In Christ Jesus You Are All Children of God

This meditation is based on a passage for January 29, 2011 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Galatians 3:23-29

Reflection and Question: My congregational home is The Community of Reconciliation, an intentionally interracial and inclusive fellowship. This passage is central to our faith, particularly the end, in Christ, of distinctions like Jew and Greek, slave and free, or male and female. Clearly, Paul’s list of differences wiped away by Christ continues to grow as we make faithful commitment to Christ the sole criteria for being in Christ’s family. We also see what Arlo Duba sees: There is “no issue of gender or sexual orientation, except the bonds of covenant faithfulness.” What does baptism into Christ mean to you?

Prayer: Spirit of the living God, we see with Paul that laws meant to discipline became imprisonment after Jesus inspired faith among people far and wide across the world. May we embrace all Your children, heirs to Your promise just like us. Amen.