Articles
Prejudice
Prejudice
By Paul R. Blake
What is ignorance mistaken for reason, the first enemy of information and progress, intellectual blurred vision, the perfect combination of conceit and ignorance, the defense of the Devil, the shield of the petrified mind, and the upper limit of understanding? Let me introduce you to PREJUDICE!
Prejudice is defined as "1) a judgment or opinion formed before the facts are known; a preconceived idea; 2) a judgment or opinion held in disregard of the facts that contradict it; unreasonable bias; 3) suspicion, intolerance or hatred of other races, creeds, regions, occupations, etc." (Webster's New World Dictionary, pg 1122). Paul used a similar word in 1Timothy 5:21: "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." Vines gives the meaning of "partiality" translated from the word prokrima as, "pre-judging; preferring one person, another being put aside, by unfavorable judgment due to partiality" (pg 204). Thayer defines it as, "an opinion formed before the facts are known, a pre-judgment, a prejudice" (# 4299).
Prejudice has existed for most of human history. It has destroyed families, started wars, taken many innocent lives, hindered the spread of the Gospel, and condemned many souls. It is at the root of many of the conflicts currently in existence all over the world. Eastern Europe has Serbians, Muslims, Croats, etc. killing one another in the name of "ethnic cleansing." Prejudice is alive and well in South Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia, Zaire, Kampuchea, South America, Lithuania, and on and on. Prejudice is fueling BOTH sides of the civil rights debate in this country. And appallingly, it is creeping into local churches of Christ. Richard T. Hughes in his book Reviving the Ancient Faith devotes nearly an entire chapter to recounting the absence of minorities in mainstream, digressive churches of Christ. When I was preaching in Arkansas, I had the good fortune to study with a black man who had left a large liberal church. He was told by the elders that there was a church of Christ for Blacks across town and it would be better if he attended there. But, does prejudice exist in sound churches today?
It would be helpful for us to understand that prejudice is not limited to differences in race and color alone. More often than not, I have seen little racial bigotry among professed believers. It is not unusual to see Blacks and Whites, Hispanics and Asians worshipping together harmoniously in the same congregation. God bless them for their brotherly love. However, prejudice can also take the form of division based upon income, education, background, perceived intellectual level, and visible social status. These kinds of prejudices are no less sinful than bigotry over race and color. In fact, it is possible that they are far more dangerous forms of partiality because they are easier to hide and rationalize while they work their evil cancer of malice and hatred. Prejudice over income and social status seems to be the primary form that afflicted the church in the first century. In James 2:1-4 "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?"
It was wrong to judge based on income in the Law of Moses. Leviticus 19:15 "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor."
It was wrong to judge based on social status in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 1:17 "Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it."
It is wrong in the New Testament to judge based on another's moral background. Paul told the Romans that there is no respect of persons with God (2:11), and then went on to rebuke the Jews for boasting about the Law and looking down on the Gentiles for their former spiritual condition (2:17-25).
In fact, the Psalmist uses the example of God to teach us that the high minded know God only at a distance, and the humble are respected by the Lord. Psalm 138:6 "Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off." Solomon said in Proverbs 24:23 "These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment."
James calls prejudice a sin. "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors" (2:9). Understand this, that I can live an exemplary life in all points except... that I love half of my brethren and turn my nose up at the other half... and I will go to hell for it. Peter's apostleship did not exempt him from condemnation for his bigoted behavior. "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all..." (Galatians 2:11-14ff).
Gentle Reader, our Lord died on the cross to do away with distinctions between Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 2:13-18; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:10-11; Acts 10:34-35). Would He be pleased with Christians today who revive differences between brethren over race, background, income, education or status?
Prejudice is condemnation without investigation. It is a great time-saver; it allows us to develop convictions without gathering the facts. Prejudice is a witness to witlessness. One writer records: "light travels at extraordinary speed until it reaches the human mind." I do not have a right to hold any prejudice in my heart; not only will it condemn my soul, but sooner or later it will hurt someone else. The story is told of a close-minded judge who complained of noise in his courtroom. He banged his gavel shouting, "We are going to have more quiet in here. I have had to condemn the last five men without hearing one word of their testimony." The Scots have a tongue-in-cheek prayer they use to illustrate the locked nature of the prejudiced mind: "Oh Lord, may we always be right, for Thou knowest that we will never change."
Gentle Reader, how can the love of God abide in our hearts if we are respecters of persons? 1John 4:16,19-21 "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."
A Moments Wisdom on Prejudice:
--“Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get all of the facts.” (E.B. White)
--“Prejudice is a learned trait. You're not born prejudiced; you're taught it.” (C.R. Swindoll)
--“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.” (M. Angelou)
Upcoming Sermons
7/21/24 - “Are Ya Listenin’ to Me?”; PM - Isms That Ain’t So, Conclusion
7/28/24 AM - Holy Hatred; PM - Demas: From Success to Failure
8/4/24 AM - “Forgive Them, For They Know Not What They Do”; PM - Themed Singing Service
8/11/24 AM - When God Changes His Mind; PM - Exceeding the Righteousness of the Pharisees
8/18/24 AM - “Who is This Son of Man?” PM - Climbing the Tower of Babel
8/25/24 AM - Have You Been Transformed or Just Baptized? PM - Boaz the Redeemer
