Day 283
Ephesians 2:13-14 NIV
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility."
Paul told the Ephesians how the Jew and Gentile were united through the blood of Christ. All were made equal at the cross of Christ. The Son of God paid the price for the sin of the world, and each of us had to accept his sacrifice to be able to come to God. Jesus fulfilled the old law and brought in a new law, a new covenant. All over the world today, when people have a genuine encounter with Christ, it affects the way they feel about people of other cultures and nationalities who know Jesus as Savior. When the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God, we understand that everyone else in the family of God is our family.
Because some of us allow pride and stupidity to overcome us, we may be drawn against our brothers and sisters who are different in some way. However, rejecting others in the Body of Christ simply because they are different from us is not from the Holy Spirit. Rejecting our own family for no good reason comes from an evil spirit who knows unity is productive to our cause.
In certain instances, differences in the way we believe about particular things may hinder us from functioning on the same team. However, there should be enough common ground for us to praise God together and love and help each other. There should be occasions when we can stand together for the cause of Christ. Unfortunately, there are groups among us who believe the Body of Christ consists only of the members of their denomination. They claim no other brothers and sisters except those who belong to their church. Although they are wrong in their understanding of the Body of Christ, those of us who know better must love them and respect them anyway. Jesus broke down the walls that divide us, and if there are any built, let them not be by our hands. When we meet those who exclude us because we don't belong to their churches, let us be glad they are saved, if they accept Jesus as Savior. Although they are deceived into thinking we must join their church in addition to accepting Christ, we know we are saved and can just forgive their ignorance and love them anyway.
If we meet Christian people who exclude us for other illegitimate reasons, such as ethnicity, social status or particular beliefs, let us be a part of the answer and not a part of the problem. God needs somebody to set an example of how His children ought to treat each other. We do not need to compromise our convictions to get along with our family. All it takes is love and respect. People in the business world do it every day. They get along with people who believe differently than they do, because they are motivated to make money and advance in their careers. Let us do it because we are motivated to please God.
I will respect what Jesus did at Calvary. He has broken down the dividing wall between believers. I will not participate in rebuilding the walls He has destroyed. I love all my spiritual family. I will be a part of unity and love. I will be a part of the answer and not the problem, wherever I go.