One of the subtle issues of ¹Dispensational Eschatology is "identity politics."
It's not at all obvious on the surface, but when you look closely, this teaching places a certain nation/race on a pedestal above all others. The Jewish race and/or the nation ofIsrael
I am not at all suggesting Israel is unimportant or insignificant. They certainly are very important and played a unique and vital role in God's plan of redemption, as well as on the stage of human history. Nor am I suggesting we should not support national Israel today. Any nation that promotes freedom, especially if surrounded by a region of hostility toward that freedom, deserves our support. But to make an accurate assessment of national Israel's true significance in God's eyes, we must explore God's word. God must be true even if every man is a liar. If you wish to explore this more in-depth click here.
It's not at all obvious on the surface, but when you look closely, this teaching places a certain nation/race on a pedestal above all others. The Jewish race and/or the nation of
I am not at all suggesting Israel is unimportant or insignificant. They certainly are very important and played a unique and vital role in God's plan of redemption, as well as on the stage of human history. Nor am I suggesting we should not support national Israel today. Any nation that promotes freedom, especially if surrounded by a region of hostility toward that freedom, deserves our support. But to make an accurate assessment of national Israel's true significance in God's eyes, we must explore God's word. God must be true even if every man is a liar. If you wish to explore this more in-depth click here.If someone does not view Israel as superior to other nations some will object and ask "Isn't the nation of Israel God's chosen people; special above all others?" The short answer is yes, but to answer that question properly and completely we must ask the bigger underlying questions. e.g. to what end was
The longer answer is they were chosen to be the means by which the promised Messiah came, and he did (though Orthodox Jews believe the Messiah's coming is still future). And He came not just as the Deliverer of the Jews only, but the Savior of the entire world. For a more thorough discussion on this click here.
The general issue with identity politics.
What does any of this have to do with identity politics? In essence, identity politics says one's individual value or worth is determined by one's group, race, nationality, etc. However what many do not consider is when you follow this through logically, it is, in fact, at the heart of racism - i.e. one group or race being superior (or inferior) to all others. This is saying I am better (or worse) than you simply because I belong to a particular race or group. Or, I can do no wrong because I belong to a certain group e.g. a person of color - any color or lack of it - can't be racist because they are the victim of racism. But this is not true, no matter who asserts it. This is a form of group or ethnic supremacy if you will. Not unlike the "white supremacy" label we hear thrown around today. A kind of ²merit-based identity -- exactly the opposite of the message of grace.
What does any of this have to do with identity politics? In essence, identity politics says one's individual value or worth is determined by one's group, race, nationality, etc. However what many do not consider is when you follow this through logically, it is, in fact, at the heart of racism - i.e. one group or race being superior (or inferior) to all others. This is saying I am better (or worse) than you simply because I belong to a particular race or group. Or, I can do no wrong because I belong to a certain group e.g. a person of color - any color or lack of it - can't be racist because they are the victim of racism. But this is not true, no matter who asserts it. This is a form of group or ethnic supremacy if you will. Not unlike the "white supremacy" label we hear thrown around today. A kind of ²merit-based identity -- exactly the opposite of the message of grace.
In God's economy, identity is based on something far greater. God calls us to ground our identity in who we are as His image-bearers first as well as who he has made us to be in Christ, not in our ethnicity, group, gender, culture, worldview, etc. The teaching of the Bible shatters all boundaries of race, gender, or any other difference.
Gal 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
Gal 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 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 3:29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to ³promise.
This above "group" - God's group if you will - is the only group we can ultimately and legitimately base our identity on. Being part of this group has nothing to do with race and everything to do with grace.
This is not a point of pride but humility since it's based on grace and not our ethnicity, culture, efforts, some assumed "birthright" or anything that has to do with humanity seeking to bolster their identity apart from and outside of God, their Creator.
This is also unifying because being an image-bearer of God includes everybody, so in this sense -- the way most define a group -- it is not a group at all because we all belong to it.
Also being remade in Christ's image is available to anybody and will be denied to no one who desires to enter onto this path i.e. it excludes no one and is freely offered to anyone.
These aspects of our identity are determined by no less than God Himself -- the Creator of us all -- making them the only legitimate grounds for our identity and of far greater significance than anything offered or asserted by men.
Ironically those who scream ⁴loudest about racism are usually those who look at the world exclusively through an "identity politics" - i.e. racial - filter. The problem is this creates an "us-them" mindset and division instead of unity.
A lot of accusations about who is being more divisive are thrown around these days. However, if we stop and think about it, we will find identity politics at the heart of this divisiveness, not racism in the classical sense e.g. whites vs blacks, Aryans vs Jews, etc. Those who are least racist are the least likely to think in racial terms - e.g. I am not a brown, white, or black woman or man I am simply a fellow human being created in the image of God, just like you are, regardless or race, gender, age etc.
The truth is we are all created in God's image and our value is not rooted in our group, race, nationality, or gender...at least not in God's eyes. So in the most basic and vital sense, as bearers of God's image, we are all the same in the eyes of God; we are all ⁵equally created to know and experience God in all his beauty, majesty, love, and goodness. We are all members of the human race who have equal access to God in and through Christ and are equally valued by God regardless of group, race, gender, etc.
A lot of accusations about who is being more divisive are thrown around these days. However, if we stop and think about it, we will find identity politics at the heart of this divisiveness, not racism in the classical sense e.g. whites vs blacks, Aryans vs Jews, etc. Those who are least racist are the least likely to think in racial terms - e.g. I am not a brown, white, or black woman or man I am simply a fellow human being created in the image of God, just like you are, regardless or race, gender, age etc.
The truth is we are all created in God's image and our value is not rooted in our group, race, nationality, or gender...at least not in God's eyes. So in the most basic and vital sense, as bearers of God's image, we are all the same in the eyes of God; we are all ⁵equally created to know and experience God in all his beauty, majesty, love, and goodness. We are all members of the human race who have equal access to God in and through Christ and are equally valued by God regardless of group, race, gender, etc.
We see this in the Gospel of John by Christ himself when he said the following to the Samaritan women at the well,
20 (the women said) 0ur fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:20-26
Note Christ said he's seeking people whose heart (i.e. "... in spirit and truth...") is after him, not those who come from any particular group, race, or area i.e. not the heart of a Jew, white, black, yellow, brown or any other particular race but all hearts. When you understand that Samaritans were considered "half-breeds" by the Jews - not unlike the Muggle-born "mudblood", Hermione Granger, in the Harry Potter series - this conversation with a Samaritan woman becomes even more significant.
In addition, he was having a conversation with a woman. Women were considered second-class citizens by that culture and time (but obviously not by Christ). And you certainly didn't hang out with a woman alone, one on one, even in public. This was considered taboo. When you look at the context, this taboo is subtly hinted at by his disciples' response.
Am I saying it is wrong to love our heritage? Not at all. To the degree it honors and displays the beauty and diversity of God, it is a good thing. However, it is not the ground on which we base our identity and worth. There is nothing wrong with cultural diversity. It can be a good thing to display the vast creativity of God. It is just not the ultimate thing we base our identity on.
For a discussion on why and how we must distinguish culture from race click here.
For a discussion on the image of God click here
For a discussion on Dispensationalism click here.
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¹I am not looking to single out Dispensationalism for its own sake but because of its widespread support in the evangelical Christian community, the subtle effect of this view is significant and worth mentioning.
²one group is more valuable than another thereby "earning" or deserving greater respect.
³For more on that promise click here
⁴I'm not saying there is no racism or that racism shouldn't be addressed I'm saying those who see everything through a racial filter (identity politics) are likely the most racist. Those who don't are the most "colorblind."
To say it another way, the most racist among those who read this will likely scream loudest that this article is racist. To assert a person of color can be a racist is taboo or that all "whites" are not automatically racist by being white, will upset some.
⁵This also happens to be the world view of the founders of this nation, even though not fully put into practice initially. However, this view eventually became the impetus and basis for the abolition of slavery. The foundation of truth laid in the founding documents of the "great American experiment" ultimately won out, even though a significant compromise over the equal value of the black man was initially made in order to form a union of the 13 original colonies that later became the United States of America i.e. our nation. Contrary to much of the present-day narrative, most of the founders were opposed to slavery and this compromise. An accurate and revealing depiction of this battle and compromise is shown in the second episode -- titled "Independence"-- in the HBO miniseries "John Adams."
In addition, he was having a conversation with a woman. Women were considered second-class citizens by that culture and time (but obviously not by Christ). And you certainly didn't hang out with a woman alone, one on one, even in public. This was considered taboo. When you look at the context, this taboo is subtly hinted at by his disciples' response.
Am I saying it is wrong to love our heritage? Not at all. To the degree it honors and displays the beauty and diversity of God, it is a good thing. However, it is not the ground on which we base our identity and worth. There is nothing wrong with cultural diversity. It can be a good thing to display the vast creativity of God. It is just not the ultimate thing we base our identity on.
For a discussion on why and how we must distinguish culture from race click here.
For a discussion on the image of God click here
For a discussion on Dispensationalism click here.
______________________________________________________________
¹I am not looking to single out Dispensationalism for its own sake but because of its widespread support in the evangelical Christian community, the subtle effect of this view is significant and worth mentioning.
²one group is more valuable than another thereby "earning" or deserving greater respect.
³For more on that promise click here
⁴I'm not saying there is no racism or that racism shouldn't be addressed I'm saying those who see everything through a racial filter (identity politics) are likely the most racist. Those who don't are the most "colorblind."
To say it another way, the most racist among those who read this will likely scream loudest that this article is racist. To assert a person of color can be a racist is taboo or that all "whites" are not automatically racist by being white, will upset some.
⁵This also happens to be the world view of the founders of this nation, even though not fully put into practice initially. However, this view eventually became the impetus and basis for the abolition of slavery. The foundation of truth laid in the founding documents of the "great American experiment" ultimately won out, even though a significant compromise over the equal value of the black man was initially made in order to form a union of the 13 original colonies that later became the United States of America i.e. our nation. Contrary to much of the present-day narrative, most of the founders were opposed to slavery and this compromise. An accurate and revealing depiction of this battle and compromise is shown in the second episode -- titled "Independence"-- in the HBO miniseries "John Adams."
Wow! Jim great info and packed full of info. You cant deny what the truth says in Gods word. The grass withers the flower fads but Gods word stands forever. Jesus will walk us thru the valley of the shadow of death and speak to us with the light of truth. If we let Him.
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