Jonathan Isaac’s decision to stand doesn’t mean God winks at racism
Some scoffed and others cheered when the NBA’s Jonathan Isaac decided to stand last week as his teammates kneeled in support of Black Lives Matter. I just sighed.
I praised Isaac’s brazen choice to tell the world about Jesus. He leveraged a golden opportunity to share the gospel and relay a powerful message of love and grace — qualities in short supply these days. I also recoiled because I knew what might come next, mainly people using his comments as evidence that dismantling systemic racism conflicts with the gospel.
I disagree. Railing against racial injustice is biblical and necessary if the Church is serious about spreading an equitable gospel that eschews partiality.
Before I go on, here’s a disclaimer: I don’t follow professional sports or athletes. I understand their significance as positive role models, but I’m not a fan. This piece centers less on Isaac’s actions and more on a Black Christian who believes racism is sin the Church can’t ignore.
Now that you understand me, understand this, too: Social justice is interwoven all throughout scripture, as is God’s interest in equity, both racial and economic. (Mishpat, the Hebrew word for justice, appears 421 times in the Old Testament alone. In the biblical context, it refers to rendering a verdict…
