The Heresy of Racial Superiority

I have not really kept up with news recently, but based on the news out of Charlotte, I think it is worth reminding ourselves that ideas of racial superiority are not in line with the gospel.

Dr. Mohler has a good article entitled "Letter from Berlin: the lessons of history and the heresy of racial superiority." Below is a section that I wanted to highlight (but the whole thing is worth a read).

We must see claims of racial superiority–and mainly that means claims of white superiority–as heresy. 

That is not a word we use casually. Heresy leads to a denial of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the eclipse of the living God as revealed in the Bible. A claim of white superiority is not merely wrong, and not merely deadly. It is a denial of the glory of God in creating humanity—every single human being–in his own image. It is a rejection of God’s glory in creating a humanity of different skin pigmentation. It is a misconstrual of God’s judgment and glory in creating different ethnicities. 

Most urgently, it is a rejection of the gospel of Christ–the great good news of God’s saving purpose in the atonement accomplished by Christ. A claim of racial superiority denies our common humanity, our common sinfulness, our common salvation through faith in Christ, and God’s purpose to create a common new humanity in Christ. 

You cannot preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and hold to any notion of racial superiority. It is impossible.

Why is this true? Here are a few reasons ideas of racial superiority are antithetical to the gospel:

1. The gospel is predicated on the fact that there is one race - the human race- which began in Adam and in which we all find ourselves dead in sin. All of us are "in Adam" (Rom. 5). 
2. The gospel is the good news of God for our salvation - all of our salvation. Colossians 3:11 tells us that being in Christ is what saves us. When it comes to our salvation we all come to God through Jesus Christ. We are on equal footing. 
3. The gospel restores what was broken at the fall into sin, including a breaking down of hostility between people based on racial differences (Ephesians 2:13-15). 
4. White supremacy (or any other type) is not compatible with the gospel because it is a form of self-righteousness and pride. 

As Christians, as people shaped by the gospel, we must  clearly articulate that all people are created equal.