GALATIANS 3 v. 23 – 29
‘But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.’
At the heart of this glorious letter, there’s a wonderful truth – all are equal in the sight of God – created equally in His image, redeemed equally by the Son, equally given the deposit of the eternal promise in the coming of the Spirit.
In contrast to those Judaisers Paul is tackling, who want to create division, segregation, first and second-class Christians through background (Jew / Gentile). Paul declares that in Jesus, all are made One again – no barriers, no divisions, no segregation.
We ‘put on’ the garments of Christ, the new life He gives, and walk into freedom from bondage, part of which has been to keep people apart from one another, mistrusting and suspicious and prejudiced towards one another.
Oh for the day when we grasp the enormity, the significance of this truth – all are ONE in Christ.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
change my heart
renew my mind
that I may see all Your people
as my brothers and sisters,
whatever the background,
whatever the culture,
whatever the journey to You looks like.
I pray for the Unity You alone can bring
to a fractured and divisive world.
AMEN.
CHALLENGE
Ask God to open your heart, renew your mind, to see someone unexpected today as a brother or sister in Christ. It’s a challenge to all our sensitivities and our preconceived ideas.