All, Not Some

When the Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Galatian Christians, he knew that some who read the letter would be shouting, "Amen!" while others would dismiss him as irrelevant and out of touch with reality.  Some who read his letter would remember his visit among them and others would only know him as a name.  While the Apostle Paul directed some anger at those who he believed were leading the church astray as he wrote, "I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves" (Galatians 5:12), he also spoke the all inclusive word of Galatians 3:26 which has him declaring, "...for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith..."     

It is an easy word to forget in the heat of a disagreement, or difference, or argument.  I know this to be true not just because I have read or heard acrimonious, divisive, and mean spirited words spewing forth from both sides of a denominational dispute, but because I have been caught up in some local church battles which certainly brought no joy to the heart of Christ.  What is often forgotten is that everyone on both sides of the struggle are "children of God through faith." When Paul wrote these words, he did not refer to those who agreed with him as children of God, but instead, he spoke of all being his brothers and sisters through Christ.    

We may disagree with one another and we have and we will.  We may even believe to the core of our being that those on the other side of the table are absolutely wrong, but we must not forget who they are and who we are.  It might be good to remember another word Paul wrote to another church, "Be angry, but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger."  (Ephesians 4:26)  It also might be good to remember Jesus saying, "...love one another..." (John 13:34).