{"id":23546,"date":"2020-07-02T13:47:08","date_gmt":"2020-07-02T18:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=23546"},"modified":"2020-07-02T13:47:08","modified_gmt":"2020-07-02T18:47:08","slug":"one-in-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/one-in-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"One in Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t<p>by Doy Moyer<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_23548\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23548\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/one-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23548\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If all Christians are committed to be united in Christ, then the racial and ethnic boundaries that exist in culture will dissolve as all strive to live out the culture of the Kingdom of God. Our citizenship is in heaven, and this runs counter to ideas and practices that are based on selfish, shameful, and earthly things (Philippians 3:19-20). Please consider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>God desires all to be saved (I Timothy 2:4) and that none perish (II Peter 3:9). Those who love God will desire what God desires.<\/li>\n<li>All nations come from one (Acts 17:26). We are all related, as human beings, in one race.<\/li>\n<li>God\u2019s intention was, through Christ, to bless all nations (Genesis 12:3; Acts 3:25-26).<\/li>\n<li>No person should be called \u201ccommon\u201d or \u201cunclean\u201d (Acts 10:28).<\/li>\n<li>\u201c<em>God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him<\/em>\u201d (Acts 10:34-35).<\/li>\n<li>Showing partiality is a sin and contrary to loving your neighbor as yourself (James 2:8-9).<\/li>\n<li>Jesus broke down barriers to bring Jew and Gentile together into one body (Ephesians 2:11-22).<\/li>\n<li>Separating from brethren due to partyism and fear is condemned and out of step with the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:11-14).<\/li>\n<li>Physical and social barriers are broken down in Christ \u2014 all are in equal standing as children of God (Galatians 3:28).<\/li>\n<li>All people are justified by faith (Romans 3:30).<\/li>\n<li>All Christians have been baptized into one body and made to drink of one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>More passages can be given, but this should suffice to show that the intentional segregation of races in Christ\u2019s body is sinful and out of step with the truth of the gospel. Such segregation harms the gospel message, whereas purposeful integration witnesses to the power of the gospel to break down barriers and unite believers in Christ. As ugly and wrong as forced segregation was and is, how sad is it today that segregation is still being observed even when not forced?<\/p>\n<p>Christians need to overcome this so that brothers and sisters from all ethnic and racial backgrounds will stand together as one. Scripture shows us what God wants. We still have a long way to go as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us love one another. Let us serve one another through that love (Galatians 5:13). Let us submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). Let us live in harmony with one another and as far as it depends on us be at peace with all (Romans 12:16-18). Let us repent of thinking evil of one another, sowing discord, partyism, strife, and separating ourselves from each other due to physical appearances. Let us all work to the purpose of the gospel and in so doing glorify God.<\/p>\n<p>The gospel speaks to our issues. Are we listening?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Doy Moyer If all Christians are committed to be united in Christ, then the racial and ethnic boundaries that exist in culture will dissolve as all strive to live out the culture of the Kingdom of God. Our citizenship is in heaven, and this runs counter to ideas and practices that are based on&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[456],"class_list":["post-23546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-unity"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":90438,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/united-in-christ\/","url_meta":{"origin":23546,"position":0},"title":"United in Christ","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Acts 10:34-43 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our Lord and Savior prayed before his death - John 17:13-26 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It was his desire that we would share the same oneness that he and the Father shared. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is a oneness based in love \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0If we are committed to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":57094,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-mystery-of-godliness\/","url_meta":{"origin":23546,"position":1},"title":"The Mystery of Godliness (Moyer)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Paul through the Spirit provides what early Christians confessed, possibly even sang. He calls it the \"mystery of godliness.\" Yet what had been a mystery was revealed and understood through Jesus (Ephesians 3:1-6). \"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93884,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/gods-nation\/","url_meta":{"origin":23546,"position":2},"title":"God\u2019s Nation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer One of the most significant promises of God to Abraham was that \"in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed\" (Genesis 12:3). Peter connected this promise to Jesus, raised up in fulfillment of this promise \"to bless you by turning every one of you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55119,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/back-to-basics-the-kingdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":23546,"position":3},"title":"Back to Basics: The Kingdom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 10, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Frank Jamerson Some who are teaching that there is no distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant are teaching an absolute distinction between the kingdom and the church. When those who profess to be teachers of God's word say \"the kingdom of God is not the ekklesia,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68628,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-elders-called-by-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":23546,"position":4},"title":"Are elders called by God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Brother, I hope you are well. I am a member of the Lord's church. I have a question: Are Elders called by God to serve as Elders? If so, why did God give us the qualifications in scripture? I don't believe this is true, but some congregations teach\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25099,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-you-a-bible-christian\/","url_meta":{"origin":23546,"position":5},"title":"Are You a Bible Christian?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 23, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Richie Thetford People grossly misuse the name \"Christian.\" The name belongs to an individual, not nations of people, such as \"Christian nation.\" What makes a person a \"Bible Christian?\" Before we answer that question, let's first look at who is not a Christian. Not all \"good people\" are Christians.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/christian-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23546\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}