1John 5:1-3 ESV Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers basketball team, has garnered the spotlight for his racist rant released by the media. Swift and stern action has been taken by the NBA and consternation for his remarks has been shown universally. What should be the response of Christians?

We have the greatest reasons to challenge and rebuke racism in any and every form.

Theologically, we believe that God created the HUMAN RACE from a single couple, whose DNA have produced all the variety we see among people in the world today. Each and every one of us is linked together at some point in the family tree. All the differences that we exhibit, from language to culture to skin color, do not erase the foundational fact that we are all related, all from a common root, all sharing the same qualities that make us human.

Soteriologically, we understand and accept that Christ died for the sins of the whole world and that his death was an expression of God’s love for the world. God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” The reason missionaries have gone to the remotest parts of the world is to bring to them the message that God loves them and wants a relationship with them. I have found the fact that people who have given support to send missionaries to a certain group of people but would not welcome them into their churches both confusing, contradictory and revolting. The Apostle John makes it clear that love for God and love for others go hand in hand. We can’t rule out one without ruling out the other.

Experientially, we realize that it is wrong to say that we love others and then treat them with contempt, disdain, or lack of concern. I hurt inside when I see people treated unfairly, unjustly, or unkindly. We instinctively understand the concept of the Golden Rule, treating others as you wish to be treated. When we do lash out at people, when we hurt them, when we fail to love them, our consciences convict us that this behavior is wrong.

God clearly communicates his attitude in this matter:

• “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” (Galatians 3:28).
• “God shows no partiality” (Romans 2:11; Acts 10:34).
• “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all” (Romans 10:12).
• In Christ “there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).

He also instructs us:

• “Do not judge by appearances” (John 7:24).
• “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness” (1 John 2:9).
• “If you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9).

Let’s call Sterling’s behavior what it is: SIN. Let’s be careful not to carry a condescending attitude toward others or to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, but let us in humility regard others as more important than ourselves. We are not to gloat, to boast or to flaunt superiority, but we are to walk in humility following the example of our Lord.