10/18/2026
Jesus Was Not a Racist, and He Was Not a Hater
I want to speak from my heart about something I believe we desperately need to hear today: Jesus was not a racist, and He was not a hater. And as someone who has dedicated my life to serving people, especially those who have been rejected, forgotten, or pushed aside by society, I believe we need to take a hard look at whether our lives truly reflect the Jesus we claim to follow.
Through my years of ministry and serving people who are struggling with addiction, homelessness, and brokenness, I have learned something important: every person has a story. Behind every face is a human being who needs love, hope, and the opportunity for a better life. I have seen people at their lowest points, and I have seen what can happen when someone refuses to give up on them.
That is why I believe so strongly that we cannot use the name of Jesus to justify racism, hatred, or prejudice.
Look at how Jesus lived. He reached out to people others avoided. In John 4, He spoke with a Samaritan woman despite the racial and cultural divisions of His day. In Matthew 8:5–13, He praised the faith of a Roman centurion. Jesus saw people beyond the labels society placed on them. He saw their hearts, their needs, and their value before God.
And He told us in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies. Think about that for a moment. If Jesus commands us to love even those who oppose us, how can we justify hating someone simply because of the color of their skin, where they were born, or the background they come from?
We cannot preach the love of Jesus on Sunday and practice hatred toward our fellow human beings on Monday. Those two things do not belong together.
I am not saying that we must agree with everyone or approve of everything people do. Jesus never compromised the truth. He confronted sin, challenged hypocrisy, and called people to repentance. But He never gave us permission to hate an entire group of people. We can stand for what is right without stripping others of their dignity.
First John 4:20 reminds us that we cannot claim to love God while hating our brother or sister. That Scripture challenges me, and it should challenge every one of us. Before we point fingers at someone else, we need to be willing to examine our own hearts.
Lisa and I have devoted so much of our lives to serving people who are hurting and searching for hope. Through our work in the community, I have been reminded time and again that people do not need us to look down on them. They need someone willing to stand beside them, speak truth to them, encourage them, and help them find a way forward.
I believe that is what Jesus calls us to do.
I have never believed that a person's skin color determines their worth. I believe our worth comes from the fact that God created us and loves us. No matter where we come from, what mistakes we have made, or how far we have fallen, we are not beyond the reach of God's grace.
The Gospel is not about deciding which people deserve our love. It is about allowing Jesus to teach us how to love people.
My heart aches when I see hatred dividing families, communities, churches, and our nation. I believe we need to stop using faith as a weapon against people and start living our faith in a way that brings hope, healing, and reconciliation.
So I want to ask a question, not just of others, but of myself and every person who claims the name of Christ: Are we treating people the way Jesus treated them? Are we showing compassion to those who are different from us? Are we willing to love people even when it is uncomfortable?
I believe the world is watching, and it needs to see more than our words. It needs to see Jesus in the way we live.
Jesus was not a racist. Jesus was not a hater. He is my Savior, and I believe He calls me to love people, stand for truth, extend mercy, and never forget the value of a human life.
That is the message I want my life to communicate. Not that I am better than anyone else, but that I have been given grace and that I want to extend that same grace to others.
My prayer is that God will continue to change our hearts, heal our divisions, and help us see people through His eyes.
Because if we are going to call ourselves followers of Jesus, then we must be willing to follow His example.
Let's stop asking people to believe that we know Jesus simply because we say His name. Let's live in such a way that they can see His love through us.
With a heart for people and a faith in Jesus Christ,
Pastor Bob
