Galatians 3:²⁷ As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 

It’s human nature to divide ourselves into different groups. In Galatians 3 Paul is referring to the way early Christians were separating themselves based on those who continued to keep the Jewish law and those who did not. In our day we are tempted to import the ways of secular culture and divide ourselves along political lines. Or along racial lines, or whatever. And while it’s true we are not all the same, nor do we need to be, there is one dominant identity we take on when we call ourselves Christians.

Our primary identity is in Jesus.

I’m grateful for this truth because it allows Christians from very different ethnic backgrounds or political perspectives or economic situations to be unified. And in so doing we bear witness to a different way to live in community than the world around us. We can be very different from one another – and yet be one. Lord give us grace to remain so. Amen.