The Black Lives Matter Movement

Today, let’s discuss the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement that has been sweeping the nation and occupying our news cycle.  I am going to center this discussion around a Bible verse.  2 Corinthians 10:3-7 (KJV) says:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.  Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?  If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.

Let’s take this verse by verse and discuss its relevance to this topic.  “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh…”  Parts of our country are starting to look like war zones aren’t they?  Buildings are burning, the national guard is being deployed, businesses are being looted, people are dying, etc.  If you are sitting here the middle of this crisis confused as to whose side you should be taking, or what you should be doing, I’ll make it clear for you with God’s word.  Our enemy is not flesh and blood.  No matter what side of the argument you are on, you should not be targeting people, but rather the spirits and principalities that are ruling in the heart’s of people.  Ephesians 6:10-12 says:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Before you begin to fill up with outrage and get taken away with your anger, I implore you to seek God first.  We are fighting a heavy spiritual battle right now.  It is time for you to pull out your spiritual weapons.  What are your spiritual weapons fellow Christians?  Ephesians 6:17-18 says, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…”  It’s time to whip out the sword of the Spirit and pray like you have never prayed before.  Now you may be thinking, “Ana, please.  Don’t make everything spiritual.  This is about saving black lives.”  Interesting you say that because I have been reading news of these “protesters” setting fire to churches[1][2], swarming churches[3] and beheading statues of Jesus[4].  “Those are just a fringe group of people, Ana.  Obviously the BLM movement doesn’t believe in that.”  Oh, ok.  Well, I did go onto their official website and read the “What We Believe” section.  I took the liberty of providing you with two screenshots from their site (blacklivesmatter.com).

“To love and desire freedom and justice for ourselves is a prerequisite for wanting the same for others.”  Imagine if Jesus thought that too.  Imagine if He set a prerequisite for loving you too.  “We are self-reflexive and do the work required to dismantle cisgender privilege and uplift Black trans folk…”  I don’t know about you all, but I find that homosexuality is quite mainstream these days and promoted in high places.  Try speaking out against a homosexual person and see what happens to you.  “So you don’t support the LGBT, Ana?  Wow, you hateful intolerant bigot!”  Well, I don’t know about your God, but mine doesn’t make any mistakes.  The order He established in the beginning is still His order today (Genesis 1-2).  “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement…”  Hmm, the nuclear family.  Like the one God established in the beginning?  Interesting, interesting.  “Ana, BLM is not an official organization.  That doesn’t represent the movement.”  Sure, sure.  Did you all see the whiteness chart that the National Smithsonian Museum of African American History posted?  Now I have no doubt that there are very sincere people who just want to see black people flourish in America and are truly protesting peacefully after the George Floyd incident, but that is not who is driving the narrative these days.  Can someone tell me how the death of George Floyd due to the actions of a bad police officer turned into dismantling “whiteness”, Western culture and, therefore, our roots in Christianity?  But let’s keep moving forward…

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…”  Right now, you can find videos of some of the most terrible acts of violence.  You can find videos of people being beaten to death and dying during riots.  You can find videos of cops brutally assaulting people.  Whatever you want to see to fuel your anger and reaffirm your beliefs.  You turn on the news or social media and you are hit with the words “racism” and “BLM” everywhere.  Your mind is whirring and your imaginations are running wild.  But you know what?  Sometimes you just have to turn it all off and seek Jesus.  I had to do it too.  When you are starting to feel like everything is out of control and the world is going to end, it is time for you to take out your Bible and pray.  Jesus has already overcome the world (John 16:33).  Do not let the enemy creep into your mind and convince you that Jesus did not already see this coming.  Who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  Who is the Creator of heaven and earth?  What is this situation that God Almighty cannot handle it?

“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”  Are you following God’s commandments and keeping your side of the covenant with Jesus Christ?  If you aren’t obedient to Christ, I don’t trust for a second that you are acting on His behalf.  If you aren’t sure you should be at protest or say something on social media, seek God first.  “But God didn’t say anything.”  Seek Him again.  What?  So you’re just going to do what you want instead?  Don’t claim Jesus when you do and put His name in the gutter.  If you’re going to do you, then do you and keep His name out of your mouth.  And if you can’t justify what you’re doing with scripture, then you shouldn’t be doing it. Ecclesiastes 12:13 makes this clear:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

 “But the scripture is outdated.  God can’t possibly know what to do during a time like this.”  If that’s what you believe, then we don’t serve the same God.  My God has a word that is everlasting (1 Peter 1:25).  It came long before your butt was born and it will be here long after your blaspheming mouth is gone from this earth.  Christianity no longer needs so-called “Christians” like you.  You have done enough to disgrace and tarnish the name of Jesus Christ.  He is the name above every name (Philippians 2:9-11).  He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).  His word should be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Psalms 119:105).  For those of you who believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), let’s keep moving forward.

“Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?  If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.”  Be spiritually minded my dear brothers and sisters in Christ (Romans 8:6).  God gave you discernment (Romans 12:2, 1 John 4:1, Hebrews 5:14).  Are you judging people and situations by how they appear to you?  I thought we were called to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).  Where is your faith?  Where is your discernment?  Do you not know the times that we are in?  We do not fear man, we fear God (Matthew 10:28, Psalms 27:1, Proverbs 1:7).  We are Christians.  That should mean something.  If it does not, why are you here?  Proverbs 24:13-14 says:

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

We are seekers of the truth and we are children of the light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).  God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), but rather He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  Why are Christians walking around in the dark like we don’t have a lamp for our feet and light unto our path?  Why are churches supporting a movement that is tearing down our Christian foundations in this country and in the black community?  I don’t think it’s that hard to figure out. 

Do I support the BLM movement?  No.  They have ignored hundreds of killings of innocent black lives, the riots have destroyed black neighborhoods, they have started to exalt themselves as the superior moral authority in this country and they do not support the truth that is God’s word.  You don’t believe me?  Do your own research.  Look at all sources of information: right, left and center.  Did you hear about the black babies being killed by drive-by shootings in Chicago and New York?  Do you know the names of the black officers killed during the riots?  Have you seen the black business owners who were crying on camera because their businesses were completely destroyed?  How many black people need to suffer and die all in the name of the Black Lives Matter Movement?  Because I love the black community just as much as I love every other, I do not support the BLM movement.  Because I have deep respect for the sacrifices my black grandparents made who lived through the civil rights movement and suffered greatly for the sake of equality, I do not support the BLM movement.  Because I have deep respect for my black grandfather who went to war and put his life on the line to protect this very country, I do not support the BLM movement.  Because I deeply respect my grandmother who immigrated to this country with a bullet wound scar on her ankle from the Korean war and hardly speaking English so she could participate in the American dream; who started her own business and raised her family in a house big enough for each of her children to have their own rooms, I do not support the BLM movement.  These BLM supporters danced on and burned the American flag on the fourth of July chanting, “America was never great!”  How dare they mock and belittle the sacrifices my grandparents made so that I could be here in America in 2020 getting a graduate degree with freedom.  Tears almost well up in my grandfather’s eyes when I tell him about my research.  Lastly and most importantly, I live for Jesus Christ and he said in His word that He died for all (2 Corinthians 5:15), so I do not support the BLM movement.  You can throw all the curses in the world at me.  I will not support a movement that does not honor God.  And for the life of me, I cannot figure out why churches won’t stand and say the same.  In a time like this you should ask yourself a simple question: Who do you serve?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

References

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2020/06/05/st-johns-episcopal-church-historic-church-next-white-house-set-fire-during-protests/
2. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/15/black-lives-matter-protesters-turn-rage-churches-r/
3. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/jesus-statue-beheaded-at-catholic-church-in-miami-dade/2263953/
4. https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-protesters-storm-baptist-church-harass-children-assault-parishioners-hows-your-head-feel-pastor
5. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/07/17/portland_police_officer_what_its_like_to_be_a_black_officer_policing_portland_protests.html