John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

One would think that a study of God would be inherently anti-racist and anti-racism, considering that “...God made man in his own image, in the image of God made he him, male and female he made them and blessed them, and called their name Adam” (Genesis 1:27; 5:1-2). 

One should think that Christians would have solidarity among themselves since “...God has made of one blood all nations...” and, more specifically, has a new humanity out of the singular blood of Jesus Christ. Alas, that this is not the case reveals the need for a theology of anti-racism. 

While one could take aim at the historical documents which reveal Christianity’s failure with regards to the gospel relating to people of other ethnicities and cultures—history is replete with documentation of Christianity being co-opted by ethnocentrism, nationalism, and exploitive capitalism—these will not be covered here. The reader is invited to engage in vigorous historical study if these facts are unknown.

Instead, let us reflect on the biblical text itself. John 2 finds Jesus driving out the merchants from the temple, declaring if the temple is destroyed, he can rebuild it in three days and performing other miracles. It ends with people believing in him because of the miracles. In John 3, Jesus is approached in secret by Nicodemas, a believing Pharisee. Jesus tells him he must be born again, of the water and the spirit. Nicodemus is confused, but Jesus doesn’t stop there. He chides Nicodemas for his failure to understand him, asking him how he expects to understand heavenly things, if he cannot understand earthly things.

We now come to an interesting section for consideration:

John 3:14-16  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I want you to notice the parallel. The serpent is lifted up: Jesus must be lifted up. Moses lifted the serpent up: God so loved the world that He gave his Son. 

The story of Moses lifting up the serpent is found in Numbers 21:4-9. The significance of this story for John is not found in the details of the story, but the identity of the people. They are one people, suffering under divine judgment. Moses lifting up the serpent was for the healing of everyone. And thus, God lifting up Jesus was for the salvation of everyone. 

Upon what is this divine lifting based? Love. Love of whom? Any particular ethnic group, culture, race, or gender? Was this love demonstrated in the lifting only for those whose sins are worse than ours? No. 

“For God so loved the world...” That’s all-inclusive, meaning that there is no one that God does not love. Thus racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, classism, and sexism are an assault upon someone that God himself loves. They teach that God does not love everyone. 

God loved the world so much “...that he gave...” The gift of God is for everyone, not just people like you or I. God’s love is so large that he gave a gift. Thus, racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, classism, and sexism present God’s love as only for the few, and seek to block the gift of God from coming to those whom God loves.  

The gift which God gave to those whom he loves so much is the gift of His Son. God gifted his Son to be lifted up for everyone, including those whom I feel are not like me. Thus, racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, classism, and sexism stand in direct opposition to God’s love, as demonstrated in Jesus Christ, making them anti-Christ. 

God, being a God of love, does not coerce. God’s gift is not coercive, but an invitation to “...whomsoever that believeth...” Anyone is allowed to believe and reap the full benefits of this belief. Thus, racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, classism, and sexism seek to restrict belief to the few, and not open it to “whomsoever.” 

The benefits of believing in the love of God, as demonstrated in the gifting of Jesus Christ, as free to whomsoever, is that the believer “shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” The reader is not allowed to think that God is for the Jews alone. That would be ethnocentric and nationalistic. The reader is not permitted to believe that God’s gift is for men alone. That would be sexist. There is no sin list here, signifying that all sinners with all sins are allowed to believe. There are no abominations here. Thus, racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, classism, and sexism would seek to limit the benefits of belief to the few, not open to the whomsoever. 

Why does God take this view? It is found within the first statement of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world...” The world he created, where he said six times it was good. The world into which God created his image, male and female, and said that they were very good. God only created one race of beings: the human race. God commanded the human race, both male and female, to be fruitful and multiply, to replenish, to subdue, and to have dominion over the earth. There were no ethno-racial differences, no national or class distinctions, no gender hierarchy. Humanity was loved by God then, and it as this love that moved God to give Jesus Christ. 

Racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, classism, and sexism all seek to limit the love of God, the gift of God, the Christ of God, the availability of God, the belief in God, and the benefits of God. In short, they seek to replace God, to be God, and to make us believe that we are God. They are supremely antichrist, and should be opposed at every turn.

Jason O'Rourke, MDiv, DMin, is a Seventh-day Adventist ordained minister, who serves as Director of Mission Integration at Littleton Adventist Hospital in Littleton, Colorado. Jason addresses areas of leadership, relationships, racial/cultural competence, trauma and crisis, biblical spirituality and exegesis, and communication. He and his wife Melissa enjoy raising their two daughters, Abrielle Joy and Myla Grace.