Answer: In Christ Jesus, we are all one, (verse
28).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
There is only ONE meaningful test for knowing the children of
God: Do you belong to Christ (verse 29)?
If so, then all other distinctions and differences disappear:
racial, national, class, economic distinctions; sex rivalry
disappears. Unity in Christ transcends all:
Psalm 133:1: "How good and pleasant
it is when brothers live together in unity!"
John 10:16: [Jesus said,] "I have
other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.
They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and
One Shepherd."
John 17:11, 20-23: [Jesus prayed,]
"I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in
the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the
power of Your Name--the Name you gave Me--so that they
may be one as We are One...My prayer is not for them alone. I
pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message,
that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am
in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that
You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave
Me, that they may be one as We are One: I in them and You in
Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know
that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved
Me."
Romans 10:12-13: "For there is no
difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of
all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, "Everyone
who calls on the Name of the Lord will be
saved.'"
Romans 15:5-6: "May the God Who
gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among
yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and
mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
1 Corinthians 1:10-13: "I appeal to
you, brothers, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of
you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among
you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that
there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you
says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow
Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still
another, 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided?
Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of
Paul?"
1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 24-27: "The
body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all
its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
For we were all baptized by One Spirit into one body--whether
Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the One
Spirit to drink...But God has combined the members of the body
and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that
there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should
have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every
part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices
with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you
is a part of it."
Ephesians 2:14-22: "For He [Christ
Jesus] Himself is our peace, Who has made the two [Jew and Gentile]
one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and
regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out
of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile
both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death
their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were
far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we
both have access to the Father by One Spirit. Consequently,
you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with
God's people and members of God's household, built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself
as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined
together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And
in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in
which God lives by His Spirit."
Ephesians 4:3-6, 11-13: "Make every
effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
There is one body and One Spirit--just as you were called to
one hope when you were called--One Lord, one faith, one
baptism; One God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all
and in all...It was He Who gave some to be apostles, some to
be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and
teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the
body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the
faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ."
Colossians 3:11-15: "Here there is
no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian,
slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore,
as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And
over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together
in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And
be thankful."
