That would be, arguably, Galatians 3:28. I’ve read it hundreds of times, not exaggerating, in commentary after commentary. Especially the more recently written ones! The complementarian ones, for sure!
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” Again, Galatians 3:28, the chapter’s penultimate (next-to-last) verse.
Oh, How Paul loves that term, that phrase, “in Christ!”
He uses it 10 times in Romans!
Then 12 more times in First Corinthians!
Add 9 times for Second Corinthians.
Plus 6 times for Galatians!
And, as you might suspect, 10 times in (relatively short) Ephesians.
Seven (7) times in Philippians, shorter yet.
Plus 4 more in Colossians, Twin Epistle to Philippians.
The “T” Books, Thessalonians and Timothy and Titus … 13 times … with Second Timothy having the “lion’s share,” 7 of them).
Philemon … 3 times!
But (a surprise to me) none in Hebrews. Not a single “in Christ!”
Yes, very Paul-like (“Pauline” the teachers call it) to the core … “Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Second Corinthians 5:17
When a sinner is saved, he is no longer “alone.”
No longer “apart” or “separated” from God, from the family of God!
He has been “brought in,” as old British Preacher Guy King used to preach and write!
Placed “into” the Sphere of Jesus Christ our Lord!
“Into” His Very Body! With the Body of Christ being the Church, according to Paul once again!
What a grand Place to be … “in Christ!”
But the point of today’s Lesson is that no matter who a person is … particularly (though Paul here expands his “field of contrast”) Jew or Gentile (Greek) … each is saved the same way! (By Grace through faith in the Blood of Jesus, in His atoning Death!)
And each person (anyone, “whosoever,” with no distinctions) who comes to Jesus so believing … ends up with the very same Status, “in Christ!”
Past conflicting identities are gone, vanished!
So … there is “neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female” … just saved, born-again Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
As I’ve said … all in the family … the same way … having been born again by sincere belief, by Holy Spirit power, by the grace of God!
Wow!
No wonder this great verse is used so much!
Relish it today.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
In Paul’s Churches, Jew and Greek could worship side by side, with no arguments! So could the slave and his (or her) owner! Even men and women enjoyed the privilege as well! (Certainly not in the synagogue, but YES, in the Church!)
Hallelujah!