ALL ONE IN CHRIST

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” ()

A chief of the Ponca tribe located in Nebraska was forced out of his home along with 700 other members of his tribe and forced by the U. S. Army to walk to Oklahoma, then known as the Indian Territories. Upon attempting to return to his homeland, Chief Standing Bear was imprisoned at Fort Omaha. He filed a lawsuit that led to an 1879 ruling ordering his release and finding that a Native American is a person with a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

There are many such sad and disgraceful stories throughout our nation’s history, as there are with every other country. Minorities, indigenous people and numerous others have been cheated, mistreated, abused, and taken advantage of from the dawn of time. Sadly, it will continue until the Lord returns and sets up His Kingdom.

What a blessing it is to know that in Christ all stand equal before God. Unlike us, when the Lord looks at a person He does not see their race, nationality, social standing, or gender but only their spiritual standing. We all become God’s children through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” ().

Racial prejudice has no place in the life of a Christian. Our churches have been hotspots of racial segregation throughout the history of our nation. We have made pious efforts to reach the peoples of other lands through our missionaries but won’t walk down the street to share the gospel with a family who is not “one of us”. Urban flight has caused our churches to flee the cities, (where the people are), to the suburbs, (where there are not as many people), where everybody looks like us. When Jesus gave instruction to us; “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (); this includes our own neighborhoods, whatever their race.

Jesus died for everyone. Let us carry the good news to a lost and dying world, whatever the color of their skin; “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”