Equals

God expects us to view one another as EQUALS.

The church at Colosse must have been a very diverse church. "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free..." (v. 11a). The distinctions that are so important to the world mean nothing in the church.

Paul is saying, "You are all equal in Christ. It doesn't matter what race you belong to, what religion you used to practice, what culture you're from, or what position you have in society, you are all equal in Christ." Though the Colossians were different from one another in many ways, he calls them all "brothers" in 1:2.

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28). The male and female distinction tells us that differences remain among Christians, but these differences are not to become barriers to fellowship.

"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" (1 Cor. 12:13).

Onesimus was Philemon's slave who apparently had run away. In that day, a slave was not considered a person; he was viewed as a piece of property. In the providence of God, Onesimus met Paul and was saved. Paul wrote to Philemon and asked him to receive Onesimus back "no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother" (Philem. 16a).

Let us focus on valuing others in our lives and see the best in them. Pray to God to help you see the person in the way that God sees them. Learn to appreciate them as they are.