City Life Starter

“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Genesis 1:26

“He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29

“and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” Colossians 3:11

By Ji Yun

What happened?

Throughout human history, we find that it has been bloody.  Our history is fascinated by wars of the past, where civilization, people groups, culture, and race dominated another until another group took supremacy.  In the Bible, since the beginning of the fall, the human race has been in constant turmoil, where we see plenty of race wars that led to massacres and exiles.  The world’s history is not much different than the biblical narrative, in that all throughout history, humanity has been obsessed with power, domination, and superiority over another race, culture and/or people group.

Academia and history departments all over the world are fascinated by a certain group or cultures that portrayed superiority over others, believing that these superior cultures have brought a much-needed advancement to humanity as a whole.  Here is the problem, though I agree with certain aspects of the advancement of humanity as a whole through one superior culture dominating the other, I am not sure if I can agree with those who led the movements to have the same view of the historians.  Ultimately, millions of lives perished in the name of advancement.  For example, historians believe that Alexander the Great was a great leader who wanted to spread the Greek way of life but would not mention his hunger for domination and conquering other groups.  Adolf Hitler convinced Germans that they are the superior race and that it is their right to dominate the world while attempting to wipe out the Jewish Race.  Joseph Stalin, who started Communism, where millions of lives were lost for the betterment of the Russian race, only to discover later that he was a lunatic whose only concern was his own power and willingness to kill anyone who disagrees with him.

All throughout history, since the fall of man, the history of the world has been in total chaos and we are still dealing with the result of the fall today, especially in regards to race.

In Christian theology, we believe we have been created in the image of God and the likeness of God.  When Adam & Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, we entered into chaos.  The reason is quite simple, though we bear the image of God, the likeness of God has been tainted through obtaining the knowledge of good and evil, because we became our own god per se, that now we decide or determine what is right and wrong.  All throughout history, we see individuals, cultures and race all attempt to be a god, by determining what is right and wrong.

What is it that led one race over the other?  Those who see themselves as superior to the other?  It is all the result of the fall, that one sees themselves above the other and superior to the other while forgetting that God has created us in His image, and all humanity are the image bearers.  When one sees themselves superior race over the other, what they are saying is this, “I am my own god, I determine what I see is right and wrong, and I determine who is superior or not.”

As Christians, I find it to be difficult to observe when our fellow brothers and sisters fall into this trap of racism, and supremacism which is the belief that one race is superior to all others.  I find it troubling to accept the fact that Sunday is the most segregated day in America, where the house of worship is segregated because of our skin colors and socio-economic status.

In the letter to Colossians, Paul’s words resonate well with me, especially in our time:

“and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.” Colossians 3:11

Whether you are black, white, brown, or yellow, whether you believe in Jesus or not, it makes no difference to me, for you are all God’s image bearers.  As Christians, our mission is to take this message of reconciliation to the world, as God through His Son made possible for us to be reconciled to Him.