Jesus Made "One" Anything But "The Loneliest Number" (Part 6)

What Did Jesus Do?

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
Romans 10:12

To a Jewish audience Paul’s declaration that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek was worse than nonsense, it was blasphemy! It would have been more offensive than today suggesting that there is no distinction between an Afghani and an American, Democrats and Republicans, the Red Sox and the Yankees. Maybe Paul’s great learning had driven him insane? (see Acts 26:24) Or maybe Paul, better than just about anyone then or now, truly understood the Gospel, and how Jesus had made “one” anything but “the loneliest number.” Everyone, Jew and Greek, Afghani and American, Democrat and Republican, even Red Sox and Yankee, who calls upon the name of the Lord, receives the same riches.

So, why is it, when Jesus looks upon all who are his, and see them as one and united under his lordship, that we insist on behaving as many and disparate? We seem to love nothing so much as to make all kinds of distinctions: Between the West and the Orthodox, between Catholic and Protestant, between Reformed and Lutheran, between Baptist and Pentecostal, even between Presbyterian and Presbyterian! And, let’s be plain here, by our distinctions we would deny the place and the privilege of the Lord to bestow his riches lavishly upon all who call on him.

Even worse, our preoccupation with making so many distinctions gets in the way of what should be our chief occupation—proclaiming the Gospel to the lost so that they may believe and call upon the Lord. Here in little old McDowell County, NC (Just over 40,000 pop.) there are 160+ congregations that are more into doing their own thing on their own, rather than doing His thing together, with the result that 80% of our neighbors aren’t part of any of the many, which likely means that most of that 80% are not part of the One who is, well, The One. As I’ve said before, if this is the “Bible Belt,” then we must be its rusty buckle that’s unbuckled.

All I am saying is, if God’s Word tells us that he makes no distinctions, isn’t it about time that we stopped being so hung up on them? It will be Resurrection Sunday (or Easter if you prefer) in just a couple of weeks. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the One Savior who died on the One Cross, was laid in the One Grave, and made many one through his One Resurrection, could be worshiped and proclaimed by his One People who all come together on that day as One in Him?


S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37:4