Sure, invite the black guy to talk about race

I'm very open to input and suggestions on this blog thing. If you have any ideas, please pass them on. One recent piece of feedback I received was an encouragement to post something uplifting or "good" (as apposed to the harsh and critical content of some of my recent posts). Personally, I feel that criticism IS good and uplifting as it helps to focus our thinking rightly.

However, I do read things I agree with from time to time. Here's one:

T4G - Thabiti Anyabwile

Tim Challies is blogging from the "Together for the Gospel" conference in Louisville, KY. Here's some excerpts from Tim's report of Thabiti's teaching:

He began by saying that “Thabiti” is a Swahili name that, loosely translated, means “Sure, invite the black guy to talk about race.” He began by showing how Genesis does not support race. Solidarity in Adam is usually meant to refer to our sin. But there is more to it. We are all genealogical descendants of Adam. We are also all equally made in the image and likeness of God. The Christian adoption of race as a category was at least in part a response to a crisis in biblical authority...

Genesis 10 actually speaks to the rise of ethnicities, not the rise of races. Race, commonly speaking, posits that there is an essential biological difference between people groups. The difference is rooted in biology. But ethnicity is a fluid construct that includes language, nationality, citizenship, cultural patterns and perhaps religion. Race and ethnicity are different in that ethnicity is not rooted in biology. We can artificially impose categorization on people based on their color. The most fundamental recognition in Scripture is not our difference, labeled as race, but rather our similarity in Adam.

Our union with Christ gives us the basis for a great commonality with other Christians. How does your union with Christ shape you and shape how you see others? Christ’s blood creates a deeper lineage than our genes. Our doctrine of man must be informed by our union in Christ.

Well, was that an encouraging post? I guess Thabiti's talk was critical, but my opinion of it is not. I couldn't agree more. Blood is not thicker than water.

Rev 21:6 -- "And he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.'"