Erasing The Distinction

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." -  Galatians 3:28

As you must be well aware, there is a movement in some parts of the world to remove the distinction between male and female genders. The idea is that you can decide what your gender is, irrespective of what chromosomes are the building blocks at the root of your very existence. Thinking about it, I am not surprised. Dismayed perhaps, but really no more dismayed than at the world's rejection of God and His Son. Human kind, in its fallen state, wants to be its own god. To make its own choices about creation - the reason for its existence - the manner in which it is to live out its time here on earth. And that time is short.

"For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." - James 4:14

Humans were not the first to remove the distinctions between genders - God did that through Jesus. In fact the change went well beyond the difference between male and female. The distinctions has been erased between cultures and races as well. All of that  happens at the point of our new birth.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17

As Christians we stand the same - no difference - before God. We all have the same spirit. That is not to say that we have lost our natural - physical distinctions and characteristics. That has to do with the natural. Come to think of it, the Lost stand the same before God - condemned for their sin.

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." - Genesis 1:27

Man cannot create anything from nothing - only God can do that. Man can only recreate from what is already created by God. Like cloning and test tube babies. To fallen man's disappointment - there is a limit to what man can do. Like what Nicodemus asked Jesus.

"Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." - John 3:4-6

When we are born again by the Spirit - we lose our distinctions before God -  we are His spiritual children. All people are not all God's children, but we are all God's creation. It is only through our rebirth do we find the place that God intended. Sadly many Christians still cling to their culture and their ethnicity even to the point of accepting, even promoting division, in the Body of Christ. I would say that is evidence of remnants of the old nature wanting to define the nature of our relationships with other Christians.

Do you remember the children's story about the Emperor's new clothes. A tailor convinced the emperor that the tailor had made magnificent clothes when in fact there was nothing. The emperor traveled through the town to show them off.  The people fawned over the imagined clothes - awed by their magnificence. Then one little boy shouted, "The Emperor is in his underwear!" Just because people want to deny the truth does not make what they embrace the truth. Whether it be gender identification or Christians choosing to identify with their culture and genetics over oneness through the Spirit of God.

Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save it. And lest we forget and sit in judgement remember what Paul wrote.

"And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight" - Colossians 1:21-22

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone