Galatians 3:26-29 focuses on oneness within the church: “for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28). This oneness is not between believers and unbelievers. With unbelievers, there may be uniformity, but not oneness. As long as you are a believer, there is oneness in Christ. God wants all believers to be one, in Christ. This is the work of Christ for He has saved us. If we are truly born again, we are one in Christ.
- Oneness in Relationship (Gal 3:26): Believers are “the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal 3:26). Thus, we are children in the same family of God. It is an eternal oneness because this oneness is in Christ. We must learn to love, and not hurt, one another. We are to help, encourage and build up one another. We must not tear each other apart or gossip. This oneness is by faith in Christ, it is an inward transformation. If we are born again in Christ, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are brothers and sisters-in-Christ, an eternal family.
- Oneness in Witness (Gal 3:27-28): When we are “baptized into Christ,” we “put on Christ” (Gal 3:27). It is like putting a garment over us. Do not allow obstacles to ruin or prevent this oneness in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 lists three obstacles: racism (“neither Jew nor Greek”), status (“neither bond nor free”) and gender (“neither male nor female”). We may have our different functions or roles, but we still have this oneness in Christ. Whatever our race, status and gender, we must promote Christ, not self. We can witness or testify for God as one. And others will see our holiness, love, honesty, patience, compassion, etc. We must decrease, Christ must increase.
- Oneness in Promise (Gal 3:29): We are “heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:29), i.e. we have the same promise thus we are all heading to the same eternal home in heaven. As long as we are truly born again, we are Abraham’s seed by faith. We see how Abraham’s faith in God’s promise progressed and grew. His faith was true and genuine. We too are heirs of the same promise. God wants us to have this oneness in the promise of an eternal home. This oneness in promise is even more impactful when we are still on earth. The world can see our unity in Christ, when the world is full of disunity.
God wants us to have oneness in Christ, but do we want it? We must see each other with new eyes, with spiritual eyes. God cannot fail.
