The gospel of Jesus Christ is clearly directed at the entire human race, regardless of it's perceived levels of cultural or spiritual development.

1. THE FORCE OF THE
GOSPEL
LIVING FREE FROM RACISM IN A RACIALLY DIVIDED WORLD

2. THE GOSPEL OF THE KOG
• The Gospel is the good news to all people.
• It emphasizes the oneness of humanity and that the
Kingdom of God is a universal Kingdom for the blessing of
"every tribe and tongue and people and nation".
Revelation 7:9
• Let us examine some facets of the Gospel related to the
issue of race and show how it includes all races in God's
family.

3. ALL HUMANS ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.
• Although theologians have differing views as to the precise
meaning of what is meant by the image of God, the Bible
says that all humanity has been created in God's likeness.
Genesis 1:26-27
• This is true even after the fall of man. Genesis 9:6

4. • Humanity is created for solidarity and unity in that even the
two sexes are made for mutual complimenting.
• Together they are given the command to rule creation and
subdue the earth.
• Together they were given the image of God.
• Significantly, the only human differentiation recognized in
creation is based on gender, and this differentiation arises out
of fundamental unity and involves interdependence, not
enmity.

5. • Paul’s grounds for the unity of the church is the cosmic
lordship of Christ as seen in creation. Colossians 1:16-18
• The logic of this is that Christ's unifying of creation through his
death finds its expression in the church and thus signifies the
unifying purpose of God for the whole world.
• Consequently, in him "there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or
uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is
all and in all". Colossians 3:11

6. ALL HUMANS HAVE THE SAME ORIGIN.
• Paul's encounter with the Athenian philosophers in Acts
17: 16 - 34 is very instructive for us concerning the status
of the non-Jews.
• The basic force of his message to them was universal in
nature, stressing the unity of the human race: God made
the universe and everything in it.
• He has given life, breath and everything else to all human
beings and all of creation.

7. • From one man he made every nation of men that they should
inhabit the whole earth, and he determined the times set for
them and the exact places where they should live.
• When Paul declares to the Athenians that the "unknown god"
whom they worship is actually the God whom he preaches, he
bases it on the assumption that all men are part of the human
race that God created and has provided for with the means of
salvation.

8. ALL HUMANS ARE SINFUL AND FALL SHORT OF GOD’S GLORY,
ALL NEED SALVATION!
• The unity of the human race at creation is mirrored by its
unity in sin and need for salvation.
• This is not only signified by the picture of our ancestors
being expelled from the garden, but also by Paul's version
of the fall in the opening chapters of the book of Romans.
• Here he makes it clear that the whole of humanity is
contaminated by sin.
• Further clarity is found in his famous statement, "for all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Romans
3:23

9. AN UNIVERSAL FAITH-AN UNIVERSAL KINGDOM
• The Gospel of Jesus is the Gospel of a universal Kingdom
for all humankind to enter into through repentance, faith
and a new birth.
• Both the Old and New Testament emphasize the all-
inclusiveness of God's rule.

10. 1) OLD TESTAMENT
• The purpose of Israel's salvation was to witness to the limitless
power and love of God.
• The community of Israel was called to act and live as a foretaste of
the coming Kingdom of the Messiah over the entire world. Isaiah
49:6
• The election of Israel was not for ethnocentric purposes but for
world redemption. Gen 12:2-3, Isaiah 66:18
• Israel's calling to servanthood is consequently viewed as the
opposite to racial superiority.
• The grace of God is given to his covenant people not according to
their race or any other quality, but solely out of divine love.
• In turn, they are to mediate this to the world. Isaiah 53

11. 2) NEW TESTAMENT
• In the New Testament, we see the principle of universality
radicalized in Christ.
• He speaks out against racial prejudice by attacking anti-
Samaritan views and holding the Samaritan as a model.
Luke 9:54-55; Luke 10:33
• Jesus marvels at the faith of the Roman centurion because
it exceeds anything he has found in Israel.
• Jesus grants the man's request, but before he does, he
makes an outstanding prediction: Matthew 8:11-12
• Jesus clearly anticipates a time where the grace of God will
be extended to countless people regardless of their race.

12. THE BOOK OF ACTS
• In the Book of Acts, the universality of God's grace is most
apparent.
• Prior to his ascension, Jesus promises his disciples that the
Holy Spirit will come and not for them alone but so that the
Gospel might be spread to the nations of the world. Acts 1:8
• The manner of the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of
Pentecost shows that the power of God is for all.
• The symbolism of Babel reversed should not be overlooked.

13. • Interestingly, the early church experiences both the
existence of racially superior assumptions among Jewish
Christians and the biblical responses of the apostles to
counter such assumptions.
• Peter's vision in Acts 10 is of decisive theological and
ecclesiastical significance in that God makes it clear to
him His desire to extend the message of salvation to the
Gentiles because they are a part of God's saving purpose.
• Peter expresses his new understanding of the Gospel in
these words: "I now realize how true it is that God does
not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation
who fear Him and do what is right”. Acts 10:34-35

14. • As mentioned earlier, Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles is also
instructional for us.
• Again, we refer to his encounter with the Athenian
philosophers in Acts 17.
• In his letters, Paul makes it clear that human worth and
salvation are independent of all racial, gender or social
differences.
• People of all races are saved only based on God's grace
through faith. Galatians 3:26-28
• In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul offers a theological basis for
the unity, not simply of the church, but of all people and the
entire created order. Ephesians 1:10

15. • Not only is salvation for all, but there is to be no discrimination
based on nationality.
• Any attempt to construct a doctrine of racial superiority or
hierarchy is a contradiction to New Testament teaching.
• The universality of the Kingdom expressed in the Old
Testament is fulfilled in Christ.
• Believers possess equality before God and one another
because of this revelation they are new beings in Christ.
• Racial equality is God's will for the world and finds its
grounding in his Lordship over it.

16. THE INCARNATION AND TRINITY
• Jesus Christ embodied humanity in all its facets.
• In the incarnate Christ, all racial groupings find
expression.
• He is the principle of solidarity-in-unity personified.
• Therefore, we should not speak of humanity as
composed of different races.
• The human race possesses an essential oneness made
explicit in the incarnate Christ.

17. • From a Trinitarian standpoint, the idea of diversity and
differentiation within unity is fundamental.
• ‘"The essential characteristic of each person is to be for the
others, through the others, with the others and in the others.
• They do not exist in themselves, for themselves: the "in
themselves" is for the others".
• The Incarnation and Trinity supply models for human
relationships, which are distinctly anti-racist.
• They offer theological insights into the structural values, which
should govern relationships between human groupings and
individuals. Leonardo Boff