Prejudice

What does God think about prejudice?

God’s Response

[Peter] saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” Acts 10:11-15

The sad truth is that throughout Christian history, the Bible has at times been twisted and used to promote prejudice and bigotry, whereas the Scriptures really cry out for justice and peace in the world. In this vision given to Peter, God was revealing something startling to Peter’s point of view. God was nullifying the Jewish dietary laws to prepare Peter to meet a Gentile (someone who was not a Jew) who was very unlike him and yet a strong fellow believer. God’s message in the Bible is for all people. God calls us to treat all people as he treats them—with love, regardless of their race, language, social standing, or skin color.

This Is Promising

You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Revelation 5:9