Out of Many, One

By staff - Jan 21, 2010 -

Sermon Outline

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

Context

Racial distinctions have been in existence almost from the beginning of time. In the Middle East during biblical times, there was an intermingling of peoples from many different ethnic groups. Many of these groups were in conflict with one another. That was especially true of the Jews. They were in conflict with anyone who was not a Jew by birth. William Barclay, Galatians, Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 32, says that, in Israel, male Jews thanked God every day that they were not born a Gentile, a slave or a woman. To them, people in those categories had less value than they did.

But Paul makes the argument that, in Christ, all distinctions are eliminated, whether they be distinctions of race, social station, or gender. Christ had bridged the gap that separates one person from another.

Introduction

When our nation was established in 1776, the Great Seal committee settled on the motto that still is found on one of the most familiar emblems of this country: “E pluribus unum”—Out of many, one. The Latin phrase represented the fact that America was a nation founded by people from many nations coming together to establish a common bond that would hold them together in spite of their differences.

We should keep in mind what Martin Luther King, Jr. said on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” If we are to be one out of many, there must be reconciliation among all the races in our nation.

I. Reconciliation begins with God (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Reconciliation is, first and foremost, a work of God. A. T. Robertson, Second Corinthians, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. IV, p. 232, says the word “reconciled” in it’s Greek form was used for the exchanging of coins. Reconciliation, then, is an exchange wherein God exchanges the righteousness of Christ for our sin. Because that sin has been done away with, we are brought into a relationship with God.

On our own, we do not have the capacity to be reconciled to God. There is nothing within us that would make that exchange possible. It was God who made reconciliation possible through His divine act on our behalf. Jesus told His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16). The Apostle Paul also says that we are reconciled to God through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:20-22).

Once we are reconciled to God, He then places within our hearts the ability to love another person no matter who they are. We are not naturally loving people. But because of that love that is poured out into our hearts (Romans 5:5), we are to operate according to a new set of standards. William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians, p. 209, says that the Christian “no longer judges things by the standards the world uses…Now his standards are different.” We are to extend the reconciliation that God has offered freely to us in His Son by extending that reconciliation freely to others.

II. Reconciliation removes barriers (Galatians 3:28a).

Through Christ, He makes it possible for anyone to be reconciled to Him, no matter what their social status, gender, skin color, or anything else. That reconciliation was made available to anyone—not just a select few. Those who are “in Christ” possess a relationship with God through Christ Jesus. Anyone who is of the “household of faith” is a brother or sister in Christ. There is no longer to be any distinction.

What about those outside the household of faith? In the work of reconciliation that God wrought, there is an example for all of us to follow. If He could reconcile us to Him in spite of our sin and rejection, how much more so should we follow His example and be reconciled to those who are different than us? After all, we are all made “in the image of God.” Because of that, there is no one who is of lesser or more value than anyone else. Christians, especially, have a responsibility to bridge cultural and racial gaps—to promote harmony between the races— recognizing the fact that we are to do as He has done.

What are those barriers that must be overcome if there is to be harmony between the races? In his book, Intentional Diversity: Creating Cross-Cultural Ministry Relationships in Your Church, pp. 43-51, Jim Lo points out three:

  1. Ethnocentrism—perceiving our culture to be the best one and evaluating all other cultures by that standard. Though there is a positive side of this, the problem comes about because of an attitude of cultural arrogance. Ethnocentrism becomes a problem when a person believes that their cultural norms are the only ones acceptable and everyone else must measure up or be held in contempt.
  2. Stereotyping—refers to a fixed impression about groups of people by which everyone in that group is judged. Stereotypes are generalizations pushed to the extreme. They stand in the way of relationships with people of different backgrounds.
  3. Prejudice—this deals with feelings and attitudes about people whereas stereotypes deal with beliefs about them. Prejudice may manifest itself in various forms including hate speech, avoidance, discrimination, and physical attack.

III. Reconciliation produces oneness (Galatians 3:28b).

Someone has said, “The ground is level at the foot of the Cross.” Though we are all different, we are made one in Christ. R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, and to the Philippians, p. 189, says, “There are still many individuals, and these remain ‘many.’ But in their union with Christ they are all masculine, not neuter, ‘one person,’ not just ‘one thing or one body.’” John Stott, The Message of Galatians, pp. 99-100, says, “We belong to each other in such a way as to render of no account the things which normally distinguish us, namely race, rank and sex.”

But how do we do that practically?” In the book by Jim Lo cited earlier, there are 10 suggestions for becoming a culturally sensitive person (pp. 61-72). Applying these principles will help bring about oneness between the races.

  1. Understand yourself—Our predispositions formed by our culture determine “how we perceive other, the way they think, and the way they do things.”
  2. Empathize with others—We must look at things not only from our own viewpoint but from the viewpoint of others as well.
  3. Loosen up—Don’t be afraid to reach out to people from other cultural backgrounds
  4. Keep your sense of humor—Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself and with others.
  5. Don’t be afraid of mistakes—Everyone makes them and most people are willing to forgive if asked.
  6. Do not make quick judgments—“People should put aside critical thinking until they have had an opportunity to see the other person’s viewpoint. This requires careful listening and patience.”
  7. Be tolerant of ambiguity—Not everything about someone else’s culture will be as clear and precise as we might like.
  8. Develop intercultural traits—Those suggested include curiosity, courage, friendliness, flexibility, and communication.
  9. Take a stand—Don’t tell or allow others to tell ethnic jokes. They are demeaning to those of other cultures.
  10. Recognize that we do not live in a colorless or cultureless world—Not everyone is the same. Allow people of other cultures to be who they are, not what you expect them to be.

Conclusion

John Newton, who penned the words of the familiar hymn, “Amazing Grace”, was a slave-trader by profession in his younger years. But a change in his life had its beginnings when he was nearly shipwrecked off the coast of Newfoundland in 1748. It was then that he was converted to faith in Christ. He was struck by the fact that God would embrace a slave trader such as himself.

The change in profession did not come immediately. He continued to run slaves to the Carolina coast for several years. But eventually, remorse led him to leave the business of slave trading to enter the Anglican ministry and he became one of the leading abolitionists in England. He came to realize that all people were of value in the sight of God and that distinctions between them had been abolished.

What Can One Person Do?

  1. Ask the pastor of your church to invite other ethnic congregations in your community to join with your church in a worship service.
  2. Arrange for a pulpit exchange with a church of another ethnic group.
  3. Develop a relationship with people from another ethnic group by inviting them to your home for fellowship.
  4. Visit a Christian bookstore to find reading material that will help you understand other ethnic groups.

Other Helpful Scriptures

Bible verses about Racial Reconciliation:
Gen. 1:26-27; Gen 3:20; Deut. 10:17; 2 Chron. 19:7; Prov. 24:23; Isa. 66:18; Mal. 2:10; Matt. 22:36-39; Luke 10:29-37; John 4:7-10; John 10:16; Acts 8:26-39; Acts 17:26; Rom. 2:11; Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:14-22; Col. 3:11; 1 Tim. 5:21; James 2:9; 1 John 4:20; Rev. 5:

Further Learning

Learn more about: Citizenship, Racial Reconciliation,