One in Christ, No Labels Left
Each thread unique. All one in Christ.
Devotional Credit:
Excerpt from In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit:
Photo by Unsplash
E. Stanley Jones reflects on Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11 to present a radical truth of the gospel: all earthly distinctions are abolished in Christ. He points out that in the new society born of the Holy Spirit, divisions based on race, class, gender, culture, or religious observance no longer have any bearing on identity. There is no room for superiority or inferiority in the Body of Christ because the old hierarchies and labels do not carry into the new creation. In Him, we are one—not figuratively, but factually.
Jones insists that this is not sentimental idealism but theological and experiential reality. Where Christ truly reigns, these divisions dissolve. If any form of separation or partiality remains, we must question whether Christ is being allowed to be “all and in all.” He further affirms that every human being holds the capacity for greatness and growth when given the opportunity, and the gospel gives us that level ground. The results in African schools compared to others become a case study to illustrate that racial disparity is not innate but conditioned—and that Christ came to level and redeem all of it.
When the Church walks in the reality that we are all one in Christ Jesus, a new kind of society emerges—one marked by love, humility, unity, and mutual value. In contrast to the world’s tribalism, the Body of Christ becomes the visible expression of heaven’s culture. But if the Church forgets this “blinding vision,” it slides back into the mess of pride, competition, and division.
Ultimately, this is a call to live out the fullness of our oneness in Christ. We are no longer labeled by the world’s systems but are identified as those for whom Christ died. This is the truth upon which a new world can and must be built.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved child, you are no longer identified by categories the world has carved from clay. In Me, the lines that once divided—color, status, gender, background—have vanished. You are not Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. You are Mine. You are in Me, and I am in you.
The world thrives on comparison, on building towers of superiority out of sand, but I have made you a new creation where such distinctions cannot survive. I do not deal in levels of worth—I gave My life equally for all. Let no cultural pressure, no religious tradition, no social caste define you or your brothers and sisters in Christ. Let no distinction, no label, no pedigree be the voice you follow.
You belong to a new household, a family where My presence unites rather than separates. Where I reign, love flows freely, without suspicion or preference. In My body, no one is beneath and no one above. You are all one, and My Spirit bears witness to that unity.
Live in harmony not by effort, but by surrender. Let My love flow through you to all who walk beside you. Do not see them by old eyes—see them in Me. For I am in them just as I am in you. Where I am all and in all, My peace will rule, My joy will flourish, and My glory will shine.
Scripture References: Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11; 2 Corinthians 5:16–17; Romans 12:4–5; John 17:21–23; Ephesians 2:14–18; James 2:1–9; 1 Corinthians 12:12–13; Philippians 2:1–5; Romans 10:12–13
Real-Life Analogy
Think of a patchwork quilt made from every kind of fabric—old t-shirts, wedding lace, denim, velvet, flannel. Each square tells its own story, but once stitched together, it becomes one warm, beautiful covering. The threads do not erase the fabric’s uniqueness, but they do bind them into a unified whole that offers comfort and belonging far beyond the sum of its parts.
In this moment, you may interact with someone of a different background, opinion, or culture. Don’t view them through the frayed lens of labels. Instead, quietly yield to the Holy Spirit and let Him love through you. Maybe it's a tense co-worker, a stranger with an accent, or a family member whose politics irk you. Let your heart whisper, “Lord, I trust You to live Your welcoming life through me right now.” In doing so, you're not stitching a patchwork—you’re revealing that one quilt already covers you both.
Prayer of Confidence
Father,
Thank You for the unifying love You have poured into me through Christ. I stand today not as a category or a comparison but as Your child—fully accepted, fully known, and fully one with every brother and sister who is in Christ. You have already made us one; I rest in that reality. No division can undo what You have joined. I walk in the confidence that Christ is all and in all.
Amen.