How can Acts 17:26 guide our view on racial equality and diversity? The Heart of Acts 17:26 “From one man He made every nation of men to inhabit the whole earth, and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.” Understanding Our Common Origin • Every people group descends from “one man.” • The text affirms literal, historical creation: humanity is one family by God’s design. • Because a single ancestor unites us, racism finds no foothold in Scripture. • Genesis 1:27 underscores this unity: “So God created man in His own image…”—divine image-bearers share equal worth. God’s Sovereign Design for Diversity • “He determined their appointed times and the boundaries”: God Himself spread cultures and languages across the globe (Genesis 11; Deuteronomy 32:8). • Diversity is intentional, not accidental. • Cultural distinctions display the creativity and glory of the Creator (Psalm 104:24). Affirming Human Equality in Christ • The gospel erases sinful hierarchies while preserving God-given variety. • Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” • James 2:1-9 forbids favoritism; treating anyone as lesser contradicts faith in the Lord of glory. • Revelation 7:9 pictures a redeemed multitude “from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue” standing together before the throne—eternal proof that ethnic harmony is God’s plan. Practical Steps for the Church Today • Speak truth: remind one another of our shared ancestry and equal value. • Reject prejudice: any attitude or policy that elevates one group above another opposes Acts 17:26. • Celebrate God-given differences through hospitality, shared worship, and cross-cultural fellowship. • Support justice: defend those mistreated because of ethnicity, reflecting Proverbs 31:8-9. • Proclaim the gospel widely, eager to see every people group gathered in Christ, fulfilling the mission of Matthew 28:19. Acts 17:26 roots racial equality and diversity in God’s unchanging revelation, calling believers to honor every person as family, rejoice in vibrant differences, and labor for unity that magnifies the One who made us all. |
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