South Carolina’s governor take down Confederate flag

Take Down The Flag?

As you likely know, a tragedy took place recently in Charleston, South Carolina. A young white male dropped in on an African-American church and sat quietly for about an hour. He then stood and opened fire on those who had gathered for a prayer meeting. Before he walked away, he had mortally wounded nine. The shootings, as one might easily guess, were racially motivated.

Among the repercussions from this shooting was an announcement by South Carolina’s governor that the Confederate flag should no longer be flown over the state’s capitol building. That proposal is expected to meet strong opposition.

I realize there are varying opinions on the continued use of the “Stars and Bars,” the flag flown by the Confederate States of America. Some will argue that it’s a question of heritage, not racism. For some, I will grant that is true. Just because someone is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans doesn’t mean they are prejudiced against anyone. If we say they are – before knowing the person – then we are also prejudiced.

Let’s apply Biblical principles to this contemporary discussion. Such a principle is discussed in 1 Corinthians 8. Paul had been asked about whether a Christian should eat meat or not. What made this a challenging issue is that some of the meat sold in markets in Corinth came from animals sacrificed to idols. If a person ate that meat, did that mean he also honored idols?

Paul stated what ought to be obvious to all: “… an idol has no real existence” (verse 4). Simply eating meat doesn’t mean a person believes in an idol. But you have to consider what others think, Paul argued: “… not all possess this knowledge” (verse 7). Some who see you eat that meat might think you also worship the idol, and they might be encouraged to worship the idol. “Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (verse 13).

Walls of separation should be torn down by those who follow Christ (Ephesians 2:14-16). If I find that something I embrace contributes to hostility between races of people, then it is wise for me to reconsider my attachment to it. After all, our aim should be the same as Christ’s – to “create one new man in place of the two” (Ephesians 2:15).

“Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God,” Paul wrote in Romans 14:20, again discussing meat. In the final analysis, there is nothing on earth as precious or vital as the work of God. May Christians always be found working with Him.

Tim Hall