One Body, Two Races

In the 1st century, there was a seemingly insurmountable rift between two peoples…Jews and Gentiles. Yet, it was God’s plan to bring them together in the church (Ephesians 2:16). But how could such an improbable plan be accomplished? Would the Jews have to surrender their identity and become like the Gentiles? Would the Gentiles have to surrender their identity and become like the Jews? Would they have to pretend there were no differences between the two peoples and expunge any language that acknowledged a distinction between the two? Let’s see what the Bible says.

• First, the Gentiles did not have to become like the Jews for God’s plan for unity to be realized. In fact, there were some Jews who expected just that (Acts 15:1). They expected the Gentiles to surrender their traditions and background and become like Jews. However, the apostles, elders at Jerusalem, and the Holy Spirit affirmed that such talk was without their consent and authority (Acts 15:24, 28). The Gentiles did not have to deny or surrender their background, culture, or customs in order to be in the Lord’s Kingdom.
• Second, the Jews did not have to become like the Gentiles for God’s plan to be realized. We read that though the Gentiles did not practice the rite of circumcision, Paul instructed Timothy to be circumcised (Acts 16:3) for expeditious reasons. In other words, he was not stripping the Jews of their Jewish customs and backgrounds in order for them to be a part of the kingdom.
• Third, Paul did not require that the Jews and Gentiles refuse to acknowledge the differences in their background, customs, and culture, nor did he attempt to expunge any language revealing those distinctions. Remember, it was Paul who said he was an apostle to the Gentiles and that Peter was an apostle to the Jews (Galatians 2:7). Who wants to correct Paul’s inspired language and tell him he shouldn’t have referenced such a distinction? Apparently, such a distinction wasn’t considered inflammatory or divisive. Luke also referenced a dispute between the Jewish Christians and Gentiles Christians (Acts 6:1). Note that he didn’t say this was a dispute among “brethren,” but it was between the Jewish and Gentile brethren. Again, Luke didn’t feel the need to filter his words to make no distinction between the fact that they were “Gentile Christians” and “Jewish Christians.”

The way God accomplished the unity he desired between Jews and Gentiles was through teaching that emphasized…

• Both Jews and Gentiles were helpless sinners in need of a Savior (Romans 3:9-10).
• Both Jews and Gentiles were of equal value to God (Galatians 3:28).
• Both Jews and Gentiles were supremely loved by God (Romans 5:6-8).
• Both Jews and Gentiles were expected to act in love toward each other since Jesus died for each (Romans 14:15).
• Both Jews and Gentiles were to seek the good of their brothers (Romans 15:1-2).

This was how God expected to accomplish the improbable. He didn’t expect them to deny their backgrounds, cultures, and traditions, or pretend there were no differences between the two peoples, but he did expect them to love each other with the love of Christ! That’s the answer to the conundrum. The unity God desired between these two peoples was to be achieved by simply loving each other with the love of Christ!

Now, in the 21st century, there is a seemingly insurmountable rift between two peoples distinguished by color. Yet, it was God’s plan to bring them together in the church (Ephesians 2:16). But how could such an improbable plan be accomplished? … (See above).