work. race and class can not only follow institutions and denominations, but simple meetings as well. plainly a lot of white christians have no Samaria they need to go to.
Jonathan, I am a 47-year-old white woman, married to a white man raising 3 white children 24, 20 & 18. Racism was never tolerated in our home. I have two white/hispanic nephews and my daughters have dated outside their race, both hispanic and black. My oldest daughter’s boyfriend lived with us for 2 years while he finished high school. At the end of his senior year his mother was murdered. He still considers our home his home though he is now a college student/athlete out of town. I say all this to say…unfortunately I have to agree with you. There are many reasons that our family has left the corporate modern church building…and racism in the hearts of so many of our former church family is just one on the list. So many of them do not consider themselves “racist” but when you listen to their hearts when societal issues arise, not only are a large number of them racist, but they are also classist & elitist with little sympathy or empathy for the poor, the fatherless, the needy. Like I tell my children…we cannot battle these ills with harsh frustrated words, but we must live out our life and walk our path so that the love we live our life in might shine just a little. I wish it were different…I wish there was more unity…all we can do is walk on in truth and love. Racism runs totally against godliness…and if a person belongs to Christ…one way or another he will correct a racist heart.
I may be wrong, but I understood from the article (and scripture quoted) that after we decide to be part of this church we are this new creation. This does mean that we stop trying to balance how much there is for white, black or otherwise. If we do not trust a white person then we are still looking through black eyes. If we don’t trust a black person we are still looking through white eyes. The whole message (for me anyway) was that we are given new eyes, the eyes of Jesus. But perhaps I did not get it. What do you think Robyn and Jonathan?
Most excellent. Viewing the world through and living out the vision of the kingdom of God is one of the greatest challenges facing God’s church. Ephesians 2.11-22 is just one passage that needs to be read, digested, prayed through, and ruminated upon on the family of God. Not once. Not twice. But every day. Evangelicals individualize the first half of the chapter (2.1-10) but it is corporate AND for establishes the rational/basis for the New Humanity in Christ Jesus. The “third race.” Thank you for an excellent piece.
Thank you so much for this and all your other posts that keep leading us back to God s eternal plan through Jesus Christ. We live in Nelspruit and have regular fellowship with south african, mozambican, malawian, zambian, zimbabwean, cuban, american, australian, nigerian, jewish, catholic, anglican, methodist and even christian brothers and sisters in Christ. Hallelujah! The Body of Christ is alive and well.
Wow Our Father has uttered such powerful words to his dear children again, He delights when his children hear the message so clear, I am blessed with such a message.
Thanks for hearing from The Father and proclaiming the sound!!
This article is good, and I appreciate it. Although, may I issue a warning often times when people are ask to give up race, really what they are being ask to do is conform to a Eurocentric standard. This was a big problem in early missiology, and can be a threat to so called “multiculturalism” today. God gave us natural attributes, identity, and heritage for a reason, and one should not have to give up wearing a dashiki to come to Christ, neither should one have to give up certain sociological opinions, for instance one brother may believe in reparations, the other does not, does that mean that they cannot come to the same church, of course not. Another example is one sister may think Trayvon was gunned down in cold blood, the other one thinks he was a common thug, can these two sisters not fellowship together, of course not. See, TRUE unity is loving each other past our differences, opinions, and political affiliations, because we are Christians. You are my brother and sister in Christ first, and that love covers a multitude of “sins”, or in this case should I say opinions. 🙂
Lawrence…I agree we do need to be careful while “accepting” each other that we do not make requirements of one another, such as leaving behind ethnic & cultural uniqueness and attributes. That is an assault on God’s very creation.
As far as the example of two sisters with different opinions…I do believe true believers can differ in opinion as many do in the case of Trayvon. What I am having difficulty with is seeing fellow believers who exhibit a great deal of anger and resentment and seem to have little sympathy for the African American experience and do not want to face the reality that racism, even within the Christian community, is still very much alive and well. My prayer and hope is that true believers will have a deeper compassion that transcends prejudice, fear, and personal bias.
Excellent words and greatly needed reminder, especially at such a time as this when racial tensions are so high — even within the church.
Our son-in-law is mixed-race. We love him as much as if he were our own child (I call him our son-in-love), and he and our daughter have given us 3 of the most beautiful grandchildren who ever lived! 🙂 While it’s sad that there are places in our nation it’s best they not consider living because of his race, it’s beyond sad that there are believers who would not receive this wonderful brother who loves Christ, nor his marriage to our daughter or our beautiful mixed-race grandchildren. May it not be so within the body of Christ.
Catherine, I can relate to you. I have mixed-race nephews and my daughters both date outside their race. This generation has opened the heart of our family and expanded our experience in such awesome ways. God is the creator of races, and racism is opposed to godliness.
Best article on race I’ve read. So true, so refreshing. Thank you.
Thank you Sally!
Frank is great brother and scholar; it was my honor to partner with him.
Thanks, guys. Well done, and deeply appreciated! My husband and I are one flesh: me, what people refer to as “black” (yuk!); him, what people refer to as “white” (yuk!). To the Lord and to ourselves— simply people, and better yet, part of the beloved in God the Son, Jesus the Christ. When I hear those who are believed to be servants in the church (whatever might be the color of their skin) fanning the divisive flames of racism from their bully pulpits as vigorously as the non-believers do, while using the cloak of religious language to mask it under the guise of representing God and the Church (!), I grieve, and my husband is disgusted. So together, we pray like crazy. Thank you, thank you, thank you for speaking truth! We have the Holy One to answer to! Nothing compares to the beautiful reality He has created.
T., I appreciate your post. As a mother of daughters who date outside race, I totally agree that racism and all the unacceptance that comes with it is absolutely opposed to godliness, and when I see and hear fellow believers speak and act in anger, frustration, and non-understanding it hurts my heart deeply and causes me to not join in fellowship with them. Racism is not a differing of opionion…it causes one to have such an opposing spirit that like-mindedness becomes impossible.
Yes. Thanks for writing this article, Frank and Derwin.
Marvellous job and powerful blog, Derwin and Frank!
Today Nelson Mandela, political reconciler supreme in explosive ‘apartheid South Africa’ in years gone by and yet also today by his example and values, celebrates his 95th birthday in hospital.
But Jesus is the ultimate reconciler, as you have rightly said. I have been privileged to facilitate organic house churches for the past 7 years in my country, and I can witness to the fact that when Christ is central to all, cultural and political and racial and economic prejudices melt away. In our groups we are witnessing the miracle of Jesus and the gospel on a weekly and even daily basis. In some of our gatherings we have had up to 6 different ethnic groups represented, and from the very well-off to the poorest of the poor. Never, except perhaps in the very early days of our gatherings, have we picked up any ugly and un-Christlike attitudes. Praise be to God!
Awesome, this perspective has been my stance on my walk with Christ for many years, unfortunately running into opposition from “church folk” along the way. Happy to say that I now belong to a local church community that strives to be light in the darkness, unifying in the division and salt to our community and world. I always appreciate your posts and your books Frank. Keep sharing the truth – Jesus Christ is the most unifying person in the universe!
Race; the big elephant in the room maybe especially here in America. We see the answer to it all in the face of Jesus and His people whom He died for to eliminate all barriers of race, creed, etc.
Gal.3:26; 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.
Ephesians. 2; 14 For He himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…
Great post, I love how you both take the perspective/vantage point of Christ as opposed to any other viewpoint. While reflecting on the aftermath of the whole situation it’s sad to see so many of my brothers and sisters get caught in the distractions. I love how you guys point our attention to the Throne and remind us what the original intent of the Lord was before he formed the foundations of the world. I can’t thank you guys enough.
Wow, this is a powerful word from the Lord. It has pierced my heart. I long for the day when different expressions of worship are incorporated in a single worship service. I have a sneaky suspicion that my heavenly dwelling will not be located on White Acres Lane.
Most excellent. Viewing the world through and living out the vision of the kingdom of God is one of the greatest challenges facing God’s church. Ephesians 2.11-22 is just one passage that needs to be read, digested, prayed through, and ruminated upon on the family of God. Not once. Not twice. But every day. Evangelicals individualize the first half of the chapter (2.1-10) but it is corporate AND for establishes the rational/basis for the New Humanity in Christ Jesus. The “third race.” Thank you for an excellent piece.