How should Christians respond when we see discrimination?

Exodus 22:21-22“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. You must not exploit a widow or an orphan.”

Deuteronomy 10:17-19“He [the Lord] is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

Discrimination does not reflect God’s character. As believers, we are called to go out of our way to care for the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society.

Leviticus 19:18“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.”

Ezekiel 33:8-9“If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself.”

Galatians 6:1-2Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

It is unwise to stay silent when we see discrimination. Sometimes, people who are discriminating are merely ignorant and open to correction. Other times, they may be resistant. But whether an individual will accept correction or not, our silence only enables sin to continue.

Galatians 2:11-14When Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?”

When discrimination is taking place in a group context, particularly in a group of believers, public confrontation and correction may be necessary. Peter was not alone in his sin—other Jewish believers were following him. If Paul had confronted Peter privately, all the other believers who saw Peter discriminating and were following in his footsteps might have persisted in their behavior. Paul confronted the behavior in the moment so that no one present was left in doubt about how believers should behave toward one another.

Matthew 18:15-17“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.”

1 Timothy 5:1Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father.

1 Timothy 5:19-20Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others.

Paul was an apostle, and by virtue of that authority, he was better positioned to confront Peter than many of the other believers present. While we should be bold in confronting discrimination, we should also consider the respect we owe the person we are correcting—particularly if that person is in a position of authority over us. Matthew 18 outlines a general step-by-step process for respectfully yet firmly confronting a believer who is sinning.

Matthew 19:13-15One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Luke 19:5-7When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

Romans 12:16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Galatians 2:12When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.

Peter was afraid of how the circumcision group might treat him if he ate together with Gentiles, and Paul confronted him for his cowardice and hypocrisy (Galatians 2:11-21). Jesus was unafraid of what others might think if he took time out of his busy day to bless children (who were considered unimportant) or offer a hated tax collector a second chance. As a result, Jesus was judged by others. Confronting discrimination often means risking being discriminated against ourselves.