Confronting Bias Around Us

It seems impossible to go through a day without reading a headline regarding racial tensions in this nation.

This post started out addressing the pervasiveness of racism and how people, of all colors, are very adept in exercising it.

However, racism cannot be addressed without first addressing the source of racism, bias.

We live in a world full of bias.

Recently Starbucks closed down all of its stores to conduct bias training in response to a race-based incident that generated a lot of negative press for the company.

Like most secular organizations Starbucks while being on to something is also woefully missing the full Truth of the matter.

A World of Bias

A good first step would be for us to acknowledge that the world is biased.

PUTTING ON OUR BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW- ACKNOWLEDGING BIAS

Bias is a result of our separation from God.

Our fallen nature combined with rebellion against God at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9) resulted in a divided world where bias came into being.

Due to the language differences people were scattered across the world resulting in different races, cultures, and customs.

These groups developed a bias favorable towards people like themselves and developed an inherent distrust of outsiders.

The affects of this world event continues to this day.

EVERYONE HAS BIASES

No one is bias-free.

Bias exists in everyone

Ecclesiastes 7:20 ESV

20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

WEAPON OF CHOICE OF THE ENEMY

Bias is a weapon of choice for Satan.

In his effort to cause division bias is one of his most devastating weapons.

He started by dividing God and his creation through sin introduced in Genesis 5: 1-5.

His division effort is now aimed within the Church.

Indeed, one of the first problems in the earliest years of the Church was a result of bias.

It is captured in Acts 6:1, “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent.

Acts 6:1 ESV

1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.”

Remember, the church in Acts was as unified as the church has ever been.

However, language and cultural bias invaded resulting in unequal treatment of widows.

There are any number of Proverbs on the issue, but Proverbs 28:21 shows how easily people will yield to Satan’s use of bias.

Proverbs 28:21 ESV

21 To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.

It says, “Showing partiality is never good, yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.”

OVERCOMING BIAS—PROPER SOURCE OF IDENTITY

Bias is a result of mistaken identity.

As we base our identity upon superficial traits such as color, national origin, school attendance, sports enthusiasm, etc. we lose proper perspective of God creating everyone equal in value.

For instance, when we choose to take pride in our race we open ourselves to all the sins associated to pride. Let me explain.

As I base some of my identity and value in being white I automatically degrade the value of others who are different from me.

If race has value, then anyone without my racial characteristic is proportionally less valuable.

This may sound simplistic, but it bears truth in the fruit of everyday living.

Wherever racial pride exists so does racial tension.

Hence, every race that finds value and meaning within its race automatically creates the conditions for racism to manifest.

Racism and bias effects every race.

There is one race, the human race.

Many scoff and roll their eyes at this statement, but it does not make it any less true.

The sooner we become race blind–focusing on the unifying power of one race, one blood, one people–the better off we will be.

Our identity is found in God and God alone.

However, a fallen world causes people to look everywhere other than God for their value.

This hurts us is so many ways.

GOD'S CALL

God provides us the remedy to bias in Galatians 3:27-28, “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

Galatians 3:27–28 ESV

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female.

For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

When we properly find our identity and unity in Jesus Christ, we are then empowered to be impartial and unbiased.

If this single call to unity is not enough I will let God’s Word, in both the Old and New Testament, provide further clarity on the issue.

“Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful.

Always judge people fairly.” Leviticus 19:15

Leviticus 19:15 ESV

15 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.

“…It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.” Proverbs 24:23

“Then Peter replied, ‘I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.

In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.’”  Acts 10: 34-35

“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?

For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, ‘You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor’—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?” James 2: 1-4

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.” 1 Timothy 5:21, NASB

1 Timothy 5:21 ESV

21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

“For there is no partiality with God.” Romans 2:11, NASB

Romans 2:11 ESV

11 For God shows no partiality.

Just as there is no partiality with God so too should there be no partiality in us.

BIAS VS. PREFERENCE

There are complicating factors to this conversation.

For one, how should we address the idea of “preference”?

We all have preferences.

We prefer certain types of music, food, entertainment, worship styles, Bible translations, etc.

Sometimes acting upon our preference creates the appearance of bias.

Nowhere is this more apparent than on Sunday morning, a day where Christians are more divided than on any other day of the week.

To an unfortunate degree, out of a sense of preference, whites tend to attend certain types of church services and blacks attend other services.

A whole host of churches, including Slavic, Polynesian, Hispanic, etc. replicate this trend.

Preferences exist and often cause people with like preferences to come together.

James 2:1–4 ESV

1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Does this preference of church service, often falling along skin color, mean the church is segregated?

Only to the point where a white person walking into a black service might be or genuinely feel unwelcome and vice versa.

Preference is not bias; poor and unwelcome treatment of visitors reveals bias.

Never let your preferences become an excuse to act in a bias manner.

BIAS VS. TRUTH

The second complicating factor in the conversation of bias deals with speaking and standing upon God’s Truth.

The world interprets Christians speaking the Biblical truth on issues such as abortion, marriage, or sexual issues as being bias.

This is wrong and untrue. Jn 17:17

John 17:17 ESV

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Standing for God’s truth appears biased and bigoted in this world only because the world’s stances on these issues are so anti-God.

We must NEVER yield or apologize for siding with God.

However we must try to speak God’s truth in a way that demonstrates God’s grace.

To be certain, there are some who use God’s truth as a bias weapon and use God’s Word in a manner to only cause hurt.

The mature, genuine Christian uses God’s Words in a manner that may cause hurt but ALWAYS points to the healing that comes from Jesus Christ.

2 tim 2:15

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Based on the Center for Christian Civic Engagement article "Universal Nature of Bias." Used with permission.