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.
Our freedom as children of God makes us equal with all his other “sons.” Good parenting means having no favorites, and God is a good parent. Earthly distinctions don’t disappear completely in Christ. Jews are still Jews and Greeks are still Greeks, and they should not abandon their unique consciences. Slaves remained slaves and the free remained free (though Paul will tell slaves to seek their freedom whenever possible). And, of course, men remain male, and women remain female – the only division among humanity created by God and declared to be “good.”
In Christ, our cultural (Jew and Greek), economic (slave and free), and gender (male and female) differences don’t disappear, but they do take their proper place. I am a Christian before I am anyone or anything else. Christians, we have “put on Christ” (3:27). He is our identity now. All lesser identities—cultural, economic, and sexual—take a back seat to our unity in Jesus. This is freedom!
How freeing it is to know that you are not less than any other saint. How freeing it is to know that the Christian life is not a competition, grappling for the love and affection of a God who is somehow closer to the rich, Jewish men than he is to the enslaved, Gentile women. We are not free when we use our differences as sources of pride, covetousness, or lust. You are not free when only part of you is acknowledged and you are treated as only a part of the whole person.
This is why there is no room for racism, sexism, or cultural, societal, or economic division in our churches. Not only does God love each and every “son” equally, but he also loves the variety of his children within his church. The monocultural church is not God’s supreme will. The Church universal is made up of every nation, tribe, and tongue. Therefore, every church should strive to be broader than it is and broader than it even wants to be.
Obviously, in some parts of the world, a monocultural church is going to be the norm because only one culture dominates the region. But in a place full of diverse cultural expressions (like Galatia), may there never be an attitude of exclusion among us, only welcoming all who desire to grow in God as his heirs in Christ.
You: Does your church corporately and your attitude individually reflect Galatians 3:28?
You in Christ: How does our unity in Christ both break down barriers while allowing us to celebrate diversity?
Christ in you: Is there a specific application of Galatians 3:28 that comes to mind for you in your church context?
Pray: Father, I don’t want to be reduced and I don’t want to reduce others either. Let the fullness of Christ in me allow me to embrace the Christ in others. Amen.
