One Blood

Acts 17:24–26 NKJV

24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

There has been a lot of talk int he news lately about racial tension and racial disparities

this has also lead some people to begin thinking in terms of race - sometimes postivily, and sometimes not so positively

In fact, there seem to be more racial divisions in the country right now than ever before in our lifetimes

Today I have decided to attempt to address, in very general terms, the concept of races from a biblical perspective -

This is not a subject that I prefer to discuss, and not one that I am comfortable discussing:

I have several reasons for this personally:

It is very difficult to have any opinions at all without offending someone, or having someone take what you say to mean what you did not intend

Some people, black and white, are so sensitive about racial things that they can very easily and quickly misunderstand words and phrases and react negatively -

several examples - “you people”, “ain’t trying to...”

I have decided long ago, for myself, to be race neutral -

as much as I am able, I choose to completely disregard even the concept of race so far as it relates to one person differing from another

I have, in my personal life, attempted to take this to as extreme a length as I can, and I still believe that is what the Lord would have me do

sometimes this can be offensive to others, black and white

Based on this position, it is difficult to even discuss racial issues without departing from the position of neutrality to acknowledge some historical differences

it is not that I believe that these differences have not occured, I just think that that dragging them into the present is often counterproductive, and not helpful to the future

especially not helpful in the calling that God has called me to

nevertheless, there are times when these historical inequities must be considered and acknowledged - I get that also

So, given all of that, why would I be addressing the topic today?

the topic is already on the top of many people’s minds

it is in the news, and driving many events

there are people, and spiritual forces that are driving the conversation in a way that is harmful, and will only get worse of not addressed

People are hurting, and many are afraid, and now is a good time to remind us of our Christian persepctive

Regardless of what our particular political views are, we all need to be reminded of our Christian perspective, and of God’s perspective.

One Blood

The first point I want to make is that God created all of us from “One Blood”.

First: God Created:

everything that exists, exists becasue of God, and without Him there is not anything that was made.

He created the earth, the sun and star, the animals, the seas and you an me.

The evidence to support the biblical account of the creation of the world is overwhelming

anyone wanting to discuss, or debate this, I would welcome the conversation

Second, not only did God create all the things on the earth, He created all the nations of the earth:

the word “nation” here does not mean countries, it means races, ethnic and cultural divisions.

Many people conclude then that God made white people and black people and Hispanic people.

that is not technically correct however.

God did not make black and white and brown and yellow people.

He made “one blood” from which all these people descended. - One blood - One person - Adam

God created one man - Adam

from Adam He created Eve - still one blood

there was in the DNA of Adam and Eve, the traits and characteristics of all people and races, all have descended from them

There is not a single person on planet earth whose family tree does not trace back to the same original parents as mine does.

This may be disappointing to some people who want to feel superior to others by way of their race, but it simply isn’t so

Not only is this a biblical fact, but it has also been scientifically proven beyond a reasonable doubt:

remember when I said that the evidence of the Biblical account of creation is overwhelming: here is just one of the many examples

An article in Sciencemag.com says:

A team led by evolutionary geneticist Eske Willerslev of the University of Copenhagen zeroed in on Australia and New Guinea in what Akey calls a “landmark” paper detailing the colonization of Australia. By comparing Aboriginal genomes to other groups, they conclude that Aborigines diverged from Eurasians . . .after the whole group had already split from Africans. That means Aborigines and all other non-African people descend from the same out-of-Africa sweep,

these scientific studies a few years back came to the same conclusions: that all people on the planet descended from the DNA of one person. In other words “One Blood”!

it absolutely boggles my mind that anyone could learn this and not fall on their face and worship the Lord who made all things!

An earlier study, going back all the way to the 80s traced the mitochondrial DNA of 147 people of divers racial groups to arrive at a similar and equally profound conclusion:

The researchers examined the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) taken from 147 people across all of today's major racial groups. . . . . the geneticists concluded that every person on Earth right now can trace his or her lineage back to a single common female ancestor .. . . .. Because one entire branch of human lineage is of African origin and the other contains African lineage as well, the study's authors concluded Africa is the place where this woman lived.

One of these studies goes on to explain the general area of Africa where they believed that this woman, and man lived, near Ethiopia, and that they crossed the Red Sea and began to settle Eurasia etc.

As fascinating as this is, they then go on to suggest, for no good reason other than to deny God, that these were not the first people on earth, but rather, that all of the other people’s branches eventually had no female offspring, so only this branch survived -

At first I believed this to be just some nonsense they propose to keep from acknowledging God, it is possible - based on The Bible’s account of the flood

all of the people on the earth right now are not only descendants of Adam and Eve, we are also descendants of Noah and his wife. There were probably a great many millions of people who lived on the earth before the flood who were not descended from Noah and His wife - in fact, the Bible makes a specific point to mention hat Noah was “perfect in His generations (could be a reference to genealogy).

In any event, this is absolutely remarkable and one more example where the biblical account, which had been mocked by unbelievers for centuries,is actually proven to be accurate to a t by science.

The fact that this DNA traces to Africa, somewhere around Ethiopia and the Red sea is also consistent with the bible

we do not know where exactly the garden of Eden and original creation was located, but we do know it was a lot closer to Ethiopia than Springfield Ohio

The bible mentions places like the Euphrates river, which we know is located there in the middle east.

We know that Abraham was from the area around Iraq (Ur of the Chaldees) and migrated to present day Israel.

We know that Moses had an Ethiopian wife

I know some Hebrew Israelites who would sure be glad to hear this - but for the wrong reason

so many people just want to hear something that they believe gives them an advantage over another

I often hear people debating what Jesus looked like, whether He was white or black -

the truth is, He was probably neither, but rather middles eastern, Hebrew -

But a more important truth is, that is just does not matter - we should not be trying to convince ourselves that Jesus looked like us, we should be trying to look like Jesus

In fact, I believe that Jesus appears in a number of places int he Bible - and He probably looked different in each case

on the road to Emmaus

As Melchizedek

to Joshua outside of Jericho

and other places

to me, as an elderly man -

So, some people may conclude then that when people were originally created, since it was in what is today Africa, that Adam and Eve were originally black (or brown)

that may be true, and if so, I don’t have a problem with it at all

But the truth is, we still don’t know, even with all this evidence, because we do not know what Africa was like before the flood

I believe that the climate of the whole earth was different before the flood than it is today -

there would have been a vapor canopy around the whole earth - a protection from sunlight’s harmful effects and cosmic radiation

and increase in barometric pressure and oxidation - different magnetic fields, and many other variables

The Sahara desert was probably as lush and beautiful as any rain Forrest

Under these conditions, we don’t know if people were white or black - or something else entirely -

again, I don’t really care at all, but have you ever considered the possibilities?

At creation God beheld everything he created and it was very good

Have you seen all the beauty of the animal of the earth? The Zebras, the Tigers, the leopards, the fish of the sea?

have you seen the peacock, and the Macaw?

What if people were not even one color at all?

perhaps the condition that we call “races” is actually a breakdown of the original beauty that God created

I have KOI - the most beautiful specimans if allowed to breed in an unctrolled environment, eventually will be dull and solid colored, they always revert back to this state within a few generations.

Have you ever seen anyone with Vitiligo?

what if this was more normal?

The important thing to take away from all of this, is that we are all the descendants of one family - there is not one superior to the other

It is true that God has put difference between His people and others, but this difference is based on faith not skin

Acts 10:34–35 NKJV

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

In every nation - every racial or ethnic group - not country

whoever fears God and works righteousness - is accepted

we also find that on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came, there were all kinds of “nations”” represented there.

Acts 2:1–11 NKJV

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

So, here were these people, with all these division, but they all heard and experienced - the wonderful works of God

If we know Jesus, we are all united by the same holy spirit

We all have different histories and life experiences that got us to this point, but we are now all, part of the same Christian family

we are also descended from the same original parents

we have far more in common than we have differences

I realize that there are many people who are hurting, who bare scars, and who have painful memories

I would never be so brash as to tell you to just get over it.

but I would remind you that through Jesus Christ, you have risen above it

I have not walked in your shoes, no you in mine - but yesterday ended last night - today is the only day we have certainty of

Paul said “I bear on my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

he knew what it was to carry scars

I imagine his scars were quite visible, and undeniable - perhaps even gruesome.

Yet, they did not prevent him from loving, and serving - he held no grudges and exacted no revenge

I would not suggest that the past does not matter, that it did not have pain, that it left no scars

but if we have come to Christ, then we are called to the ministry of reconcilliation

2 cor 5:17-19

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

So, as I come to a close, you may be wondering just what my point is today - what is my practical advice?

there is a lot of division in the world - nations against nations

It may not be popular to say this, but there have also been a great many offences on both sides -

yes, I am aware of the history of slavery, and racial oppression in our country, and the fallout from it that still exists

but that does not mena that there are not also white people who have suffered as the result of racial prejudice, and carry scars

there are also a great many people who are afraid - some with reason, many based on unfounded fears that they perceive to be no less true

There are very many people who feel very passionately about some of these things

Even among people who agree that there are tremendous problems, there can be great differences in ideas to correct them

What one person calls law and order another may call systemic racism.

That doe snot mean that one of them is a bigot or racist or anarchist or communist -

people have deep rooted reasons for what they believe -

it will not be changed by throwing insults or shooting arrows

My message to everyone is listen with respect - grow some thick skin and be able to hear people that believe differently than you do

we should be able to hear things we disagree with without becoming so emotional that conversation ends or violence begins

just becasue I listen to you does not mean I have to agree - but I love you enough to allow you to disagree with me, and still love you

These are the last days that Jesus spake of -

we know that there will be nations rising against nations - but if you are a partaker of that - you may very well be one of those who hears Him say - Depart from me

if we are Christians - we should never put our race above our faith

we must never put our politics above our faith

we must never put our pocketbook or convenience above our faith

It must be Jesus first -

in everything He must have the preeminence

Malachi 2:10 NKJV

10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?