This Martin Luther King Day, I thought it would be appropriate to offer an excerpt from John Piper’s new book on race that I have been reading. The book is entitled, Bloodlines: Race, Cross and the Christian (Crossway, 2011).
In the introduction to the book, Piper quotes from Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” because this letter “provides a window on the mid-twentieth century world of black Americans.” For those of us who didn’t live through the 1960s and the Civil Rights movement, this excerpt should help us better appreciate the significance of MLK day. I also hope it serves to make us all the more aware of the deceitful sin of racism and ever more resolved to root it out of our lives and our families, communities, and churches.
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On Tuesday, April 16, King was shown a copy of the Birmingham News, which contained a letter from eight Christian and Jewish clergyman of Alabama (all white), criticizing King for his demonstration. In response, King wrote what has come to be called “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and which one biographer described as “the most eloquent and learned expression of the goals and philosophy of the nonviolent movement ever written.”
We need to hear the power and insight with which King spoke to my generation in the sixties–enraging thousands and inspiring thousands. The white clergy had all said he should be more patient, wait, and not demonstrate. He wrote:
Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your 20 million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society;
…when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she’s told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people;
…when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son who is asking, “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”; when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging sings reading “white” and “colored”; when your first name becomes “Nigger,” your middle name becomes “Boy” (however old you are) and your last name becomes “John,” and your wife and mother are never given the respected title “Mrs.”;
…when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness”–then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience.”
To the charge that he was an extremist, he responded like this:
Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”? Was not Amos an extremist for justice: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”? Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus”?
Was not Martin Luther an extremist: “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God”? And John Bunyan: “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.” And Abraham Lincoln: “Thus this nation cannot survive half slave and half free.” And Thomas Jefferson: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” So the question is not whether we will be extremist, but what kind of extremist we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?
And finally he delivered a powerful call to the church, which rings as true today as it did in 1963:
There was a time when the church was very powerful–in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society…. But the judgment of God is upon the church [today] as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the 20th century.
That is Martin Luther King’s prophetic voice ringing out of the Birmingham jail in 1963. [pg. 25-27]
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For more on John Piper’s book watch the book trailer, the full 18 minute documentary video, or view the links below. To read King’s entire “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” click here for the letter in .pdf format.
You can pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: Westminster Bookstore, Monergism Books, Christianbook.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or direct from Crossway.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Crossway Books for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
actions speak louder than words. Abraham Lincoln and JFK both had good speach writers and quotations were credited to the speakers and not the writer.
MLK was an interesting person. Perhaps gets too much credit when many faught for equality. Funny he mentions Jesus. He didnt believe even in the virgin birth. He had many issues with infidelity and domestic abuse. The words state one thing andactions another.
Dennis,
You are violating my commenting policy by manipulating some of my comment threads to spread your own views and not really interacting with the discussion or my posts. That is why I have deleted most of your numerous posts. This is a warning before you are outright banned from commenting.
As for your comments here. I don’t pretend that he believes in the virgin birth or that I would respect his theology. But I can respect what he did as a person and a leader, and how he did reflect many Biblical principles in the stands he took for justice and racial harmony. He was no perfect man either, but on MLK day, pointing out his warts is totally missing the point. I suppose you can score points and make yourself feel good, but seriously. Be thankful for what happened through MLK’s drive for unity and freedom.
~Bob Hayton, site owner
A scripture comes to mind:
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”
(Col. 2:8)
It is a gross distortion of truth to say that you know he does not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ or that you agree with his theology while saying he was a “prophetic voice to the church”–even as a false teacher! Pardon us if the standards of real Calvinism (which defines righteousness by the law of God, not the tenants of enlightened Humanism) and Bible truth do not pass the modern tests of liberal political-correctness.
The principles of ‘Martin Luther’ King, Jr. (what a dishonor to Martin Luther of a scriptural reformation) are based upon Liberation Theology (communistic interpretation of the Bible), the writings of Ghandi, and his beliefs were Deistic and anti-Trinitarian. Yet he is a “prophetic voice to the church”, asserts Bob Hayton? Pray tell, according to whom or by what scriptural authority? “Test every spirit” we are commanded, but MLK only passed the PC test, not the tests of scripture.
That you and John Piper, apparently, are elevating Martin Luther King, Jr. (who was not a true ‘Baptist’ in theology–you almost admit, nor “reverend” in his beliefs or behavior), along with the liberal socialist Media, to the position of a “prophetic voice”, and of “justice” (of God presumably), for the church of Jesus Christ to hear is too dangerous and unscriptural to keep silent on.
Frankly, to assert he is a “prophetic voice to the church” (yes to the worldly church, but not the church of Jesus Christ) is blasphemy! A man who is an infidel has no authority whatsoever and is certainly no God-sent “prophetic voice” to the church. Words have meanings and the scriptural view of “prophetic” is that of being inspired of the Holy Spirit with authority to speak, and speak only the truth. Do you still maintain MLK was a “prophetic voice?” Defend that Biblically, if you can! Do heathens have authority to be a prophetic voice to the church of God? Chapter and verse, please! What say the Scriptures about true and false prophets?
The communistic principles of liberal theology (including revolutionary thinking, (which his tactics of insurrection and trespassing also agree with) are gross misrepresentations of Scripture, and gross distortions of the kind of “justice” and “righteousness” which you allude to and for Michael (not really Martin Luther the reformer) King, Jr. to quote Amos, and for you sir to blasphemously equate a true prophet like Amos to MLK is contrary to the most elementary doctrines of Christian truth.
John Bunyan was jailed for preaching without a license. MLK was arrested for trespassing (pacifist insurrection which is a form of violence against others rights–public passage, private property, etc), disturbing the peace and unlawful assembly. (You cannot block bridges and roads and say it is your “civil right” or “pacifist”). John Bunyan used not methods of physical coercion against others of MLK.
That is “justice?” The same tactics are used today by “Occupiers” and the radical homosexual lobby. Where did the apostle Paul use such tactics, and he was a prophetic voice in truth!
Socialist and communistic infiltrators always distort the Bible and interpret it to twist to their philosophical, humanistic reasoning, especially for “social justice” issues, which now the homosexual lobby has latched on to and is using for their “civil rights” campaign.
King’s message has introduced democratic-egalitarian-humanistic heresy into Christian churches by teaching an absolute social (not legal) equality which during the time of Cromwell was called “the levellers” movement. (Quakers also represent this same, whom Bunyan thought most dangerous because of their willingness to be jailed).
Egalitarianism is not a teaching of scripture, and we are not afraid even to say boldly, based upon Ephesians, Colossian, Philemon, and Titus, that that master-servant relation has been no more abolished by Jesus Christ or the apostles, or scripture, than the fathers-children, husband-wife, or government-citizen of God’s social order and therefore certainly not by the radical abolitionists or any humanistic “prophetic voice” who did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God or Christ indeed. Only those who listen to the Siren songs of sentimental, black liberation oratory and plug their ears and eyes to Holy Scripture and their own reformed Westminister Catechism (see the 5th commandment) could be deluded into such a position.
What needs to be repented of is the “fear of man which brings a snare”, of those claiming to be Christians and Calvinists, who instead of holding fast to the Bible “as the only rule of faith and obedience”, are bowing to political-correctness for Ecumenical man-pleasing purposes, and now appealing to us to believe what infidels teach as “prophetic voices”. Never!
I stand with Martin Luther against Michael King, Jr (MLK), and will make appropriate use of that Christian Reformers words:
“Here I stand, I can do no other. My conscience is bound to the Scriptures”–not Political Correctness or human philosophers.
It would be good for you to keep this post, since you have been quoted fairly, and things of controversy ought to be open to Christian debate. We will see how heavy-handed you are and whether you will let this stand as it is or censor it because it sharply calls you out on an error too important to pass over. Also, Piper’s new PC-driven “racism” scourging of the most godly orthodox Southern Baptist and Presbyterians of history, and agreement with ungodly infidels, Deists, Unitarians, and Jacobites behind abolitionism (from which we have also reaped Feminism and Anti-authoritarianism on exactly the same anti-Christian principles) will be challenged from the Bible alone.
William,
You’ve said a lot. For starters, your comment automatically ended up in my moderation queue so I just approved it. I have not censored you.
Everything in green font above is a quote from John Piper’s book, not my words. So I didn’t explicitly use the words “prophetic voice” of MLK. But know that “prophetic voice” is a figure of speech it does not mean an inspired speaker of Scripture. It means someone who is playing the role of a prophet, calling us to action and pointing out errors. Even a donkey could speak and Balaam wasn’t a wonderful moral character but he spoke for God and challenged Balak’s plans. Someone can be prophetic without being someone who we would agree with 100%.
Let me quote from a Facebook conversation I just had on this. It might help you understand where I’m coming from.
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Bernie Wojcik:
Bob,
Do you think any praise of MLK should be tempered by the fact that the ‘faith’ he confessed denied the basics?
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Bob Hayton:
I wouldn’t say it is praise necessarily for him. But just as I can praise George Washington for the role he played in the revolutionary war (without endorsing all his personal quirks, his theology or his religion) so too can I praise MLK. I respect John Adams, even though he was a Unitarian, and I think Ben Franklin & Thomas Jefferson were great men, even though they were deists.
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Bernie Wojcik I suppose – it just seems that with even Christianity Today calling him a ‘Christian’ that we need to make the distinction – that even at the most basic level – the Apostle’s Creed – he couldn’t be called a Christian.
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Bob Hayton
That being said, I do not endorse his theology, and think he had some important things wrong. Ultimately God will be his judge. But he did take a stand and help in an important cause and we can give him due honor and respect for that. When conservative Christians get all up in arms over giving any respect to MLK or MLK Day it really makes me upset. I almost never heard any church leader in my years growing up, who ever mentioned anything positive about MLK Day and that really is a shame. Especially when Christianity and the Gospel is for all peoples.
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Bob Hayton For those who are reading this, MLK denied the virgin birth — and I’m not sure what he thought about Jesus’ deity and substitutionary atonement.
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Bernie Wojcik If his accomplishments are ‘secular’ then why should the church mention him?
Should the church promote Romney or who ever the latest Republican nominee is?
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Bob Hayton
I’m not mentioning him as “the church”. I didn’t hold him up as a Christian either in my post. I simply said since it is MLK day, let’s read what MLK said and remember what it was like before MLK. I am thankful for the civil rights movement, and that fits with the church for sure. Racial harmony is something the church should promote and informing people about MLK day fits with that. The context I was talking about was 18 years of Christian “education” I received where all I heard about MLK just raised questions about him. I was never really informed me about how bad things were for blacks before the civil rights movement. And I was also told that interracial marriage was evil.
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Bob Hayton
the church can speak to contemporary issues and has a responsibility to, but it doesn’t need to back a candidate openly, I wouldn’t think. The Gospel is what the church should be about, but that Gospel has implications for the public square and life outside the church’s four walls. There is racism in our hearts that needs to be rooted out, and remembering the struggle of the blacks in the 1960s (and beyond) is not a bad thing. Anyway, I have to run for now….
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Bernie Wojcik
Ok I read “I almost never heard any church leader in my years growing up, who ever mentioned anything positive about MLK Day and that really is a shame.” as teaching from the pulpit – I forget that many fundies have spent nearly every waking moment in some church building – but it wasn’t for a preaching service. So never mind. Although – we could wish for a less ‘sketchy’ individual to have a day to promote the fact that we are all equal in the eyes of God.
As far as the role of the church in politics – I think we need to stand against evils, but we have to also recognize the fact that God has ordained government – and that confusing the two areas is dangerous.
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Bernie Wojcik Thanks for the ‘chat’
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Bob Hayton Yes Bernie. Thanks. I agree pretty much with what your saying about officially in church promoting someone or something, especially with regard to politics. But standing against evils includes the evil of racism and using MLK’s name would lend itself well toward that end — if only by way of illustration and with sufficient qualifications as needed.
You can read the entire conversation on Facebook here.
As for the rest of your comment, William, it is pretty far afield from where I’m coming from. The Bible doesn’t condone race-based slavery or the inequality of races. We are all “of one blood”, and in Christ, we are all “one” – slave and free, male and female, etc. The Bible itself promotes racial harmony, from the standpoint of all of us being created in the image of God.
I don’t lift up MLK as a hero of faith, because I’m not sure how orthodox his faith really was. But he was a great man who helped the black man in our country enjoy basic freedoms and human dignity which is certainly condoned in Scripture.
As for MLK’s tactics, did you read his entire letter? Did you see how he defends them as not radical? By the way, it is MLK himself speaking in the block quotes (inside boxes) above. He is the one who referenced Amos and John Bunyan. They were willing to be extreme and suffer for their conscience and their faith, and MLK said that is similar to his own willingness to suffer.
You are refusing to think about this rationally and preferring to come at this with your prejudgment – which seems racist in some degree to me. I’m just saying it as it is, you show no sensitivity toward the plight of the blacks in the 1960s — was their treatment just? Was it biblical and right?
I think not.
Hi Bob.
I don’t live in the US. I’m a Christian from Ireland.
I visited the US a couple of years ago for the first time. As a young teenager, I never even imagined that discrimination against blacks would be favored by the (conservative) Christian community. It was after the second or third visit that I slowly learned, with disappointment, that that had been a very real reality, and that the effects had not totally died out.
Thank you for this blog post, Bob. Christianity, and Christian love, must be exhibited in lives. Wrong doctrine is one thing, wrong intellect is one thing…but wrong deeds bring people to hell. We can be right in our heads, but right ONLY in our heads. Should this be the case, what a tragedy. Martin Luther King is remembered world-wide as a man who fought against racial pride, injustice and discrimination, and rediscovered the truth that “all men are created equal.” Praise the Lord. We leave his salvation to God, but we rejoice in every act of truth.
“Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” I John 3:18 While we must every combat immorality and apostasy (and I am in the forefront of the battle against homosexuality), let us do so in the knowledge that we are “sinners, saved by grace” and hope that we may extend that grace to others.
Thanks, Jonaaron. Helpful words!