Discover Bible Verses About Affirmative Action. Affirmative action, also known as positive discrimination, involves sets of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking to include particular groups based on their race, gender, creed, or nationality in areas in which such groups are underrepresented – such as education and employment. Historically and internationally, support for affirmative action has sought to achieve goals such as bridging inequalities in employment and pay, promoting diversity, increasing access to education, and redressing apparent past wrongs, hindrances, or harms. And as such, we can say that affirmative action is a policy or a program promoting the representation in social institutions of groups of people who have been traditionally and systematically discriminated against.
All people are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” And as such, it’s important for all people to share the same rights and have equal access to opportunities for advancement and equitable treatment. The history and legacy of discrimination in our social institutions deny honor to the Lord God. As Christians, we are called to act justly in a loving and kind manner as we walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). We are called to repentance and reconciliation by remedying the destructive impacts of systematic and compounded discriminations accumulated across generations. Affirmative action focuses on demographics with historically low representation in leadership, professional, and academic roles. It is often considered an effective means of countering discrimination against particular groups.
Bible Verses About Affirmative Action
Importance of Affirmative Action and Diversity
Looking at John Piper’s writing on the importance of diversity within the Christian gathering, we get several important points.
It illustrates more clearly the truth that God created people of all ethnicities, races, and nations in His own image (Genesis 1:27) Likewise, it displays more visibly the truth that Jesus is not a tribal deity but is the Lord of all races, ethnicities, and nations. It demonstrates clearly the blood-bought destiny of the church to be “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). In addition, it exhibits more compellingly the aim and power of the cross of Jesus Christ to “reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility” (Ephesians 2:16). It further expresses more forcefully the work of the Spirit to unite us in Christ. In support, 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
Affirmative action seeks to reverse historical trends of discrimination against individuals with certain identities. Likewise, it provides financial assistance to groups that historically have been and continue to be subjected to forms of discrimination. It provides opportunities for minorities and people from disadvantaged groups. It leads to a diversified society. Most often, policies implement hiring quotas, provide scholarships and grants, and may as well deny government funding and contracts to institutions that fail to obey the policy guidelines. Today, affirmative action includes assistance for gender representation, and covered veterans, and people with disabilities. Criticism of affirmative action emphasizes high program costs, lack of historical progress in equal representation, and the hiring of fewer qualified candidates.
Bible Verses About Affirmative Action
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.“
Proverbs 6:31 – “but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.“
Luke 19:8 – But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
James 3:17 – “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Group 1 – Bible Verses About Affirmative Action
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”
Acts 4:37-6:15 – “Sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” …“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Acts 17:26 – “And he 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,“
Exodus 23:1-3 – “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.“
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Affirmative Action
Leviticus 24:22 – “You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Deuteronomy 16:19 – “You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.“
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.“
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Affirmative Action
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
Numbers 15:15-16 – “For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”
Leviticus 19:15 – “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.“
Deuteronomy 1:16-17 – “And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’“
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Affirmative Action
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.“
Matthew 7:12 – “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.“
John 13:34 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.“
Matthew 6:1 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.“
Matthew 5:37 – “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.“
Ezekiel 18:19 – “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.“
Acts 6:3-6 – “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.“
Also Read
- Bible Verses About Righteousness
- Bible Verses About Forgiveness
- What Does the Bible Say About Goodness?
- Scriptures on Character and Integrity
- Bible Verses About Love
- Bible Verses About Judgment Day
- Bible Verses About Eternal Life
