God’s people know no differences in terms of origin, status, or gender. Other dissimilarities, however, are necessary. Because whoever you are, you have been called to be a blessing for all the others.
“Today’s Bible text is well-known,” Chief Apostle Jean Luc Schneider said in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) on 27 September 2024 and read out Galatians 3: 27–28: “For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3: 27–28).
The same goal
“To make it absolutely clear: God has no preferences,” the Chief Apostle underlined. “He loves all countries and nations with the same love.” It is also clear that everyone of God’s children can attain salvation. And everyone will receive exactly the same thing, the Chief Apostle said, namely eternal life.
The same way
The prerequisite for all is: “We must put on Christ,” as it says in our Bible text. This includes being baptised and sealed: we must be reborn out of water and the Spirit. But that is not enough, the Chief Apostle said. “Those who put on Christ can no longer lie or envy their neighbour or use violence. Those are just three examples. We must renounce evil.”
The same help
God helps us with this, the Chief Apostle emphasised. “He helps us through His word. And the same word works for everybody.” And besides: “We have all received exactly the same gift of the Holy Spirit.” And finally: “All of us receive exactly the same Holy Communion. But how effective this help is depends on us, on the decisions we make.”
The same justice
The conditions people live in are very different, the Chief Apostle said and went on to explain. Some are rich, others are poor, some are healthy, others are sick, some live in regions where there is peace, others in regions where there is war. “Why does God allow this? We could say: That’s unfair.” But: “We know that He loves all His children with the same love. We trust in the justice of God.”
Because God always gives us what we need to deal with the situation, the Chief Apostle said. As a matter of fact: “Even when it comes to sin, God takes our situation into account. He alone measures our guilt.” And thirdly: “God requires far more from those whom He grants more.”
Necessary dissimilarities
We do not all need to become the same, the Chief Apostle said. “You don’t have to give up your personality. But once we have put on Christ, we are able to accept our neighbour as Christ accepts him or her.
“In fact, we need these differences. Everyone is needed in the work of God. God needs examples and role models to prove that it is possible to follow Christ even in this particular situation. Because the day will come when we will all need you, specifically. And God will use you as an instrument to help us all,” he said.
“You, whoever you are, are called to be a blessing for all the others,” the Chief Apostle said in closing. “All those who have put on Christ can and will be a source of blessing for others.”