Believers Fellowship affirms the following statements on race, justice, and reconciliation:
Image of God
- All people are created in the image of God and have inherent dignity and worth. (Genesis 1:26–28)
- The image of God applies to your body, including the color of your skin. (1 Corinthians 15)
- Racism is a sin because it is a rejection of the dignity inherent in bearers of the image of God. (Proverbs 14:31; James 3:9–10; 1 John 4:20)
Present Realities
- The Church is the body of Christ. When one member hurts, the body hurts with it. (1 Corinthians 12:12–14)
- The sin of racism manifests itself in passive systems. (Acts 6:1–5; Romans 5:12–21)
- The sin of racism also manifests itself in active participation, including acts of violence, ignorance, and refusal to recognize the problem. (1 John 2:9–11, Acts 10:34–35, James 1:15)
Future Hope
- Through Jesus’ death on the cross for sins and resurrection from the dead, God has effected reconciliation, both between God and mankind and between people and each other. This reconciliation is complete but not yet fully realized. (Ephesians 2:14–16)
- The church is the firstfruits of God’s new creation work; a new humanity composed of all nations and peoples. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 7:9)
- The church has been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation; God is making his appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:18–20)
- The ministry of reconciliation involves becoming the justice of God by working for equality, exposing favoritism inherent in systems, and pushing justice out to the margins. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Deuteronomy 25:13–15; Deuteronomy 16:19; Deuteronomy 24:17–18; Deuteronomy 24:19)
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