The culture is telling us that the path to unity includes "doing the work" of antiracism. How does this compare with the Bible? Monique and Krista answered one of the most common questions they get when they are on the road.
Real Talk About Unity with Krista and Monique
The most common question we get: How do we walk in unity???
First, let's start with an interesting perspective from a recent story that went viral...
Sadly, this story has an unfortunate ending where unity was not achieved. Thankfully, as Christians, we have a better way! Our foundation is Christ and unity IS possible!
Two models in the Christian space:
(1) The "anti-racism" or racial reconciliation model (aka social justice, supportive of the CRT ideology, etc)
(2) The Biblical unity/united in Christ model
As Christians, we look to the Scriptures to understand our identity.
In Ephesians 1-3, we learn about who we WERE (before Christ) and who we ARE now (in Christ). Then, in Ephesians 4, we see HOW to walk in unity, which we like to call "The Father's Household Rules"
Ephesians 4:1-5:
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. "
The Scriptures tell us, as Christians we are ALREADY unified! Unity is not a destination to be achieved. Unity is a starting point of what Christ secured on the cross and what we walk into when we are adopted into His family.
In contrast, the anti-racism/racial reconciliation model leads us into a path of legalism (aka "do the work"). Legalism can be defined as any manmade laws that people try to bind our conscious to as if they are God's laws...for example, the anti-racism "works" to be done in order to be reconciled (ie read the "woke" books, de-center your whiteness, etc).
BUT, Legalism is NOT the same thing as obeying the law of Christ (Matt 28:18-20)
Eph 4 continued:
We are called to put off the old self and put on the new self...this is the restoration of what was lost in Genesis 3.
This is how we WALK in unity!
For example, speak truth (vs 25), be angry and do not sin (vs 26), do not steal; work honestly (vs 28), wholesome talk (vs 29), be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving (vs 32).
17 "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
Another parallel passage is found in Colossians 3: 5-11:
5 "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self[d] with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all."
vs 11 is often misused!
This does NOT mean we are now all the SAME as Christians...we're not all the same ethnicity, we're not all male or all female, etc.
But our IDENTITY is now found in Christ, whether male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile, etc. In other words, our POSITION in Christ is the same.
We still may have ethnic differences or socio-economic differences, but we are ALL children of God, we are ALL members of God's household.
So, with this in mind, we keep reading in Colossians and see how we then walk in unity:
Colossians 3: 12-15:
12 "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."
Simple. Easy to understand. But hard to do!
How do you help Christians following CRT ideology to see that their thinking is faulty?
**Pray (it's truly a work of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and minds)
**Have Bible study with them
**Be patient and listen
**Live out Biblical truth/principles in front of them
**Ask good questions to challenge/make them think critically
The team recommends these resources:
Krista's practical tips for engaging with people who agree with the CRT framework: https://youtu.be/FOmnqjrTVcE
If you missed the Family Meeting this week, Monique had "Woke Story Hour." Be sure to check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP9fxjuW_V8
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