What Does the Bible Say About Race?

The Unity of the Human Race in Adam

In Acts 1726, the Apostle Paul preached that God made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.

Every single human being is descended from the same man and woman, Adam and Eve, the father and mother of all mankind. Genesis 127 says, so God created man in his own image, male and female he created them.

Since all are made in the image of God and all are descended from the same couple, all are the same race of people. Technically, we're not even different colors. Everyone is just varying shades of brown.

Babel, Human Diversity, and the Spread of the Nations

So how did the nations come to look so different? Well, in Genesis 11, we read about the Tower of Babel, where God confused the languages of men and spread them over the earth. Those who spoke the same languages settled near each other, and over time, they took on distinct physical characteristics.

The nations closer to the equator produced more melanin due to the sun's direct rays, and they became darker in appearance, whereas those who settled further to the north were lighter in complexion. But no matter the tone of your skin or the nation you come from, all are descended from Adam and all have sinned against God.

Christ, the Last Adam, and Salvation From Judgment

So God sent his son, Jesus, in the likeness of sinful flesh, to die on the cross for our sins. All who believe in him will be saved from the judgment of God. The Bible speaks of two races, the race of the first Adam and the race of the last Adam.

All who are in Adam will die, but all who are in Christ will be made alive when we understand the text.