WORD OF THE WEEK - "RACE" - 8/18/24

Definition: the descendants of a common ancestor: a group of people sharing a common cultural, geographical, linguistic, or religious origin or background; or
a contest of speed; a person's progression through life or through a period in life.
Scriptures:1 Corinthians 9:24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;Acts 17:26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

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Transcript

Definition: the descendants of a common ancestor: a group of people sharing a common cultural, geographical, linguistic, or religious origin or background; or
a contest of speed; a person's progression through life or through a period in life.
Scriptures:1 Corinthians 9:24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;Acts 17:26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

THOUGHT

The word "race" refers to both a competition where one contestant emerges as the winner and the classification of people based on various criteria, such as color, religious affiliation, or cultural identity. As the United States enters this election cycle, political propaganda highlights biases for and against the diversity of candidates, often based on their race.
Gone are the days when political races in this country present the only possibility for candidacy as a white-American male. Since 2008 there has been a significant rise in the number of people who have run and won political races who are Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Women and LGBTQ+.  A person’s race is no longer a deterrent for inclusion in current political races.
Since the days of Cain and Abel, for over 4900 years, humanity fought for power and acceptance based on religion, culture, class, or geography.  It wasn’t until European colonialization in the 1700’s that the need to justify enslaving and conquering Indigenous and foreign people became necessary. Anthropologists, theologians and others began to define and categorize people based on physical attributes and geographical parameters.
Because God had already identified the chosen people, it was easy for some scholars to theorize that God considered Caucasoids superior to all other races.  These were people from Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of South Asia, characterized by lighter skin, narrow noses, and a variety of hair colors and textures. They were classified as the superior race. This classification justified their assumed authority to expand their territory and rule over those that were classified as inferior.
As a child, I learned in world history that these inferior classifications—Negroid, Mongoloid, Australoid, and Capoid “races”—were widely accepted. These racial characterizations were globally accepted and effectively led to justification for the denial of human rights, and discrimination. 
Within recent history, however, these “race” theories have been dispelled and disproved.  In fact, scientific evidence has proven the Word of God that states in Acts 17:26 that God made from one man every nation of humankind to live on the earth.  There is one race to which every person belongs:  THE HUMAN RACE.With greater global integration humanity is realizing that intellect, ability, knowledge and creative ingenuity is not specific to any particular category or race of people. Although equality has not been fully achieved, global diversity and acceptance is becoming more the norm than the exception. 
As we approach the last days, as many Christians believe, remember that in the last days God promised to pour out his spirit on all flesh.  All will be eligible to receive the promise of salvation as we call on the name of the Lord. 
As you vote, I challenge you to call on the name of God.  The race of the candidate should not matter.  Instead vote for those who care for others, who seek to protect the world and who commit to try to walk honorably and justly.
Your vote should not reflect your opinion about the race of the candidate:It should reflect your commitment to the candidate who is best suited to win the race.
Cast your ballot as a Proxy for God