No Longer Divided: One in Christ Jesus

“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28 (NRSV)

What a powerful declaration of radical unity! In a world still filled with dividing lines—race, class, gender, nationality, belief—Paul’s words are not only revolutionary, they are profoundly relevant. In Galatians 3:23–29, Paul invites us into a new understanding of who we are as children of God and what it means to live as part of God’s family through faith in Christ.

This passage speaks directly to our identity as Christians and members of the Church. And for us in the United Methodist Church, it connects deeply with our core beliefs about grace, baptism, and Christian unity.

Before Faith Came

Paul begins this passage by describing the Law as a kind of guardian or custodian—something that held humanity in place until faith was revealed in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:23–24).

The Greek word paidagōgos refers to a household servant or tutor who was responsible for keeping young children in line until they were mature enough to claim their full inheritance. In the same way, Paul argues, the Mosaic Law helped to guide God’s people, but now something new has come—justifying faith in Christ.

According to the New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Paul is not dismissing the value of the Law but showing that it was a preparatory stage in salvation history (Vol. XI, p. 290). Now that Christ has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law, because faith has brought us into the fullness of God’s promise.

Clothed with Christ

Verse 27 makes a beautiful claim: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” In United Methodist theology, baptism is not only an outward sign of inward grace—it’s also the beginning of our life in Christ, the moment when we are publicly claimed by God and welcomed into the covenant community (The United Methodist Book of Worship, p. 81).

John Wesley taught that baptism is a “means of grace,” a sacrament through which God works in us, especially in our initiation into the body of Christ. The Wesley One Volume Commentary emphasizes that Paul sees baptism here as transformational—it creates a new identity, one that is no longer defined by external status or human divisions (p. 852).

To be “clothed with Christ” means that when others see us, they should see not the labels the world places on us, but the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus.

No Longer Divided

Verse 28 is perhaps one of the most quoted verses in Galatians, and for good reason: “There is no longer Jew or Greek...slave or free...male and female.” These three pairs cover the major social divisions in Paul’s time—ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender. Yet Paul doesn’t deny these identities exist; instead, he says they are no longer the basis for division in the body of Christ.

The United Methodist Church affirms this principle in our Social Principles and doctrinal standards. Our baptismal vows commit us to “resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves” (The United Methodist Hymnal, p. 34). We are called to create a community where the barriers of race, gender, economic power, or social standing are torn down in Christ.

As Paul proclaims, we are all heirs according to the promise. The grace of God is not reserved for a select few but offered to all, freely and without partiality.

A Church of Unity, Not Uniformity

It’s important to note that Paul is not advocating for a colorless or bland sameness. The UMC’s Baptismal Covenant I reminds us that “the Church is of God and will be preserved to the end of time...in which everyone may worship God and be in service to others.” Our differences—cultural, linguistic, generational—can still enrich the Church, but they should never divide us.

As a local congregation, this calls us to ask ourselves some important questions:

• Are we welcoming all people as equals before Christ?

• Do we practice grace and hospitality not just in worship but in our relationships?

• Are we raising up leaders and disciples from all backgrounds?

Being "one in Christ Jesus" is not a theological abstraction—it is a spiritual and practical reality that we must embody every day.

What This Means for Us

In a small town or a large city, in the sanctuary or the streets, the truth of Galatians 3:23–29 calls us to live as a people of inclusion and hope. Baptism is not the finish line; it’s the starting point. When we rise from the waters, we rise with Christ—and into a new family that stretches across every boundary.

Let’s be a church that reflects that truth. Let us teach our children, serve our neighbors, and care for the vulnerable not because we are better—but because we are one in Christ. There is room at God’s table for everyone.

Closing Prayer

God of unity and promise, thank you for the gift of faith and the grace poured out in baptism. Help us to live as your children, clothed in Christ, breaking down walls and building up your Kingdom. Make us one, as you are one. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

References

• The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Vol. XI: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians (Abingdon Press, 2000).

• The Wesley One Volume Commentary (Abingdon Press, 2020).

• The United Methodist Hymnal (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989).

• The United Methodist Book of Worship (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1992).

• The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2016.

• “By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism” (General Board of Discipleship, 1996).