I know this is unrealistic in our polarized culture today, but what if . . . what if we could become a culture in which the only identity we had was tied to our identity in Christ? I have to believe a lot of things would be different.
Jesus treated everyone with the same love when he was here on earth. The thing that made Jesus angry the most was when his kingdom was divided by labels--labels like Jew, Gentile, male, female, sinner, righteous. Some of today's labels are sinner, Christian, American, foreigner, racist, male, female, democrat, republican, wealthy and poor.
Quite frankly, I am tired of all the labels. It is divisive and counter productive. It is completely opposite of what Jesus stood for and practiced. Jesus sees us all as people who need a redeeming God to bring us together as one.
Paul wrote in Galatians 3:26-28, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ Jesus have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Jesus sought a culture where people were brought together as one--not divided. Those who constantly want to divide our culture are creating the polarization. Leaders of our country constantly want to pick a side, promote their side and drive a wedge of division deeper into our culture. Think about that as you search for people to put into leadership positions in this great country.
Honestly, the church could take the leadership in our culture. We can begin to create a space where people come and are not labeled. They are seen as people who need to be clothed with Christ. We should all be able to find our identity in the one who came to bring us together as one. The church needs to set the example.
It should be an easy example to set if we submit ourselves to find our identity in Christ.
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