Our scripture this morning is Galatians 3:26-29.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 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.
Paul teaches that the only real division among us is that of believers or non-believers. In Christ’s love for us, He died for everyone for all time. The only way to be left out is to exclude ourselves by not choosing to follow Him.
Many analogies have been used to describe our new lives in Christ. Paul tells us that “all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes” (v. 27) and that we are all one in Him. This faith assures us of being counted as God’s children.
By accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of the body of Christ, charged with sharing His love throughout the world. Using our gifts together, we become strong in Him. This was God’s plan all along, that our faith would unite us to go in His name, telling everyone the Good News.
Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Jesus and faithful followers who have passed on the faith from generation to generation. Bless us to be part of Your kingdom, loving the world as You first loved us. Amen.