Devotional: No Differences Galatians 3:19-29

“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 descendants, heirs according to promise” (Gal. 328-29, NASB).

Why do Christians separate people by various categories? This is the way that the world operates. As the democratic primaries for the nominee for president of the United States nears, candidates are dividing the citizens into various socioeconomic groups. Division is the way of the world. Candidates tell us that they can unite our country. How can they do this when they are articulating the differences between the citizen groups that exist in our country? It is really an impossible task.

In the book of Galatians the apostle Paul is confronted with a divided church. How can he get the church united? First, he reminds the church of how they became a church in the first place. He points out that the Law cannot save them and unite them as one people. God makes a promise to Abraham before the Law is given four hundred and thirty years later. The Law does not invalidate the covenant that God makes with Abraham because of Abraham’s faith. The Law is given to show us our need for a savior. Jesus Christ is the savior. It is not the Law that unites us. It is our faith in Jesus Christ.

I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus. I believe God’s promise. My faith is not in my obedience to the Law. My faith is in the promise of God. All people regardless of human categories and distinctions are dead in trespasses and sin until they come to Jesus by faith. God grants us grace, and we have faith. It is my faith in Jesus that enables me to see other people as I see myself. There are people that do not look like me. They do not talk like me. Their ways are different from my ways. No problem because in Christ Jesus there are no differences. We are united together in faith to be like Jesus. We belong to Jesus, and Jesus is both savior and Lord.

Prayer: Father, thank you for making no difference between people. Amen.