Romberg on the Existence of Races

Salvation changes fallen men’s standing with God but it does not and can not change men’s earthly physiognomy. Not only does the Bible identify the beginnings of races, languages, and nations prior to Christ’s redemption, but it also reveals that these distinctions are maintained after redemption. There are many texts which evidence this truth (some examples are Rev. 7:9; 5:9; 11:9; 14:6; 20:3,8). Christ Jesus maintained this distinction for He sent His disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and later sent Paul to the Gentiles. The distinction is maintained in the person of Christ, for He is the same race or nationality in eternity as He was during His incarnation. The New Jerusalem was let down out of heaven upon the new earth (Rev. 21:1-3) ‘And the nations (ethne) of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; ‘And the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it…. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the Nations (ton ethnon) into it’ (Rev. 21:24, 26) ‘The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it’ show that the distinction is maintained or perpetuated into eternity. God was the one who divided the lands, languages, races, and nations (Gen. 10:5; Dt. 32:8; Acts 17:26). God condemned those who would remove these distinctions (Dt. 7:3; Ezra 9:10; Neh. 9:2; 13:3, 23ff [see Neh. 9-13]. What of those who reject the distinctions God made relative to the races? His Word bears out the results in the passages just mentioned and others (Jud. 6:5-7; Num. 5:1-9; Dt. 7:1-6). Abraham and Isaac forbade that their sons should marry Canaanites (Gen. 24; 27). Some would say that the point is Canaanites were unbelievers. Is that the only factor? Esau’s rebellion was seen in his miscegenation (Gen. 25-28). Is Esau considered a believer? Was Esau, an unbeliever marrying unbelievers? Then what was the factor in his wrongdoing? The Lord did not even teach the amalgamation of fabrics, seeds, creatures, etc. (Lev. 19:19). Certainly, God cannot be charged with racism when He made Israel a chosen nation…. Modern men have so perverted language that racism is a word without a proper denotation and its connotations match the meaning given by the user of the word at that moment in time. Today’s men find it an inconvenience to submit to God’s standards, and thus man lives in a world of flux. Therefore men reject God’s order.

H. Rondell Romberg