His Church’s Injustice and Me: A Lengthy Response
- Willem J van Wyk
- Jul 4, 2020
- 9 min read
His Church Pinetown just completed a four-part series entitled: Injustice and Me. I decided to listen to the concluding panel discussion with Simon Hemsley and two other gentlemen whose names I did not catch.
Just a caveat before I begin: The audio was very poor—these things happen, I understand—because of this and the fact that this is a four part series, there is always the distinct possibility that I missed something (I did watch the first one with the T.D. Jakes interview).
The gentleman sitting on the left of the couch could’ve made every point I’ll be making and I would not have known it—therefore I will try to be as thorough as I can and unquestionably welcome correction where I misrepresent the speakers. But I doubt it. I made my observations on the majority of the talk between Simon and the gentleman on the right side of the couch.
I’ll look at three things here:
1. The alarming use of Americanized and politicized Christianity in the talk.
2. A rather concerning absence of scripture in the talk.
3. The impact of the views shared on the Gospel message
American Political Christianity
I know that those who just see the social media posts and simplification on the issue of racial injustice would not have noticed the politically charged buzzwords. The only familiar one was "micro aggressions."
That is a very politically charged word, not to mention a very new one.
“Micro Aggressions” is the invention of a privileged generation that no longer has a real cause to fight for, therefor they need to eliminate “intent” and rather focus on their “hurt feelings”. Surely the scriptures demand a greater emotional fortitude from those following Christ.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Proverbs 29:11 ESV
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
Proverbs 15:18 ESV
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
Even non-Christians, who take “thinking” seriously recognizes this, this is what Jordan Peterson, said on the topic of Microaggressions:
I heard a new term—to my mind at least—as well: Racial Battle Fatigue.
I cannot say that it correlates directly with another, more familiar term but it serves as a transitional term to a very dangerous idea.
The gentlemen of the panel explained how black people suffer fatigue because of the racism, while white people are fatigued because they must endure the conversation about racism. This is just ridiculous and is a ploy to trivialize the real problem bible believing Christians on the other side of this issue is facing.
The problem is that for years their leaders have taught forgiveness, and “…If Christ sets you free, you are free indeed…” Whereas now those same leaders are hinting at the idea that there are some sins only people of color can set white people free from.
The “Racial Battle Fatigue” Simon and the guys discussed here is a bridge to the idea that Christ’s work of justification was insufficient.
And what about the white fatigue? Well, tough because “not engaging in the conversation is trying to hold onto your power…” yet, we can only have the conversation when we recognize my position of power a as a white man and your position of pain b as a black man?
a or White Privilege
b or Black Oppression
So, the invitation reads like this: “Come, Christian brother let us talk about this issue… but before you come and talk recognize that you have wronged me, and therefore only I determine how this conversation should go.
The psychology, philosophy, and predetermined conversation smack of Critical Race Theory, which in its turn is an overtly Marxist ideology.
Simon also said that “…the laws might have changed but the system is the same...”
That is ridiculous, and His Church is a clear indication that the statement is false. Yes, some people are still not financially able to do all things they may want to. And yes, for some this is because their family had been disadvantaged for many generations. But no one can remove them from a building or a beach or a seat on a bus. If you believe that is the same as active oppression then you have swallowed the victimhood of the Black Lives Matter movement hook, line, and sinker without doing any meaningful research.
Simon then mentioned that “White people say... I don’t see color.” White people say? This is not an exclusively white statement.
He then added; “We mean it as a positive affirming statement... but in actual fact...”
So those who say this does not mean it in an affirming way, they are just deceived into believing they do. He is claiming—not in a malignant way, I am sure, but in a reckless manner nonetheless—an intimate knowledge about the heart condition of Christian white men that only God has.
It is quite ironic that he says we should “be clear” about it, since the scriptural reference is as opaque on the context of the conversation as possible.
Romans 16:19b
19 …but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
How does that prove at all that our intended way of saying “I don’t see color”, is actually saying (in Simon’s own words): “I see you as me… it’s almost as if you crossed over… you’ve come to a place where I can relate to you…”
It has absolutely nothing to do with some secret deception in a white man’s heart.
The Absence of Scripture
Now that had been the first mention of scripture in the parts that I could hear, and it was so removed from its own context as well as the context of the conversation that I listened about twenty times to try and see if I did not hear the verse incorrectly.
Alas, no, it was Romans 16:19b.
Later I listened to the “Coming into the light” sermon* where Simon explained the text and what he means, and if I’m honest, by the end the scripture had been so dissected and put back together with secondary synonyms that it no longer resembled the original in any translation.
But even the eisegesis and textual gymnastics employed did not change the fact that in its context the verse is damning of the conversation they were having.
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Have we not already discussed “obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have been taught…”? Don’t you think the ideas conveyed by “Racial Battle Fatigue” and “positions of power and pain” are contrary to the doctrine of Christ’s work:
1 John 1:6-10
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us
Another “barely-mentioned” reference:
“Make Disciples of the nations, but first we have to see the nations for what they are…”
Really?
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Where in the bible does it say we need to first acknowledge the cultural differences before we can disciple a nation. The reason we can disciple a nation is because all authority belongs to the one sending us. And we do it not by understanding them but by baptizing them and teaching them to conform their culture to what Jesus commanded us.
Maybe this is why the old reformed missionaries had such a high degree of success compared to modern missionaries. We become Christian despite our culture.
Galatians 3:25-29
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
So, they hardly gave any scripture references and when they did, those very references defeated the points they were trying to make.
Was I just deceived? Didn’t CBI and His Church place a high priority on scripture? Simon, I want you to know that I am not writing this in malice or with an intention to divide. I am writing this because when I knew you back in the day, I knew you as a man of sincerity and devotion… are you now going to conform to the patterns of this world? (Make no mistake, Critical Race Theory and Black Lives Matter are patterns of the systems of this world) Please show me that the Bible is still the ultimate authority at His Church.
*Unfortunately, this sermon did not cast any light on the discussion talked about here. It was a vague exposition on scriptures referring to darkness, authority of spiritual powers and how we have been brought out into the light. A transcript—removed from the emotion—would show a shameless display of eisegesis. It had no bearing on the things discussed among the three gentlemen in the panel discussion and could not defend their new categories of racism.
Impact on the Gospel
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is this: We as wretched sinners have no redeemable quality to endear us to God, therefore he sent his Son to die on a cross and be resurrected, taking the punishment for our crimes in order that God may set us free and give us eternal life.
That is why, If the Son sets you free you are free indeed… (John 8:36)
Yet now this new racially motivated diatribe says: “No, you White People, with your microaggressions, and your power and your history need to first make restitution before blacks, you need to admit your sins to us first, then we can dwell together in unity.”
Gentlemen, that is a different gospel from the one we find in the pages of Scripture. And maybe it is not very different yet in His Church, but it is on the same trajectory as the gospel we see flowering in the U.S. right now.
To use Simon’s words in a new context: In Christ it is perfectly excellent to see a new Christian of any color as if “they crossed over…” because they did. “…They are more like me…” because we are now both in Christ. We both should’ve cast aside all for the sake of the kingdom
Luke 14:26
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Color and culture are idols in our lives. We must comply with what the Word of God teaches on Race and it is not my side of the argument that has trouble reconciling with scripture. Asking for clarity requires scripture without ambiguity: You did not provide that.
A final thought: No race or culture has the right to set the table and write the minutes for the discussion on racial reconciliation. Christ set it when he went to the cross and rose from the grave. The discussion must center on Him, and the fact that against God and God alone have we sinned. Neither of us were condemned for our sins against each other. Neither of us sit at that table with any real power (Psalm 2) or nearly enough pain. We can only sit there and wonder at the redemption and freedom offered to two people totally depraved, and now totally restored.
Kommentare