Interwoven Across Racial Lines

“But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…” Ephesians 2:13 The world we live in has far too many divisions among cultures, races, traditions, and even families. While some divisions are natural, many of them are painful and negative. We can easily create barriers in the name of religion, gender, churches, communities, families, friend groups, and more. While these differences can help us think about who we are, our sinful nature distorts them in such a way that we put up walls that divide us. So while we can celebrate diversity, it should not lead to division. In the first century, as the church of Jesus began and the gospel spread to many nations, there was deep division between people of Jewish origin and people of other nations. All non-Jewish people were called Gentiles. Sadly, throughout history and within our day, these divisions remain. Sunni & Shia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and ongoing tensions in the United States remain. However, Paul states in Ephesians 2 that  the finished work of Jesus breaks down the barrier, making “one new humanity out of the two.” Paul reminds us that we can find unity in the foundation that has already been laid in Christ. We celebrate that the dividing wall has come down, but we must continue to work out this relationship in Christ “who is our peace.” As we unpack this important topic this week, may this reconciliation we have in Christ lead to reconciliation with others!