This organization, advertised as “grass-roots,” is led by a few Northeastern U.S elitist pastors. Its ideas will not appeal to the uneducated, because it is Marxist and deeply ideological at it root. They desire an earthly justice that they must admit will never happen. But “justice” is akin to punishment and coercion—not forgiveness, which is from the Gospel of Christ.
Notice the worldly ideal of “Prioritizing the voices and work of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color).” But shouldn’t we judge all ideas and words by Holy Scripture? Why are certain man-made categories more important by default? Because God’s voice is being ignored—by default. The person speaking doesn’t matter—even if it a donkey—the message must be judged as to whether it is from God or not.
This is a radical attempt to de-center the LCMS—how many of its German founders and initial leaders were “people of color”—which is a terrible, meaningless term? These radicals parading as churchmen won’t admit that they use made-up terms with no support in Scripture. Lack of “color” is something to attack for them. I might have more color in the summer, with a deepening tan, but my righteousness does not increase before God—compared to my pale white complexion in the winter. “Color” to the racial marxists is a way to make an enemy out of basically the entire history of the LCMS.
Rather, we should be grateful for a church that brought us the Gospel—not criticizing and undermining it based on secular ideas. Now, if someone of any tone of skin speaks false doctrine and not according to Scripture, they should be corrected—but not destroyed. But the very false religion of race marxism is evil and should not be appeased or tolerated. They seek justice—but where has years of struggle gotten them? What progress can they show?
It is merely a way to gain power and make other people the problem. God does not divide His children by superficial categories. Within Christ there is no division, into whom we are baptized to be one:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).
Worldly identities are a false Gospel—whether gay or homosexual or punk or goth or white or the antithesis (the good category of color) or good or bad. There is only one Christ, who is our righteousness by faith. So purveyors of race—those making it more important than the holiness of Christ—must repent and lay aside meaningless human identities and social categories. There is only salvation in one name and one category—Christ Himself.
Experiences of sinners cannot save and have no worth before God—since they are the product and culmination of sin. Starting with the problem and elevating it cannot never get to a solution. There is no curating “conversion.” It is a direct call of God to stop sinning yourself and rely on Christ who bled for all sins—so we do not have to meditate on humanity’s injustice—especially imaginary sins.
Those who make much of the characteristics of sinners—and demand worldly recognition—minimize Christ and do not trust the Gospel to achieve God’s kingdom. They act like Christ’s death and resurrection are insufficient—so they add their own racial make-up “justice” to improve the here and now. The only barrier Christ gives His Church authority over is sin—every other earthly one we must wait for Christ to make obsolete. The Gospel deals sufficiently with our guilt—the totality of the world’s, including racial and every other kind. We need no parallel helper-gospel of “racial justice” to boost the true Gospel. It is a false gospel.
Do not treat yourself like a slave-owner or oppressor—even if you have actively done these things—you are now God’s righteous slave. You are forgiven in Christ and have no debt before the Lord. You answer alone to the holy one who is satisfied with you in Jesus, whom you trust. It is a joyous freedom to serve with singleness of mind. God’s justice in law and Gospel is the only one needful. —ed.
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