By Charles A. Fowler
President, Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City
Like the rest of the nation, I have watched the recent events that have unfolded related to the horrendous killing of George Floyd with heartbreak, sadness, anger and brokenness. We have witnessed a reality in our world that many choose to ignore. This week it has been lived out before our eyes with such clarity that it cannot be overlooked.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I turn first to Scripture to assess my feelings and interpret the situation. I have come to reaffirm some deeply held theological convictions:
• We live in a fallen and broken world
• The only real reconciliation is Gospel reconciliation
• Every person of every ethnicity was created in the image of God
• Racism in all forms is anti-Gospel
• The life of every person is precious and valuable to God
Fowler
To me, as a follower of Christ, to declare that I believe these things is very important. However, the call of Scripture is to show our faith by and through our works. Therefore, our faith is best seen in how we live.
The deeply held biblical truths listed above must be evidenced by:
• Publicly and consistently expressing my love and devotion for Jesus
• Boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only hope for real reconciliation and forgiveness of sin
• Passionately loving my fellow image-bearers of God regardless of ethnicity or background
• Aggressively defending and serving the powerless, the poor, the voiceless and the oppressed
• Tenaciously showing the value Christ places on every life by allowing His love to flow through me to all people
I am still at a loss for words to appropriately describe how I am processing all that is taking place in our world. Communities and families are so broken, and too many people are hopeless and in such great need that I recognize only Jesus can make things right. Saying that is an acknowledgement that my faith in Jesus must be seen in real world ways through my love for others. I pray that my convictions about these biblical truths will shape my commitment to living and loving like Jesus. I pray that our broken world will see the hope and the life that is found in Jesus. I pray that the church, the assembly of all who have surrendered their lives to Jesus, will repent when needed, serve without prejudice, love without a restraint, and live lives that reflect Jesus. Praying for and pursuing these things provide a way for me to get involved in a positive, helpful and Gospel-centered way, with the hope of seeing all that is broken be redeemed through Jesus. B&R
