No difference

where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. – Colossians 3.11

Ever since the Tower of Babel the world has been all about divisions. Writers have written all about various utopias. Governments have tried all kinds of ideas to try and unite their nations.

But wars continue. Squabbles carry on. Troubles persist. We still we divide. And it seems that we find more and more way reasons to divide to add to those listed.

Black v white

Irish v English

North v south

Greek v Jew

Circumcised v uncircumcised

Slave v free

East v west

Settled v traveller

Male v female

And so it goes.

But none of these divisions mean anything in Christ. When Christ enters our hearts He is ‘all and in all.’ There is nothing to divide us because in Christ we are all one and in Christ we are all citizens of the same kingdom.

That is just the way the world is.

But sadly that is the way the church can be despite the fact that there is no room in God’s kingdom for these human divisions. Why then do they persist?

They persist because we insist on giving way to the thoughts of the flesh. When we don’t choose to put on the new man the effects of the old man carry on.

We need the next verse to see how to apply this truth.