Prejudice And Peace (2)

Tuesday June 9, 2015

God hates sin, but He loves every person who sins. Even though He hates stubbornness and rebellion, God does not hold prejudice against that person.  He still loves them even though they are stubborn and rebellious and wants the best for them if they will turn from their harmful ways and receive His forgiveness.

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  (Matthew 5:43-45 NIV)

One reason for prejudice is past injustice done to us or experienced by someone we love.  None of us are 100 percent correct. None of us can go back and undo the past. No matter how much we would like to, it's impossible to correct the great wrongs of history. Only God can redeem the past. Only God can bring the healing and restoration we need.

Do not judge other people. Then you will not be judged.  You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others. You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye.  How can you say to your friend, “Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye”? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye?  You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.  (Matthew 7:1-5 NIRV)



We have to stop taking inventory of all we, or our ancestors, have lost and stop blaming other people groups for taking away our way of life.   Injustice has been a part of our sinful world from very early on and that’s unlikely to change.  The one true source of healing and help for anger and bitterness and prejudice is acknowledging our own sinfulness and receiving God’s unending forgiveness.  Just because someone sins against us or in a way that is different from the way we sin, it does not make their crime worse than ours.  We all stand guilty before our Holy God.  Even when we were active in our sins, God pursued us with His love and offers us forgiveness, healing and restoration through Jesus’ finished work on the cross. 


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