Galatians 3:27-29 (ESV)

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

Everyone is different. That is probably the most obvious statement anyone can make. We all have different backgrounds, likes, dislikes, talents, fears, hopes and dreams. Even though we are all different, we often put ourselves in groups with like-minded people.

We don’t make ourselves islands in the sea of life, but rather come together. Whether it is due to similar backgrounds or interests, we all have a group with which we identify. This can bring people together, but it can also create divisions when people want to stay within their identity group to the exclusion of others.

This all changes when we are in Christ. Instead of being in our separate groups, we are now unified. Paul in this passage of Galatians points out that when we are in Christ, our identity changes. We are no longer Jew or Greek. We are no longer members of separate nations or ethnic groups, but are in Christ. We are neither slave or free. There aren’t different classes of people, but rather we are equal in Christ. There is no male or female. Gender doesn’t matter because both are equally valuable in Christ.

This doesn’t mean that we lose that which makes us unique. We are still individuals with things that make us special. Rather, this means we aren’t identified by our group. If we are in Christ, we are equally members of His church. We are all equally sinners in need of a savior. We are all equally saved by the blood of Jesus and we should all find our identity in Christ and in Christ alone. We are not to find our identity in our race, social status, country of origin, hobbies, or anything else because Christ’s sacrifice overrides everything else. We belong to Jesus as His follower.

This week, find your identity in Christ. Don’t let what you’ve done or where you’ve come from keep you from finding your true self in Jesus.