Let me get right to the point. There is NO room for racial division in Christ. Christ did not come to establish a church of a particular color nor die on the cross for the lighter or darker skin tone. Christ does not reign now from His heavenly throne for only a select group of people. Christ came, died, and sits on the throne now for ALL. Christ is ALL in ALL (Colossians 3:11). For your benefit, here is the full sentence that leads up to that phrase “all in all.” 

“Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” – Colossians 3:9-11

Were the Colossians guilty of living one way even though they have “laid aside the old self with its evil practices”? YES, and so are we! Paul is commanding us to tell the truth by how we live our lives with one another in unity. We do not have the freedom to say one thing then do another. Do not lie to one another if we have given up previous sinful lives and have put on a new life. This new life in Christ has NO lines of separation, especially and contextually no racial or economic lines. Christ is all in all. 

Have we forgotten what ALL IN ALL means?

  • ALL people are created in God’s image – Genesis 1:26
  • ALL people have sinned against God – Romans 3:23
  • ALL people are who God desires to be saved – 2 Peter 3:9
  • ALL people are to hear the gospel – Mark 16:15
  • ALL people can be included in Christ – Galatians 3:28

ALL IN ALL!

Now, I realize I might be preaching to the choir here. You might be inclined to say AMEN, Alex! But let me challenge you a little further. Then, you can see if you can say, “AMEN”!

  • Can you put yourself in the shoes of other people? – “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. – 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. Will you?
  • Can you treat others the way that you want to be treated? – “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12. Will you?
  • Can you condemn racism utterly by speaking out against it for the sake of unity? – “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” – Ephesians 4:14-16. Will you?

I can, and I will. 

Can you and will you?

I love you,

Alexander