Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

–Parallel Verses:
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬-‭13‬, ‭17‬-‭20‬, ‭26‬-‭27‬
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?
As it is, there are many parts, but one body. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

First, some context. Who were the barbarians? They were non-Greeks who were considered by the Greeks and Romans to be uncivilized and ruthless. They ended up taking over parts of Rome when it fell. Who were the Scythians? They were a nomadic people from the area around modern day Iran and they were expert horsemen and had a reputation for prowess in battle.

As I think about my childhood, one of the biggest blessings my parents gave me was to serve in ministry at the San Jose Rescue Mission. I grew up in the family outreach section, where my mom would fold the donated clothes. We received a lot of our clothes from there. I saw refugees and the homeless. They were from all walks of life. And I learned about their cultures and their stories. We had popcorn and coffee with an Indian man and his Swedish wife. We had a Cambodian pastor live with us. I ate dinner at the homeless shelter. It taught me to appreciate people where they were at and seek out their potential.

What do children, the homeless, and refugees all have in common? For the most part, they are in need and they don’t really care about who the help comes from. They do not prequalify the help to make sure they fit into the right gender, or skin color, or political viewpoint. They don’t worry about divisions that this world tells us matter. The world tells us that one type of skin color makes a person predisposed to be mean or stuck up or unintelligent. Or one sex is better, or to be favored over another, or one’s political viewpoint is what should determine who we are friends with. But the Bible tells a new and much more attractive story. We are, first and foremost, UNITED IN CHRIST! In this very concise verse in Colossians, the Apostle Paul sets the record straight – “Christ is all and is in all”. The PAST DIVISIONS are to be LEFT IN OUR SINFUL PAST! We are alive in Christ and alive to appreciate God’s diverse followers for what they bring to the spiritual table.

Paul called out divisions in the church and called everyone to focus and unite around Jesus Christ and the Word of God. As the select verses in I Corinthians illustrate (consider reading the whole section), God designed our spiritual churches to act like a body, with people with many different heritages, skin colors, and backgrounds, who all have the same saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in common. We are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 1:22), and it is under the Lord’s banner that we live, act, and serve.

So the call to us is clear: Unite under the flag of Christ, the cause of the gospel, and the brilliant light of our Savior Jesus! Do not let the world convince you that divisions in the body of Christ need to exist, other than based on the truth in the Bible. We must battle to stay united amidst a world divided. We must hold on to the Spirit of God working among us!

Lord, thank you for clearly dealing with man-made divisions in the worldly culture we live in. Help me to BE A UNITER of people around your truth and justice, your love and grace. May I welcome all who call you Lord as my brothers and sisters, and a part of my family!