Jesus Made "One" Anything But "The Loneliest Number" (Part 3)

What Did Jesus Do?

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
there is no male and female, for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28


I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like politics. This dislike for politics extends to individuals who practice nothing but politics. That’s right, I really don’t like politicians. This is why I am contemplating voting “No” in November if all I get to choose from is a group of politicians. As I said, I don’t know about you, but I also believe Jesus didn’t care for politics and politicians all that much. In fact, Jesus sought to pretty much eradicate politics. Think about it, politics is always so adversarial, so contentious, so win-lose. But Jesus wanted his followers to understand that we’re all in this together; Jesus made “one” anything but “the loneliest number.” And he did it be tackling politics head on.

First, there’s ethnic politics. Jew vs. Greek. Judaizers vs. Hellenists. Blacks vs. Whites. Whites vs. Reds. In Christ there is simply no place for any of this. “Jew,” what’s a Jew? “Gentile,” what’s a Gentile? There is neither Jew nor Greek…for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.

Next there are the politics of class and economics. Slave vs. Free. Owners vs. Workers. Wealthy vs. Poor. 1%ers vs. the 99%. In Christ there is simply no place for any of this. “Slave,” what’s a slave? “Free,” what’s free? There is neither slave nor free…for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.

Finally, there is gender politics. Male vs. Female. Husband vs. Wife. Men speaking in church vs. Women keeping their mouths shut. Adam vs. Amanda (see Adam’s Rib with Hepburn and Tracy). In Christ there is simply no place for any of this. “Male,” what is it to be male? “Female,” what is it to be female? There is no male and female, for you are all ONE in Christ Jesus.

Pick any kind of distinction or difference you may, Jesus will have none of it for his people. Bikers vs. Cagers. Duke vs. UNC. Dems vs. Reps. Conservatives vs. Liberals. We have to put all this stuff out of our minds and hearts, that is, if we have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). All politics is far more concerned with keeping others out than bringing them in. But, for those who practice faith rather than politics, for those who follow Jesus, the sole concern is with gathering others in.

The thing is, others cease to be “other” when all are ONE in Christ Jesus. In the end, I don’t care what kind of politics you pursue, you are going to end up lonely, no matter how many supporters and sympathizers and like-minded friends you have, because politics is fickle. But in Christ Jesus, where all are ONE, there is faithful fellowship that endures because Jesus has for all time and eternity made “one” anything but “the loneliest number.”

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4