“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  These are the opening words of the Bible in Genesis 1:1. Sadly, these words have stirred up controversy that rocks the heart of culture today.  Man’s tendency through-out history is to run from the level of accountability that such words imply, often without even realizing that he is on the run. Accountability to an unknown Creator is not a comfortable thought. However, the God of the Bible is knowable and has communicated not only through His creation but also through words that man can understand.

 The Bible’s opening words do much more than stir up controversy. These words and those that follow in the Genesis creation account prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the God of the Bible is not racist. God said “Let us make man in our image.” (Genesis 1:26, Holy Bible) The Bible claims that mankind was created in the very image of God. The Genesis account tells of the creation of one man and one woman from whom sprang forth all the people and nations of the earth. The human race. All the amazing and wonderful varieties of every kind imaginable came from the union of one man and one woman.  The many beautiful skin shades or colors (as some say), make up part of this variety.

Which is most beautiful? When God created man He gave him a mind and this mind has intelligence. Each person forms his own opinions. God made him with that capacity. Interestingly, other theories of the origin of mankind have a hard time explaining where the human mind, with its intelligence and the ability to make choices, came from.

God is not racist. He made “everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, Holy Bible) Man has distorted the issue of variety in appearance. The idea of racism comes from the heart of man, not from the heart of God.   The world goes on under cruel racist ideas advanced by men with agendas on all sides, that can be best promoted by causing division, hatred and violence. The God of the Bible desires unity. Jesus commands His children: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.” (John 13:35, Holy Bible) Followers of Jesus do have accountability but it is for their good and the good of the human race.

Not only is the God of the Bible not racist in His creation of mankind, He also is not racist in His invitation. All are invited to come to Him. The Bible begins with the account of creation by a God who is obviously not racist. It ends with an invitation by this same God. The invitation also is not racist. Revelation 22:17 (Holy Bible, last chapter) contains the following beautiful metaphor: “…And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” This metaphor is a picture of eternal life and the ones who are invited to receive it. The specifications are non-racist: the one who is thirsty, the one who so desires.  God offers eternal life with Him to all who will receive it.

The Bible claims that eternity also will be governed by a God who is not racist. “After this I looked and behold a great multitude…from every nation, from all tribes, peoples and languages, standing before the throne.” (Revelation 7:9, Holy Bible)

The God of the Bible is not racist. He has the answers for the problems of the world today and more importantly, the invitation that decides where every man will spend all eternity.