Why Did God Create
Different Skin Colors?
A blog reader recently submitted the question, “Why did God create different
skin colors?” I think it’s a great question, but my answer may surprise
you. My answer is, God didn’t create different skin colors; He simply
created the genetic possibilityfor different skin colors.
God created Adam. From Adam, God made Eve. In these two people existed all of
the genetic coding necessary for the diversity we see in the human race. I suppose
God loves variety, but God did not create a black man and a white man. God simply
created one man, whose descendants have various similarities and differences
based on the combinations of genes they inherited. Paul said, “[God] made
from one man every nation of mankind” (Acts 17:26).
Most of us probably studied basic genetic science in high school and understand
(to some degree) about dominant and recessive genes. Using basic deduction,
it has been suggested Adam and Eve probably had a “middle-brown”
skin color and carried both recessive genes (to produce white skin color) and
dominant genes (to produce black skin color) [source]. Therefore, their children
could have been black (having only the dominant genes), white (having only the
recessive genes), and brown (having both the dominant and recessive genes).
Within that first family, there was likely a wide variety of skin colors.
But of course, skin color is not the only genetic difference we see between
members of the human race. Hair color, eye color, and even attached or detached
earlobes are all traits determined by our genetic make up. In every family there
is a wide range of genetic variations. A mother may have brown hair, her husband
may have blond hair, and their children may have a variety of hair colors.
But skin color is a unique trait because man has determined that skin color
is a major line of differentiation between different “kinds” of
people (i.e. races). But in reality, skin color is a meaningless and arbitrary
distinction. Why should skin color distinguish one man from another, any more
than eye color or hair color does? Why should a family of redheads forbid their
son from marrying a brunette? Why should a family of blue-eyed people look down
on people with hazel colored eyes? We would think those distinction were ridiculous,
wouldn’t we?
But, when it comes to skin color, we have allowed the exact same type of arbitrary
line-drawing to occur. We have allowed ourselves to be categorized as a different
kind of person because our skin color is different. We have created our own
sub-cultures based on our skin color. Again, imagine how ridiculous it would
be for people with attached earlobes to create their own culture and snub those
with unattached earlobes. This is exactly what has occurred throughout human
history. American slavery and Jim Crow laws, as well as countless genocides
around the world, are examples of this type of horrible, ignorant, and sinful
behavior.
But I’m afraid some, even in the church, are continuing to draw lines
where they ought not to be drawn. Why, for instance, are there towns with a
“white congregation” and a “black congregation”? Two
groups of people, believing and practicing the same things, segregating themselves
over skin color; such a thing should never be! Jesus died to destroy walls of
separation (Ephesians 2:14); not to create them!
I realize there may be some who think I have no right to speak about such things
because I am a “white man.” With all due respect, the color of my
skin has no more to do with my thinking than my eye color or my hair color.
Nor is my thinking the product of “white culture.” My thinking is
based on the word of God. My thinking is based on faith. By faith, I have decided
to “regard no one according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 5:16).
By faith, the only distinction I see is between those who are in Christ and
those who are not.
Will you join me? Will you join me in tearing down the walls of racial division,
especially in the church? Will you join me in refusing to classify different
kinds of people, and simply see all people as having been created in the image
of God?
I love you and God loves you,
Wes McAdams— February 5, 2014
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