Open Letter Concerning the Current Crisis in America
Dr. Pastor David Holt; June 26, 2020
Our nation is in crisis. Starting with the coronavirus, moving to the stay-at-home orders (which has had all kinds of psychological effects on people), then with the economy causing many to feel more fearful and uncertain, finally erupting with the horrendous killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and others. Many blacks have had enough. The pain over years and years and years is surfacing as never before. And many whites are torn in what to do. They want to take action and speak out against true racism, but because so much gets politicized and connected with unbiblical things, they often feel paralyzed.
Here are my thoughts in hopes of bringing some understanding and action:
1. God’s heart is hurting over all of this. His heart aches for the people who have been killed. His compassion goes out to the families and friends of these victims. He is angry at the sin in our nation. He is sovereign, holy, just, loving, merciful, patient, longsuffering, and faithful, among many other wonderfully complex attributes. I cannot begin to imagine all that God feels right now. It is important to try to see current events through the heart and mind of God. I can just picture Jesus in Matthew 23:37 when He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that murders your prophets! You are the city that stones the very messengers who were sent to deliver you! So many times I have longed to gather a wayward people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you were too stubborn to let Me.”
2. God calls us to repentance and faith in His Son Jesus for forgiveness and healing. The ultimate problem is not a skin problem but a sin problem. At the root of racism is pride. The answer to all of this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. More on that later.
3. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of these victims and many more that have suffered under racism and injustice. Everyone who has seen the videos of these killings agrees this is wrong. In the past, after further information came to light, many whites would say, “That looks really bad, BUT …. I feel for that policeman…. They have a really tough job …. Not sure what I would have done in the spur of the moment in that situation …” and then we just trust the legal system will sort it all out. Sometimes they do (literally as I type this the news just announced 3 indictments in the Arbery case), while many times they don’t. We learn later that the system did not treat the black person fairly. And we hope it gets better. But often it doesn’t. We watch movies like “Just Mercy” and we see how many are unjustly punished and incarcerated for crimes they never committed, because some racist had to find a “black person” to blame it on. Our eyes are opening, but we have a long ways to go in seeing the full picture. Most of all, we need the Lord to “bring to light” what has “been hidden in darkness.”
4. What makes these recent killings so “eye opening” for whites is that there isn’t any more evidence we need to see to show us that these killings have no justification. This is why you have more whites protesting over racism than any time in history. And these protests are now international and not just national. Is God shaking the nations to the reality of the sin of racism? Could it be that slavery and racism is the “original sin” of America?
5. We wonder how many more merciless and unjust killings have taken place that were not recorded on a phone and shown to the world? We wonder how many other acts of racism have been swept under the rug. It is likely more deep-rooted than most whites realize. Help us see what You have always seen, Lord.
6. Just recently I was enlightened to a terrible lynching in 1946 that occurred just 8 miles from where I live. I have actually deer hunted on the land right next to where this occurred. What happened on that terrible day in in 1946? Two couples (one 7-months pregnant) were shot 60 times and lynched by a mob of 15-20 white people. The husband of the pregnant couple had just been home for 9 months after serving 5 years in WW2! This is what he gets for serving his country? After 3 different investigations, no one has ever been arrested for this lynching. To read the full account of what happened will make your stomach turn, as well as keep you up at night. I have been to the place where this occurred …. to pray and reflect … and I prayed there yesterday with a group of pastors and intercessors.
7. Returning to the current situation in our nation, God’s Word supports a person standing up for his God-given rights as Paul did in Acts when he was being denied his “rights” as a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28). God’s Word also supports peaceful and non-violent protests to move a nation’s conscience and to work toward the reversal of unjust laws. What Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did during the Civil Rights Movement is an example that should be followed today.
8. God’s Word condemns the violence, looting and rebellion against the authority structures that He has set in place (see Romans 13). One act of evil never justifies another act of evil.
9. Many white Christians want to support their black brothers and sisters and declare “Black Lives Matter,” because they do matter. Black lives do matter. Black lives do deserve fair treatment. Black lives are created in the image of God. Black lives deserve the “right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Black lives deserve the same treatment as white people. At the same time, many whites struggle being connected the to the BLM movement, because of the political connections that this movement has, of which they cannot endorse. The founder of this movement has openly professed to being a Marxist.
10. Many Christians want to support the pain and hurt of blacks, but struggle knowing how to do this when so many protests involve signs that say, “Defund Police”; “Blue Klux Klan,” or the protests links arms with the Gay Pride movement and seeks to make that a civil rights issue also.
11. One only hurts the cause of blacks when protests turn to looting, vandalism, and the taking over of police stations. Therefore, many white and black Christians do not know what to do and feel paralyzed.
12. The idea of “Defunding Police” could result in anarchy. Police reform is one thing, but defunding police departments is not the proper response. I was recently in a meeting where our black Police Chief and black Sheriff told our white Mayor, “We are not in favor of defunding the police department because that will only hurt the blacks in this community.”
13. Unfortunately, so much that is going on gets connected to a political agenda that makes this even more confusing for Christians. Some out of compassion lean left (like my dad!) because they want to help the oppressed. Jesus made it a priority to help and heal the poor, oppressed and marginalized. Others support the right, because they feel it better supports what the Bible says about the unborn and issues of sexual morality.
14. Many evangelical Christians embrace the policies of our President, but disdain his pride, harmful tweets, personal attacks, and lack of unifying leadership. Once again, this leaves them very paralyzed in what to do right now, and who to support and “get behind.”
15. The black community today needs a national leader like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was devoted to biblical truths, compassion, boldness and non-violence. His famous and impassioned “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is worth everyone’s read. He challenged the passivity of the white church in his day.
16. Studying the Christian history of America shows how demonic theology in the church is largely to blame for the sin of slavery lasting for so many years. Had the church, pastors, theologians and others renounced this sin sooner, it may have prevented the Civil War.
17. So with all this said, what can we do? What practical suggestions can we consider?
a. We should condemn racism in all its forms. It is ungodly, demonic, and oppressive to an entire race of people. It is against everything in the nature of God and His Holy Word.
b. We can speak out against racism when we see it, be it from a friend or in society at large.
c. We can stand against injustice. Sometimes we need someone to point it out to us, because we often do not see it due to our white privilege. I know many do not like this term and will resist it, but it simply means that we do have certain privileges and advantages in American by simply being white. This is not our fault. We had nothing to do with being born white, any more than my black brother had anything to do with being born black. God is sovereign over that, and we can both rejoice and embrace the color of our skin. At the same time, due to many factors (many of which were sinful), whites in American do have many privileges that we need to recognize. In general, blacks do have more obstacles to overcome in being successful and achieving the “American Dream” that many whites were simply handed.
d. We can study history so that we understand more fully why racism is one of the original sins of this country. It is deep rooted and demonic due to slavery, Jim Crow laws, etc. Many whites will respond, “But I did not own slaves, so don’t hold me responsible for that, and we are now in 2020 and blacks can do whatever they set their mind to do.” True, you did not own slaves but when you understand how that system has affected the black race, and how much we are still negatively reaping what we have sown through that sin, then you will have more compassion and understanding for where blacks have come from. There are so many carry-overs from this horrible sin. We must understand it like we would if one of our family members were Native American and had to try to overcome all the sins we committed against that race years ago.
e. We can intentionally develop relationships with black people, so that we actually have a friend we can ask in times like this, “What is this like for you? What are you going through right now? How does all this make you feel?” And when we ask these questions, we need to use our two ears and close our one mouth, in order to listen. We need to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12). We need to regard the other person as more important than ourselves (Phil. 2). We need to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6). We need to be slow to speak and quick to listen (Jas. 4). I am preaching to myself as much as to anyone right now.
f. We can pray. God’s heart is moved when we pray, confess our sins and repent, so as to help bring healing in our land. 2 Chron. 7:14 is still God’s prescription for national healing: “If MY people, who are called by MY name, will humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land”.
g. We can even pray for those who killed George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, that they might “come to their senses” and repent before the families and even the world. If they did this, it just might serve to bring some healing.
h. We can reach across political and sociological lines to try to come to some solutions. I don’t know exactly what this would look like, but I am meeting with other pastors and leaders in Athens to work on this. Please pray for this effort. Recently I was in a room with 8 black pastors, 9 white pastors, our Mayor, our black Police Chief, our black Sheriff, and others. It was a very constructive discussion.
i. We can look at the progress that is being made. Sure there is a lot of craziness and extremes mixed in, but all is not bleak right now. Look at what the NASCAR drivers did recently to stand in support of Bubba Wallace. Look at the support that is being shown to the many good police officers. Look at how people are praying, and pastors are speaking on this issue. There is much to be encouraged by. Progress is being made.
j. Ask God, “What would You have me do?” He speaks to those who are sincere and still enough to listen to His “still, small voice.”
18. God is still on His throne, and there is always hope when we keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebr. 12). He can and still does “work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). What Satan means for evil, God can work for good (Gen. 50:20). I know many of you reading this do love God and are called according to His purpose.
19. Jesus prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” must be our pursuit. How can we help bring His kingdom to earth in some of the ways it is already true in heaven? We will not see it fully realized, but we can see it take place a lot more than we currently see.
20. We can all look forward to the day when Jesus will establish the new heaven and new earth, where there will be no sin, Satan, death, racism, division, pride, abuse, tears, pain, etc. What a glorious eternity that will be. Make sure you are saved by trusting in Christ’s shed blood on the cross, so that you will one day experience this.
21. This is worth repeating and closing with: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate answer and solution to all of these problems. For the cross of Jesus grants forgiveness and healing for any sin. The Gospel of Jesus calls one to repent, which results in a change of behavior. The power of the Holy Spirit changes our hearts and enables us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Word of God declares that all people, regardless of race, are created in the image of God. The cross of Jesus breaks down the wall of hostility (Eph. 2), because we are all a part of the human race, and all who are redeemed by the blood are brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 3:1). Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s throne in heaven will be full of people of every tribe, nation, tongue and people (Rev. 5). I cannot wait for that day, but until God calls me home, I want to do all I can to make a difference for eternity. How about you?
