For all of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:27-29).

Pro-Biden signs, MAGA caps, anti-maskers, right wing this, left wing that, anti-vaxx protestors, Black Lives Matter signs. We expect such division in society as a whole, but what about within the Christian community? I have a close Christian friend who, months ago, abandoned friends from a previous church she and I both attended in MD because she simply could not understand how they could support ______ (you fill in the blank; it doesn’t really matter). Before we criticize her too swiftly, do we ever take the moral high ground? Or perhaps we take the political high ground, the social class high ground, the cultural high ground, the gender or racial high ground? The truth is this: the ground at the Cross is level. Our “high ground” is our adoption in Christ – and what a high ground that is, to be “sons” (3:26, 4:5-7) and “heirs” (3:29, 4:7). From that ground, the view of our fellow believers ought to be without any barriers at all. We were all “prisoner[s] of sin” (3:22) before coming to faith in Christ. We have all been adopted “through faith in Christ Jesus” (3:24). We neither merited nor earned that adoption, so how could we claim any moral, racial, gender, social, or economic superiority?

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (3:28). We know this verse, but do we believe it; do we live it?  I don’t think Paul is saying Christians should abandon their cultural uniqueness or racial or gender identity. We are unique, but our differences should not matter, should never be the grounds for superiority or resentment. In the church, I as a white middle class female should have more similarities than differences with the male migrant worker, the Black trust fund “baby,” or the Syrian refugee with her unique cultural experience. Each of us finds our true identity in Christ, not in cultural heritage, social class, or racial classification.  We are not all identical with no distinctions, nor should we be, but we are all equal as adopted children of God. The ground is level.

As believers, we are “clothed with Christ” (3:27). Think of how closely we wear our clothing; that is how closely our behavior should mirror Christ’s. While our clothing choices may reflect gender, cultural, or racial tastes, we must also “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14).  He showed no superiority to others; He never resented others. All our blessings come to us because we are God’s heirs; we do not deserve any of them. Let that sink in. Let it dissolve any pride in race, gender, status, or political leaning. Let it erase all barriers within the Body where all members are equal on the level ground around the Cross. 

It is so easy, Lord, to compare myself to others. The moment I start to feel better about myself, help me remember any good thing I have is a free gift from You. And since I neither deserved nor earned it, how could I think myself any better than another? Being Your child is what matters.