A Reflection on Juneteenth

I’m A White Christian, How Should I Honor Juneteenth?

Author

Coach T
June 19, 2023

President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 announced that all enslaved individuals in the Confederacy were now legally free. Now, because the Confederate states considered themselves not a part of the United States, they completely disregarded this proclamation. It wasn’t legally binding. It was merely a proclamation. It wasn’t until the passing of the 13th Amendment in 1865 that slavery became illegal across the United States, a full two years later.

However, it would take much more than this to grant freedom to all enslaved people in America. If you’ve learned anything throughout your time learning American History, you know that legislation doesn’t ensure immediate action. In this case, the passage of the 13th Amendment was legally binding, but it would take far more government intervention to actually ensure the freedom of all enslaved people in America.

This brings us to Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, Union troops entered Galveston, Texas, to declare and enforce the freedom of enslaved African Americans in Texas. They had remained enslaved despite Lincoln’s Proclamation, the 13th Amendment, AND the end of the Civil War just 2 months prior. Their freedom was only realized when troops arrived.

Since this event, Juneteenth has become a celebration of African American heritage. It became a national holiday in 2021. Often times when topics of race or our nation’s past are discussed, many people want to sweep it under the rug. I know that’s a common occurrence for many white Americans.

I think that Christians can take several steps in response to this day. We must remind ourselves of the awful reality of enslavement that marked the history of many African Americans prior to 1865. We must recognize its lingering effects. Juneteenth holds an important reminder of the journey our nation has gone through and the work that there still is to do.

Yet, this article is not about making America great. And it’s not about anything political. It’s about what Christians are to do. What would Jesus’ response be today? What are we called to do?

First, I find it of the utmost importance to note that the Bible is a book for the oppressed. It speaks powerfully of this idea of liberation and redemption. From the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt to Jesus setting us free from sin, liberation and redemption are crucial themes in the Bible. When the Union troops arrived in Texas in 1865 to enforce the emancipation of slaves, they brought a physical realization of an actual liberation. This freedom was not easily achieved. Many slave owners withheld this news. Many delayed this realization of freedom. Yet, freedom rang at the end of the day.

Christians of all backgrounds should honor this day as a reminder not only of the liberation that occurred in 1865, but of Christ’s liberating power found in Luke 4:18, “He has sent Me (Christ) to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind.”

We know of a great liberation from oppression. The Bible begins with the fall of man into sin and leads to the need for a Savior. This triumph over sin that plays out in the Bible and resonates with the liberation of slaves on Juneteenth. As believers then, it is our duty to celebrate the end of any form of oppression on this earth. I love the words of Galatians 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” If we know of a spiritual freedom found in Christ, are we not also to celebrate any sort of physical freedom found on earth? Praise God for liberation.

Juneteenth signifies a step towards equality and unity. The announcement of liberation in Texas affirmed that all people have equal value. As Christians, we know about this, but throughout our history in this country we have not always acted like it. We are all image bearers. We are all made in the image of God…Imago Dei! (Genesis 1:27) Because we are all made in the image of God, we are all deserving of dignity and respect. Now, it is our duty to strive for the biblical vision of unity depicted in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew not Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

May we celebrate this day of liberation! While the historical slave trade in America has ended, its deep social wounds linger on for many. As Christians, we should be the forerunners of triumphs over oppression. We should strive for freedom to continue to ring. We worship a Savior who came to free the captives and the oppressed. We are all united by the cross by grace through faith.

Today, we can reflect, learn, and commit to fighting a fight where all people are valued equally. Jesus’ death and resurrection makes it all possible. May we reflect on the example of Christ, the ultimate liberator, on this day.

To God be the glory!

💭 QUOTE OF THE DAY

“As I reflect on several racial flashpoints over the past few years, I fear I have been too quick to think to myself, “Yes, of course, image of God. Every Christian already knows that and believes that.” But white Christians in this country have not always believed that, or at least they have not always acted like they really believe it. Slavery in this country originated in greed more than racism. As the institution endured, it drew racism out of the human heart. You could argue, tragically, that it was precisely because this country was so Christian that racism became so virulent. Most Americans knew what the Bible required about loving their neighbors as themselves and respecting the image of God and other human beings. But instead of letting their theology correct their practice, they developed perverse ways to conclude that blacks were, in fact, not their neighbors, not fellow image bearers, and not fully human. For many white Christians, the way to make their Christianity and chattel slavery cohere was to convince themselves that the slave was not the same kind of human being that they saw in themselves. Even today, we would all do well to examine our hearts and see if there’s any part of us, when encountering someone ever different race or ethnicity, that wonders if we are not actually made of something more refined, more noble, and more divine.”

- Kevin De Young

 🧰 COACH’S TOOLBOX

Billy Graham on Repentence: what a good reminder for us of our need.

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I pray that your day is full of reminders of God’s love and faithfulness. May you faithfully build your life on Christ.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

To God be the glory,

Coach T