Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Once you are a NEW creation in Christ it doesn’t matter where you came from, what color you are, what tribe your from, who your parents are, where you grew up, or what country your from. IT DOESN’T MATTER. The answers to any of those questions does not forward or hinder your new birth in Christ.
The external person really does not matter too much to our Lord and Savior. One thing I have noticed since being in the nations is that some of the “loudest” on the outside really don’t get it on the inside. It seems to me that the people with the best hearts brag about how much Jesus loves them louder than how much they love Jesus. I have met many Christians that can tell you what not to do, or the 10 things to do, but at the end of the day they can’t tell you a whole lot about their deep intimacy with their one true LOVE.
When I am in another country it is easier to see why two nations are described in this verse, because I see so much anger and hatred between tribes and ethnicities. It is harder to see the reality of this in America, but I would think that we Christians, in America, could probably substitute two denominations here in exchange for ethnicities. The world race is interdenominational, yet when I sit in a room with 42 teammates I can feel the presence and spirit of God radiating off each one of them.
Part of loving in this upside down Kingdom, is that spiritually speaking we are called to serve God and love men. It is in this that we have freedom. I once was bound to my own sin, and by grace I am free. So spiritually or physically we have all been bound needing to be free.
Christ is the POINT. THE END.
This is the verse I was reminded of when I met this man pictured with me in this photo. When I met him this week, he was full of joy, ready to partner with Muslims to bring peace to this city, the love of Jesus was evident in his smile and talk, he was one of the Christian leaders who was ready to seek LOVE first with the Muslims above anything else. He was a man who appeared to have adopted this verse for his life.
Now let me tell you the man I would have met ONE MONTH ago:
This man called himself a Christian, but his heart was not in tune with the heartbeat of God. He was a leader in so many killings and massacre’s toward the Muslims. He has been responsible for numerous deaths and fires. One day this man walked into a peace meeting between Christian and Muslim leaders, and said I HAVE HAD ENOUGH I WANT PEACE. How awesome. God is not a respecter of persons. This man had a change in his heart that had his actions match up. Christ became THE POINT to him. It wasn’t him versus Muslims, him versus another tribe, him versus anyone; IT WAS him and CHRIST.
