We Are One In Christ

Dear people, as the Spirit of God helps us, in this meditation let us learn how oneness is manifested in us, through Christ.

'' Galatians 3:26-29 You are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus,
for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ .
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
If you belong to Christ then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. ''

So:

1. Once we are baptized into Christ, we clothe ourselves with Christ.

2. There will not be differentiation of male or female.

We are only called sons of God, in Christ.

3. Through Christ, we become ''seed'' of Abraham and heirs according to the promise.

Having understood this, lets now read from Matthew:

''Matthew 10 : 40 - 42 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. ''

In this portion of Scriptures, Jesus speaks about receiving a ''righteous'' man.

He says if a righteous man is received, he will receive the righteous man's reward:

Now, who is a righteous man ?

'' Hosea 14: 9 The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. ''

1. A Righteous man, is a man who walks in the ways of the Lord. One who has Christ.

2. One who is baptized into Christ and has clothed himself with Christ.

3. Then, according to Galatians 3:26, once we clothe oursleves with Christ, there is no male or female, no Jew or Greek and no free or slave.

4. And we are called seed of Abraham through Christ, and we are heirs according to the promise. We are sons of God.

5. Needless to say Righteousness is by Faith in Christ.

Now, lets move to Romans chapter 14:

'' Romans 14:17,18 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. ''

So:

1. Any one who serves God in righteousness is pleasing to God.

2. And approved by men.

Having understood this, lets now read what the Scriptures warn us about those who bring about divisions:

Lets now turn to chapter 16 in Romans:

'' Romans 16 :17, 18 I urge you brothers to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. ''

Above Scripture warns us to be careful about those people who try to bring in divisions among the sons of God.

For in Christ we are all one.

There is no male, no female..

no Greek, no Jew, and no slave, no free( Gal 3:28).

When we are baptized into Christ, we wear Christ. And when we serve God, we serve in righteousness - and this is pleasing to God.

'' Isaiah 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; ''

If people are bringing in divisions and creating confusion, then they do not have righteousness in them because fruit of righteousness is peace.

''Ephesians 2: 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us. ''

The work that each one of us do in Christ are the works that God prepared well in advance. And this work is prepared for all those created in Christ (with no differentiation of a man or a woman.)

'' Galatians 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. ''

''Psalm 98:9 let them sing before the Lord,for he comes to judge the earth.He will judge the world in Righteousness and the peoples with equity.''

So, God will judge peoples with 'equity.'

These Scriptures clearly tell us that in the kingdom of God, there are no divisions.

It is all about oneness in Christ Jesus.

Some misinterpretations in people, that I have come across:

In 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians, instructions given to women by Apostle Paul on ''Instructions on worship,'' and ''Orderly Worship'' are sometimes misinterpreted as a division of women in the kingdom of God.

As the Spirit of God helps us, lets understand what Paul meant in each of those Scriptures:

'' 1 Timothy 2:9 I also want woman to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. ''

Apostle Paul was giving instructions on worship, when he spoke these words for women.

Apostle Paul, in the above, means to say, those women who profess to worship God, must wear the beauty of doing good deeds that are appropriate for women; their beauty must not come from the braided hair, or gold or the pearls or expensive clothes they wear. But her beauty must come from her modesty, decency and propriety - These reflect her inner self.

And when a woman wears the beauty of her inner self, (i.e, being modest, decent and doing good deeds appropriate for her ) then it is a ''form of worship'' she gives to to God.

The same words of Apostle Paul are explained by Peter in 1 Peter 3, when he is giving instructions to wives:

'' 1 Peter 3:3 - 6 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. For this is the way the holy women in the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.''

About women teaching:

''1 Timothy 2: 12 - I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first then Eve.''

Apostle Paul, quoting Adam and Eve reflects on a husband and wife relationship.

Since a woman is born out of a man, being submissive to her husband is a ''form of worship'' to God , because God made her out of the man.

Eve trying to teach Adam about the fruit of knowledge was out of deception.

If we observe, Eve taught Adam, against the command of God.

She tried to run ahead bypassing the command of God and wanted to teach her husband.

So, here Paul means to say that a woman(wife) must not try to teach her husband against the commands given to her..

A wife should not try to bypass and teach her husband, if he expects her to abide by certain commands that he gives her, inspired by the Spirit of God.

And when a woman abides by this, this is a '' form of worship'' to God.

Women remaining silent in churches:

'' 1 Corinthians 14 : 33 - 35 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.''

In this Scripture, Apostle Paul was giving these instructions when he was speaking on ''Orderly Worship.''

He was instructing not to break the order, and have a peaceful atmosphere, and ensure some order in the congregations for God is a God of peace.

And in this context, he says that if there has to be anything raised or inquired, woman specially are instructed not to raise voice openly in the congregation, but clarify with their husbands.

They should not speak aloud and bring in any disorder in the congregation, and must remain silent.

Dear people, all these Scriptures doesn't reflect in anyway, on women speaking to preach the gospel as per God's calling.

These writings of Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians, doesn't mean a woman cannot be a preacher or a teacher in the kingdom of God.

For, we have read and learnt from our meditation from various Scriptures above, that in God's kingdom what counts is a new creation in Christ.

And once we are baptized into Christ and we clothe ourselves with Christ, we are one, there is no differentiation of a male or a female, Jew or a Greek.

And serving in Christ's righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, is always pleasing to God.

And the work we do for God, is what God has prepared for us well in advance.

''Daniel 7:14 His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.''

So dear people, let Christ rule our lives, let not any one bring in divisions in the kingdom of God. For God's Kingdom can never be destroyed, and it will never pass away.

''Job 17 : 9 Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.''

God Bless You.