Oneness

Galatians 3:26-29 NLT

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. [27] And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. [28] There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you.

An honest look at my own heart will show some sort of prejudice - be it ever so subtle.

A certain accent or political leaning can trigger some aversion or biased attitude.

Yesterday I was brought up short in my soul by the Holy Spirit and challenged about my feelings toward particular people.

Directed to this Scripture, I see clearly that there are really only two categories of people - those who are "in Christ" and those who are not.

That is the dividing line.

It's not male and female or Jew and Gentile (those were the key divisions in Paul's era), but, once in Christ, we are all one!

How has that fleshed out in reality?

Quite obviously it hasn't as yet.

There are so many schisms and splits within the body of believers, let alone those evident in the unbelieving world.

We are far from the oneness that Jesus prayed for in Gethsemane:

John 17:20-21 NLT

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. [21] I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are One-as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me."

However, we do know that Jesus' prayer cannot be left unanswered. God the Father will ensure that His prayer will be fulfilled.

In the meantime, I must let the Holy Spirit bring me into line with Scripture and be disciplined by it as hard as that might be.

I must let the Lord cut out the deep roots of prejudice in my heart so that I can see life from His perspective and not my own.