The State of the Church: Two-Class Christianity
In this article, I present what I believe to be an important diagnosis of what is going on in the American Church today. The future direction of churches and Christian ministries hangs in the balance based on the faithfulness, or lack-thereof, of Christ-followers in the present. So this subject is no laughing matter.
Here in the U.S., the church is being infiltrated with the larger debates surrounding cultural issues and racial injustice. As a nation that has experienced tremendous triumphs as well as devastating lows, the conversations are understandably filled with raw emotion and even vitriol. To be clear, living justly is a product of following God, who is just, and is about seeing God’s image-bearers treated with dignity. Because of this reality, believers should take this conversation very seriously.
I believe, however, that much evil is entering the church under the banner of concepts such as love, justice, reconciliation, and unity. All these concepts are Biblical, but often the way that they are promoted today is not based on a Biblical standard, but a worldy one.
The standard used, while very few would admit it, is a standard I call Two-Class Christianity. The idea is that many leaders and influencers place followers of Christ into one of two categories, then make decisions from there. I believe that if you understand this framework, then you understand so much of the direction that many churches and ministries are taking.
But before we look at this Two-Class framework, I want to point your attention to some foundational Scriptures regarding unity and justice.
Racial Unity in the Church
Foundation Scriptures
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. -1 Peter 2:9
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
*Lesson: God has declared and made all believers one people through the blood of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are to see each other as equals under Christ’s headship and should fight for unity based on our being in one spiritual family. If an individual or group sinfully marginalizes another, this situation should be dealt with for the sake of unity. (See Galatians 2). This includes racial dynamics. Of course, the Holy Spirit has given a diversity of gifts and measures of those gifts; so, unity does not mean uniformity. The two concepts should not be confused.
Justice
Foundation Scriptures
2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? – James 2:2-4
“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great but judge your neighbor fairly. – Leviticus 19:15
*Lesson– living rightly in light of God’s character, and viewing others as righteous or unrighteous, requires us to not give favor based on wealth, skin color, cultural background, etc. We are to judge scenarios and people rightly. Then act accordingly. This is justice.
The Two-Class Framework
Two-Class Christianity is a framework that places Christians in one of two categories, and then judges accordingly. (Judges based on appearances and assumptions). For the most part, the two categories are based on one’s ethnicity.
A lens based on this system directly violates the Bible’s law of not judging based on appearance. Therefore, this framework is based on the sin of showing partiality and should be opposed.
I have tried to identify the two classes and then list the implications and logical progressions built into each category. If a believer falls into Category A, for example, then certain things must be true about him, leading to other realities about his life, and so on.
Here are the two classes:
This two-class framework is destroying the Church from within by creating a system of division. It is teaching that division and evil should be assumed, on account of white Christians and ‘white institutions,’ even when there is no evidence and sometimes when no real division is even present! When there is systemic, evil practices that benefit whites and hurt other ethnicities (or vice-versa), of course they should be accurately defined and dealt with. However, the two-class system, which builds itself on the sin of favoritism (and oftentimes racism), is killing the Church.
A Perfect Verse
Here is a verse that sums this ideology’s proponents up perfectly:
“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. 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 naïve (Romans 16:17-18).
I write this in love. In no way am I saying that there aren’t problems among various ethnic groups within the church. There are, as ‘racism’ is really a hate problem that starts in the heart (see Matthew 5:21-26) and makes its way into institutions such as elder-ship, youth ministry, large outreaches, etc. But, the answer to these problems is not to show favoritism toward one skin color or against another. This is, by God’s definition, unjust. Hatred moves in multiple directions, and whites don’t own the premium on this sin.
Scripture teaches that as the body of Christ, we are not to “be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Many historic evils and injustices exist and continue to haunt the church, but the way to fix evil is not to replace it with another type of evil! New creatures in Christ are now one new race! When we have this foundation in mind, we can work out the implications in regard to ethnicity in our local church settings as we seek the wisdom of God (see James 1:5-6). There is hope, and that is in the peace that Christ brings. I certainly have hope that the body of Christ can be united in truth and love, and I hope you do as well.
Last, if you are unsure if these ideas are being promoted, I have provided some example sources that contain some of the themes covered in this article. I am not saying that the articles or their authors promote ever last idea I have presented, but I believe they promote at least some at different points.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/ray-ortlund/three-compelling-questions-for-us-all/
https://sojo.net/articles/white-church-has-been-steady-oppressor
Clarity on Life's Issues, from a Biblical Worldview. 