How did skin colors of people come to be?

from the old testament

• God began the human race with two people, Adam and Eve (Genesis 2). Part of the mandate He gave them was to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28a). The entire human race descends from these two individuals. Based on modern DNA studies, we know that DNA defines human characteristics. When a couple has a child, he or she has a combination of his or her parent’s DNA. Skin color and other physical traits are based on DNA. We also know that DNA is a one-way street, meaning traits can be lost but never gained. Based on this and the variety of skin colors throughout the world, we know that the DNA of Adam and Eve contained all the traits necessary for that variety.
• Given how DNA works, as traits were lost, subsequent generations tended to have the same physical characteristics as their parents. After the flood (Genesis 6–8), humanity continued to rebel and gathered together in Babel rather than fill the earth (Genesis 11:1–4). God punished them by confusing their languages to prevent them from working together and forcing them to spread out (Genesis 11:5–9). This meant people were increasingly likely to reproduce with others who shared the same DNA traits, resulting in people in the same region having very similar skin colors.

from the new testament

• All humanity came from Adam. Paul said, “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, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:26–27). This means that every person, regardless of skin color, is equal in God’s eyes. It also means that skin color, location, and even national identity are all a part of God’s good design.
• The gospel is the good news of salvation offered to all people groups worldwide. After Jesus returns, every skin color will be represented in heaven. In a heavenly praise to Jesus, the Lamb, we read, “by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). There is, therefore, no racial distinction between humans. All are equally sinful (Romans 3:9–12), and salvation is offered equally to all (Galatians 3:28).

implications for today

There has perhaps been no greater lie perpetuated by Satan in the modern era than that of race as defining one’s worth. The insistence of superior and inferior races originally helped justify slavery and today more subtly affects society by segregating people through the lens of critical race theory.

Such segregation is false and sinful. Everyone comes from Adam and Eve. There are no separate bloodlines and no separate races. The color differences are just genetics. Rather, it teaches that while everyone sins, and there have certainly been groups of people who wickedly subjected other groups of people, the issue is not one’s skin color or culture and upbringing. The issue is the human heart, which is perpetually wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).

Being racist is a sin; falsely calling people racist is a sin; elevating one skin color over another is a sin; singling out a skin color as especially bad is a sin; and so forth. There is no distinction between us; we are all sinful (Romans 3:9–12).

It was because of sin that Jesus came and died (Romans 5:8). He is not a white Savior nor a black Savior. He is the Son of God who paid the penalty for the sin of sinners. All who repent of their sin and trust in Jesus will be saved (Romans 10:9–10). Every color and nationality will be represented in the end (Revelation 7:9) because Jesus is the Savior of the world (John 4:42).