Here are the devices that the devil uses to cause division and their progression:
- Prejudice: an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
“Judge” (Greek: “krino”) to try someone in your mind or heart (as in a court), render a verdict, condemn, and punish them.
- Discrimination: – treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.
Prejudice in action
- Racism: when prejudice and discrimination are supported and backed by laws; leads to hatred based on prejudice and discrimination.
We must change the laws to eliminate racism and truly make all men equal in the sight of the law.
The spirit of division is evil and demonic.
James 3:13-16 NIV Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (14) But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. (15) Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. (16) For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
We must begin to identify all of these for what they are and call them out. They are evil, plain and simple.
Dr. Phil McGraw says, “You cannot change what you do not acknowledge. If you’re unwilling to acknowledge a thought, circumstance, problem, condition, behavior, or emotion–if you won’t take ownership of your role in a situation–then you cannot and will not change it.”
Proverbs 28:13 TPT If you cover up your sin you’ll never do well. But if you confess your sins and forsake them, you will be kissed by mercy.
The truth is, you can’t really, deeply address racism unless you deal with first two: prejudice and discrimination. Many if not all of us are guilty of these two. We might say we are not racists, but we do practice these to one degree or another.
Why? Because we are people born into a broken and curse-filled world and it becomes part of our nature. We must allow the Holy Spirit to begin to illuminate these dark areas of our lives so the light can shine on them and drive them from our lives.
1 Corinthians 11:31 NKJV (31) For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
I do not believe racism is taught, however, I do believe prejudice and discrimination are taught.
Sometimes, these things are caught and not taught.
Matthew 18:5-6 AMPC And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me. (6) But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.
The Bible clearly condemns all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and racism and views every person as equally valuable.
Here are six Biblical Facts Concerning Racism:
- We are ALL created by God.
Genesis 1:27 NLT So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
- We are ALL Descendents of the same parents.
Genesis 1:28 NLT Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
- Every person is EQUALLY valuable to God.
Galatians 3:28 TPT And we no longer see each other in our former state—Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female—because we’re all one through our union with Jesus Christ with no distinction between us.
Acts 10:34 TPT Peter said, “Now I know for certain that God doesn’t show favoritism with people but treats everyone on the same basis.
- Each person is EQUALLY welcome to salvation in Christ.
1 Timothy 2:4 TPT He longs for everyone to embrace his life and return to the full knowledge of the truth.
- All people will be EQUALLY valuable in Heaven.
Revelation 7:9-10 NLT After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. (10) And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
- We are to love all people unconditionally.
James 2:8-9 TPT Your calling is to fulfill the royal law of love as given to us in this Scripture: “You must love and value your neighbor as you love and value yourself!” For keeping this law is the noble way to live. (9) But when you show prejudice you commit sin and you violate this royal law of love!
Leviticus 19:33-34 NKJV ‘And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. (34) The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Acts 10:28 TPT Peter said to them, “You all know that it is against the Jewish laws for me to associate with or even visit the home of one who is not a Jew. Yet God has shown me that I should never view anyone as inferior or ritually unclean.
The way to kill prejudice and discrimination is at the root:
- Be Born Again.
If you have not been Born Again, then don’t go a step further until you are. Hatred, strife and division are bred into the heart of every person is dead spiritually.
John 8:44 (TPT) “You are the offspring of your father, the devil, and you serve your father very well, passionately carrying out his desires. He’s been a murderer right from the start! He never stood with the One who is the true Prince, for he’s full of nothing but lies—lying is his native tongue. He is a master of deception and the father of lies!
1 John 4:20 NKJV If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
1 John 3:14-15 NKJV We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. (15) Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
You will never be able to truly change unless you have a new spirit, alive unto God, on the inside of you.
- Renew your mind to the love of God in you!
1 John 4:7-13 NKJV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. (8) He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (9) In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. (10) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (12) No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. (13) By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
Romans 5:5 NKJV Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.