Membership in God’s Family

There are certain verses in Scripture that stay with us throughout life. We return to them again and again, and each time we discover something new.

For me, Galatians 3:28 is one of those verses.

“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.”

When I was a young preacher, I read those words as a statement about salvation.

Later, as I studied church history and served different congregations, I began to see something more.

Paul was writing to a church divided by labels.

Jew.

Greek.

Slave.

Free.

Male.

Female.

Every society creates labels.

Some are helpful.

Some become walls.

Paul wasn’t saying those differences disappear.

He was saying they no longer determine who belongs to God.

That truth has changed the way I try to see people.

Over the years I’ve met people from many walks of life.

Different denominations.

Different races.

Different political opinions.

Different cultures.

Different life stories.

What I have discovered is that before I know anything else about a person, I know this:

They are someone Christ loves.

That realization has made me slower to judge and quicker to listen.

I still have much to learn.

But every time I come back to Galatians 3:28, I hear the same invitation.

Don’t begin with the labels.

Begin with the person.

Begin with grace.

Because that is where Christ always begins.