Thabiti Anyabwile: Race and Unity with Adam and Christ

Actually, we very well know that when you bring up ethnicity up in America, it will only lead towards the notion of "races"...don't kid yourself.

Bringing up ethnicities is Biblical, but at the same time (it's still not important), if you were an Israelite, you were an Israelite. Keep in mind the nation of Israel was composed of 12 tribes but ultimately, they were still all Israelite/Jews...

Show me any verse in the Bible that calls Paul a "Jew-Roman".

I believe Paul stated "I am a Roman"...that's because he was born in a province of Rome and he was thereby a Roman citizen..plain and simple. He was nationally Roman. His heritage was Jewish, but that wasn't important...because Paul eventually was forced to share the gospel with the Gentiles.

Despite over 400 years in slavery in Egypt, the Israelites were not "Egyptian-Israelite"

The truth is plain and simple. If you're born in America, a person is simply American..not "African-American"..you can't have two nationalities like that in "ONE nation under God".

Truth be told, I would like to encourage you to take a sample and find out how many 'African-Americans' can speak any language related to Africa other than American English. I guarantee you that a huge majority only speak English and know little about African culture unless they were born there or recently immigrated from Africa to America.

The vast majority of these Americans are simply Americans. No need for bringing up ethnicities to make a distinction because then people will start taking pride in their ethnicities rather than in the fact that they're all humans and that ethnicity is not biologically based but merely a social construct.

If I went overseas and married a foreign woman, lived and died in a foreign country, my children will be of that country's nationality. This is especially if my children continue to live within that foreign country..I don't care what they look like on the outside.

So without further ado, let me revise this:

'We affirm that God calls his people to display his glory in the reconciliation of the nation (you're talking about America here, not Africa) within the Church, and that God’s pleasure in this reconciliation is evident in the gathering of believers from every tongue and tribe and people and nation (every tongue and nation? These so-called 'African-Americans' speak only English..just one tongue...also, just to let you know, you're clearly talking about Americans; i.e. "ONE nation under God"). We acknowledge that the staggering magnitude of injustice against certain Americans (simply because of visible differences like skin tones) in the name of the Gospel presents a special opportunity for displaying the repentance, forgiveness, and restoration promised in the Gospel. We further affirm that evangelical Christianity in America bears a unique responsibility to demonstrate this reconciliation with ALL of our American brothers and sisters. ' (add "because in the Bible, it says we're all of 'one blood' thus as humans, we're all related and should treat one another as such)

Complete revision:

'We affirm that God calls his people to display his glory in the reconciliation of the nation [United States of America] within the Church, and that God’s pleasure in this reconciliation is evident in the gathering of believers within America in order to teach the gospel to every tongue and nation including the lost within our own nation. We acknowledge that the staggering magnitude of injustice against certain Americans simply because of visible differences like skin tones in the name of the Gospel and in an erroneous belief in "races", presents a special opportunity for displaying the repentance,forgiveness, and restoration promised in the Gospel. We further affirm that evangelical Christianity in America bears a unique responsibility to demonstrate this reconciliation with ALL of our American brothers and sisters because in the Bible, it says we're all of 'one blood' thus as humans, we're all related and should treat one another as such. Thus, America can move forward by realizing that the Bible is not a mere book of myths, but a message from the Creator that reveals His will and purpose and ultimately points to our Lord and Saviour: Our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be His name. Amen.

We now understand that placing traditions (such as "I'm proud to be of a certain ethnicity") above the infallible word of God only serves to hinder His will for it is not about us or where our ancestors came from (Do we not have the same Father in heaven?), neither is that of any importance over the "way, truth, and life" shared by Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we now understand that just as although Israel had 12 different tribes, but everyone was still an Israelite, we acknowledge that people are from different parts of the world, but if they are born here, live under our laws, pay taxes, speak American English, etc. they are simply Americans and their true race is just human.

Thus we can now reach other nations around the world more effectively and together as Americans nationally,...plus as brothers and sisters of the same race:

MANKIND

It is by this very important truth that we as Americans can share with the world that if there is only ONE race, there can only be ONE Creator. But if there are different "races" and people take pride in different "ethnicities" it will only result in people resorting to creating impressions/images of different "creators" (false gods) rather than the one true Creator.

Also Genesis 10, doesn't give rise to different 'ethnicities' and ultimately they are divided by nations (i.e. 12 different tribes of Israel but everyone is still Israelites)...it simply describes the generations of families descended from Noah and his family.

But of course ultimately Noah was from Adam and Eve. But before then, there was the Creator...

Genesis 10:1

"Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. "

*Note: It doesn't say "ethnicities" but generations. When the people settled in a certain land area, they identified by the land/tongue/family.

verse 5:

"By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. "

Nation of Canaanites (v.15-19):

"And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

Each tribe/family was listed under the nation of Canaan. They were still Canaanites. Plain and simple. You don't see them listed as "Zemarite-Canaanite" right?

So if Ham settled in Canaan, although you had different families under Ham..they were still Canaanites.

If they settled in Cush, Cushites.

And so forth. I doubt America would apply this principle...anytime soon.

Another really good example would be the continent of Africa itself. Show me any country in Africa besides South Africa, that goes by the name of "African-Zimbawaen" or "African-Sudanese"...

I do believe they go by their nation within that continent do they not?

An Egyptian is an Egyptian. A Sudanese is a Sudanese. A Moroccan is a Moroccan, etc. All of these are just national titles of course, but the truth is very simple.

I really appreciate you for giving me the opportunity to post on your blog sir.

Have a blessed day.