We are all part the same body
Culture plays a massive part in how people interact with each other, and it's true, different cultures influence our understanding of the world. Not wishing to draw stereotypes but for instance, the Latin areas of the world tend to be more outgoing and emotional in their language and understanding, a stark contrast to the European Germans and British who err on the side of reserved and lock their emotions away in a box.
To this end it can sometimes be difficult to understand each other.
But this also provides a colour and vibrance to life. I love spending time with friends who have grown up in different cultures to me because I love the way that we can have discussions about things (and at different levels) that people of the same upbringing and outlook may never discuss openly.
There is a deep spiritual connection when you discuss and disclose things comfortably or uncomfortably with a friend that you would not otherwise. Opening yourself up to others so that they may better understand you connects you spiritually and there is connection that both feel but cannot word. This for me is proof that there is a God at work in the unseen, how else would we experience such connection with others?
There are cultures between Christians too; conservative, liberal, outward expression, internalisation, the subject of Spiritual Gifts, creeds and belief structures, all of which provide endless discussion and debate, both healthy and unhealthy. However there is one thing that connects us all, and that is the knowledge and understanding of the Love of Jesus Christ.
There is a deep understanding of our fellow Christians that is unexplainable. Relationships demonstrate this especially, in particular romantic or intimate relationships with our partners and close friends. It is because we are all part of the same family, we all know that we have been rescued, we all know that we have missed the mark and yet we have been accepted nonetheless. This breeds humility and gratitude for simply being alive.
This connection was known in the early Church, and St Paul advises us to choose other Christians as our close friends and partners, those who we confide in and confess too, because he knew that there would be a deeper understanding, a common outlook and that advice would be rooted in Jesus' and the Bible's teaching.
Regardless of our beliefs, regardless of our faith, regardless of our sex or gender, regardless of our colour, regardless of our sexuality and regardless of the way we live our lives - we are all human. We are all part of the same race.
However we live in a world still,where people are marginalised, discriminated against and treated differently because of their race, gender, beliefs etc. This need to stop.
There is one race. The Human race.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26-28 NIV
What Paul is saying in this letter to the church in Galatia is that no matter what our status or standing in the world, we are all equal in the eyes of God.
We must help those who are part of the same body and who God regards as equal.
The passage in Part 1 contains this statement:
This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honoured, all the parts are glad. 1 Cor 12.
If one part of the body suffers, we all suffer.
Think of Christians in China, North Korea, parts of Africa, there are Christians who are not only abused for their faith but killed for not renouncing it. When they suffer, we suffer. Jesus taught that when we help the marginalised, the abused, the persecuted, we are helping Him. If we have Jesus who not only fought for us but died to save us, how can we not help Him justifiably?
Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
2 Corinthians 5, verses 14 and 15. NLT
Jesus came to Earth, God in Human form for all people and gave the opportunity for all to follow Him.
If this simple principle was applied worldwide, and we treated everybody as we treat ourselves and wanted to be treated by others. I guarantee we would see an end to war, dispute, tension and corruption.
Simply by remembering that we are all part of the same body. We are all one family.
