One in Christ

Read: Galatians 3:23-29

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. (v. 28)

In remote Indian villages, the traditional Hindu caste system separates people. Those at the top receive the most wealth and power, and those at the bottom are labeled Dalits, or untouchables. This affects every aspect of a person’s life. When people become Christians, they are treated as the lowest caste by the rest of the community, rejected by their own families. Paradoxically, it creates a kind of freedom in the church, where believers accept each other as equals, as one family in Christ.

Here’s how one elderly believer describes it: “Our community has deserted us completely. But I praise God that all of my family members are now faithful followers of Jesus. Jesus came for everyone! He died for everyone, and his love is for everyone. He is the only Lord who has been raised to life after death, and he is still alive! I believe that in God’s sight, everyone is equal. I don’t believe in any discrimination.”

This is what Paul describes in his letter to the Galatians. Jesus offers something new to all believers: freedom. In Christ, we leave old ways of superiority and inferiority behind. Maybe you don’t live with the caste system like believers in India, but your community has its own “untouchables” and divisions to overcome. These Indian Christians can show us the way towards embracing each other. —Christy Prins & Megan Nollet

As you pray, ask God to show you the ways that you are separated from your brothers and sisters in Christ.