June 16 - Colossians 3:11
“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”
This verse could be discussed in terms of bigotry and racism or possibly in terms of denominational separation, so which of these is an issue for you?
Anyone who was not a Greek, anyone outside of their culture, was a barbarian. Do we pity those who don’t have all of the niceties of Western Civilization? Or the possibilities for education and advancement? We separate ourselves from others in so many different ways … pity is just one means of showing our superiority.
The Scythians were nomads, in many cases they were wild and savage. Their lives were so different than those in the cities.
The difference between Greeks and Jews – circumcised or uncircumcised – were great in many ways. The world was being Hellenized – made to look like the Greeks. They had ‘culture.’ They had education, medicine, arts, their architecture was astounding. Their language was fairly common throughout the known world. They did, however, believe in a different set of gods and deities.
Different. That’s what this verse is all about. Different. Paul isn’t trying to tell us that we all need to be the same. The differences are what make things so healthy. The only thing that is the same in all of us is Jesus Christ. He is all … He is in all.
We fight so diligently to bring unity to the church, a losing proposition. People will never look at things the same way. But, as long as Christ is there … we are unified. (I am the first to admit that Christ isn’t invited into many churches … I’m really not talking about those – they are an entirely different issue.)
We spend hours discussing other religions and cults, fighting wars and battles. Those that have effectively brought Christ to these groups are those that allow Christ to lead them where He will, acting as His servants – not as His right hand of judgment.
The earth is the Lord’s … every one of us is His. As individuals we are to do only what He calls us to do and rarely (if ever) will He call us to judge a person based on their difference from us. He doesn’t ask us to change their lives, their religion, their belief. He will do that. He is all, He is in all.
What He calls us to do is to love and refuse to allow barriers to others in our own lives.
“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”
This verse could be discussed in terms of bigotry and racism or possibly in terms of denominational separation, so which of these is an issue for you?
Anyone who was not a Greek, anyone outside of their culture, was a barbarian. Do we pity those who don’t have all of the niceties of Western Civilization? Or the possibilities for education and advancement? We separate ourselves from others in so many different ways … pity is just one means of showing our superiority.
The Scythians were nomads, in many cases they were wild and savage. Their lives were so different than those in the cities.
The difference between Greeks and Jews – circumcised or uncircumcised – were great in many ways. The world was being Hellenized – made to look like the Greeks. They had ‘culture.’ They had education, medicine, arts, their architecture was astounding. Their language was fairly common throughout the known world. They did, however, believe in a different set of gods and deities.
Different. That’s what this verse is all about. Different. Paul isn’t trying to tell us that we all need to be the same. The differences are what make things so healthy. The only thing that is the same in all of us is Jesus Christ. He is all … He is in all.
We fight so diligently to bring unity to the church, a losing proposition. People will never look at things the same way. But, as long as Christ is there … we are unified. (I am the first to admit that Christ isn’t invited into many churches … I’m really not talking about those – they are an entirely different issue.)
We spend hours discussing other religions and cults, fighting wars and battles. Those that have effectively brought Christ to these groups are those that allow Christ to lead them where He will, acting as His servants – not as His right hand of judgment.
The earth is the Lord’s … every one of us is His. As individuals we are to do only what He calls us to do and rarely (if ever) will He call us to judge a person based on their difference from us. He doesn’t ask us to change their lives, their religion, their belief. He will do that. He is all, He is in all.
What He calls us to do is to love and refuse to allow barriers to others in our own lives.
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