We, as the Young People’s Society of Edgerton, discussed the subject, “What Place has Segregation and Integration in the Christian’s Life?”
We approached the subject with the four following questions:
What is segregation and integration?
Why do we have it?
Is it right?
Is there any solution?
Segregation is the separation of the three basic races; white, black, and yellow. This separation does not only include schools, but churches and all other public places.
Integration is the dwelling together of the three races as a whole.
Many people attempt to uphold segregation with Scripture by saying that in Genesis 9, Ham received a curse from his father Noah. Since Ham is believed to be the father of the black race, the segregation problem is their curse. In our study, however, we found that it was not Ham who was cursed, but his son Canaan. Further, through a careful study of Genesis 10, we found Canaan to be the father of the many nations in Canaan, who were later destroyed by the Israelites at the end of their exodus. Thus, the curse was fulfilled by the command of God to the Israelites to utterly destroy these nations. Then why, we might ask, has segregation come into our society? We found that segregation became a reality soon after creation at the Tower of Babel. Here, as a result of sin the languages were confused, and nations were separated. Today, the striving of the world for unity, is God’s way of preserving His church. While the world fights with itself, it will not persecute the church. The mention of the wound of the beast in Revelation 13:3 refers to the confusion of languages and the separation of nations. When the wound of the beast is healed, one language will become universal, the world will unite and the anti-Christ will come to persecute the church.
Neither segregation nor integration are right or wrong. Segregation is the result of sin and integration is the result of the world attempting to unite against the church.
In the kingdom and church of God, there is no place for segregation. Scripture points out in Galatians 3:27ff, that we are all spiritual brethren and one in Christ Jesus.