14/06/2020
THE ORIGIN OF THE RACES???
RACES? OR ONE RACE?
Let us see what God says in His Word!
Text: Genesis 1:26-27
Introduction: The Bible does not explicitly give us the origin of the different “races” or skin colors in humanity. In actuality, there is only one race—the human race. Within the human race is diversity in skin color and other physical characteristics. Whatever the explanation, the most important aspect of this is that we are all the same race, THE HUMAN RACE, all created by the same God, all created for the same purpose—to glorify Him.
I. ORIGINS OF DIFFERENT SKIN COLORS: THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBILITIES:
A. The First Possibility Starts with Humanity’s Parents: Adam and Eve.
1. It is possible that Adam and Eve possessed the genes to produce black, brown, and white offspring and everything else in between.
2. This would be similar to how a mixed-race couple sometimes has children that vary in color.
3. Since God obviously desired humanity to be diverse in appearance, it makes sense that God would have given Adam and Eve the ability to produce children of different skin tones.
4. Later, we see that the only survivors of the flood were Noah and his wife, Noah’s three sons and their wives—eight people in all (Genesis 7:13).
a. Perhaps Noah’s daughters-in-law were of different races.
b. It is also possible that Noah’s wife was of a different race than Noah.
c. Maybe all eight of them were of mixed race, which would mean they possessed the genetics to produce children of different races.
B. The Second Possibility is at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11)
1. Some speculate that when God confused the languages at the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), He also created racial diversity.
2. It is possible that God made genetic changes to humanity to better enable people to survive in different ecologies, such as the darker skin of Africans being better equipped genetically to survive the excessive heat in Africa.
3. According to this view, God confused the languages, causing humanity to segregate linguistically, and then created genetic racial differences based on where each racial group would eventually settle.
4. While possible, there is no explicit biblical basis for this view.
5. The races/skin colors of humanity are nowhere mentioned in connection with the tower of Babel.
6. But, at the Tower of Babel, when the different languages came into existence, groups that spoke one language moved away with others of the same language.
a. In doing so, the gene pool for a specific group shrank dramatically as the group no longer had the entire human population to mix with.
b. Closer inbreeding took place, and in time certain features were emphasized in these different groups (all of which were present as a possibility in the genetic code). As further inbreeding occurred through the generations, the gene pool grew smaller and smaller, to the point that people of one language family all had the same or similar features.
II. GOD MADE ONE RACE: THE HUMAN RACE
Acts 17:26, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation”.
“And hath made of one blood all nations of men”.
A. “And hath made” – refers to God as our Creator.
1. Acts 17:24 – “God that made the world and all things therein”. God is the Creator of Mankind.
2. Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”.
B. “Of one blood” –
1. “One” – one source, one origin.
a. All the human race comes from one source, Adam.
b. There is only on race, the human race.
2. “Blood” – refers to life.
a. Genesis 9:4, “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat”.
b. The blood refers to the life of man.
3. This passage completely proves that all the human families are descended from the same common ancestor; and that, consequently, all the variety of skin colors, differences, languages, etc. is to be traced to some other cause than that there were originally different races created.
C. “All nations of men”
1. “Nations” – different ethnos, ethnicity. All the nations have one common ancestor, Adam and Eve.
2. “Men” – Anthropos, mankind.
D. The Design of the Apostle:
1. The design of the Apostle Paul was to convince the Greeks that he regarded them all as brethren; and that, although he was a Jew, yet he was not enslaved to any narrow notions or prejudices in reference to other men.
2. It follows also from this, that no one nation, and no individual, can claim any pre-eminence over others in virtue of birth or blood.
3. All men are, in this respect, created equal; and the whole human family, however they may differ in complexion, customs, and laws, are to be regarded and treated as one race, and as brethren.
4. It follows, also, that no one part of the race has a right to enslave or oppress any other part, on account of difference of complexion.
III. THE SIN OF ETHNOCENTRISM (RACISM)
A. Ethnocentrism is the belief that a particular race or ethnic group is superior to all others and all other races and ethnic groups are to be subjectively measured in relation to that race or ethnic group.
1. It is a system of belief that leads to extreme pride and lack of concern for others.
2. Simply put, ethnocentrism is another name for racism, which has been a plague on humanity for centuries and the cause of the death of millions.
3. There is no place among God’s people for the ethnocentric attitudes which lead to racism.
4. Such attitudes are contrary to Scripture and displeasing to God.
B. Biblically, ethnocentrism is sin.
1. As we have already seen, all men and women are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), although that image is corrupted by sin.
2. It is because we are created in His image that God does not show partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34).
3. Jesus did not lay down His life for a particular race of people, but by His death He “redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ” (Revelation 5:9).
4. The Israelites were ethnocentric by virtue of being God’s chosen people, but His choice was not based on their merit, but on His mercy and grace.
Conclusion: The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came to save the world, both Jews and Gentiles. Paul bears this out by saying, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. ” (Galatians 3:28).
Jesus destroyed all barriers of race and ethnicity with His death on the cross. As Paul said in Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.”
Ethnocentrism, whether based on historical grudges or on the erroneous teachings of men, is wholly contrary to God’s Word. We are commanded to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34), and such a command precludes any discrimination based on race or culture.
