Community of Matthew: God created us all in his own image, but why did he create different races, languages, and ethnicities while allowing prejudice?
… every human life has intrinsic value?
“So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female” (Gen. 1:27).
As a child, I vividly recall a drawing of Jesus Christ that was hanging on a wall in my bedroom. I can still remember it, though I no longer have it. What I do remember is what he looked like because I could see if from my bed.
In particular, I remember that he was a brown-skinned man with a particularly-celestial appearance. That was not surprising to me because as I grew older, I realized that Jesus was born in Nazareth of Jewish parents, and people from that area of the world were brown-skinned.
Today, I realize that drawings like that were unusual in America. In fact, from colonial times, those on our continent made every effort to change the color of Jesus from brown to white.
Others later changed his color to black.
However, the interesting problem in the study of Matthew is that color in that book is irrelevant. It is not even mentioned.
Nevertheless, God created different races, allowed people to use different languages, and permitted them to develop a variety of ethnicities.
If we are all made in God’s image, and we know from Matthew that Jesus said that we are to love one another, why is there so much hatred in the world — and in our own country, the United States?
Each life has intrinsic value
One of the difficulties with the movement that calls itself pro-life is that I do not believe that the people in that movement truly value human life. They are strong in their support of fetal life, but once the child emerges from the womb, then they often demonize him or her.
However, every child who emerges from the womb is special. As Matthew shows, we have an obligation to the poor, to the downtrodden, to those who are without parents and sustenance.
Here is an excellent analysis of the value of human life,
Because God created humans in His image, each human life has intrinsic value. That we are made in God’s image means human worth is not based on race, ethnicity, economic status, social standing, or physical attractiveness.
Consequently, the image of God disallows prejudice of any kind.
Prejudice is a sin wherever it raises its ugly head; it is especially appalling in the church and in the hearts of those who call Jesus Lord. James boldly addressed a form of prejudice in the church of his day with the command: “do not show favoritism” (Jas. 2:1). He described those who showed partiality on the basis of outward appearance as “judges with evil thoughts” (2:4).
Later, he addressed the illogical contradiction of using our tongues to bless God while cursing people who are made in the image of God (3:9).
Mike Livingstone, “5 practice implications of the image of God,”
Explore the Bible, January 14, 2019
Note what he says about prejudice. Why is there so much racism in the U.S. and in the world?
Look at what happened after the terrorism of 9/11/2001. Many in the U.S. demonized the Muslim religion and Islamic people are horribly violent.
I conducted an interview with an Iman of an Islamic congregation in the area in which I was living about eight years ago. In it, he said this about the effects of the religious extremist Osama bin Laden and his terrorist associates,
Before [9/11], our religion was always thought of as one of peace. Now, we are condemned by people as being purveyors of violence.
October 2012 Interview
Some of that hatred became more virulent because of their skin color. Regardless of the rationale, it was prejudice.
Compassion for all
The truth is that we will never know why God created people with different races, languages, and ethnicities. However, what we do know is that we are supposed to treat one another with compassion, as I wrote last week about the Good Samaritan.
It means that regardless of what a person looks like or how much money he or she has, we have to treat that individual as we would treat ourselves,
If God created humans in His image, and every life has value, then we cannot ignore those trapped in poverty, trafficking, or homelessness. We cannot ignore the widow or the orphan who bears the image of God. As image bearers of God—protector of strangers and helper of the fatherless and the widow (Ps. 146:9)—we must do something. Has God not told us …
- “Open your hand willingly to your poor and needy brother in your land” (Deut 15:11).
- “Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed. Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy” (Prov. 31:8-9).
- “Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause” (Isa. 1:17).
Jesus taught that our response to the least of this world is in some measure an indication of the validity of the relationship with profess to have with Him. (See Matt. 25:35-45.)
Mike Livingstone, Explore the Bible, January 14, 2019
Conclusion
Many Americans still believe that Jesus, a child of two Jewish parents from Galilee, was a caucasian. However, while that is obviously not true, the reality is that the color of a person’s skin should make no difference if we are born in his own image.
We have to repeat all human life if we want to call ourselves pro-life, whether the people are black, brown, red or yellow-skinned.
Respect everyone in this life because God indeed created all of us in his own image. That is vital to our beliefs as followers of Jesus Christ.
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