Tuesday, 5 April, 2005

Text: Galatians 3:23-29

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. AS many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greeek, there is no longer slave of free, there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Our identity is in the fact that in our baptism we have clothed ourselves in Christ. It is an all new identity and character and community. How new...? Take a look at the abolishment of the "natural" distinctions that would send us off in different groups and with different lives. No longer Jew or Greek...slave or free...male or female. We are in Christ and with that status and new reality there is no need for the law as our nanny (disciplinarian) to make us act a certain way so as to see to our safe keeping. We live according to the promise as heirs by faith. I find it particularly important that Paul points out the complete lack of the distinctions that once were considered "second nature." They are no longer needed. Even when the law made sure that those distinctions were in place - no longer. No longer is the status of a person set in place by the law and how one fits into its definition of good and right. Now, we are one in Christ Jesus. We may want the distinctions to continue...we may even argue that they stay in place for any number of reasons...but as one in Christ...there is not longer.....

Connection: Paul's earliest letters are very inclusive - radical...right to the root of the gracious acts of God in Christ Jesus. Today, churches and congregation are often known for how well they can maintain distinctions. Homogeneous congregation have proved that they will grow....duh...of course they will...we long for like-minded, like-looking, like-economic status. And yet in Christ there is a new reality. Can we put names to our ongoing ways of drawing insiders and outsiders...and can we trust that our Lord will help us dismantle those distinctions and walk with us?!

O God of all humankind, how great is you word of truth and the life you offer to your beloved children through Jesus. May we see inn those around us this day the many ways you present yourself to us in the diversity of your creatures. Amen.