We are one in Christ

by Marcelo Brandão·October 23, 2019·3 min read

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I confess that it took me a long time to decide what to write on the blog this week. When I prayed in the morning, I felt like writing about the following passage:

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

We always use this passage to talk about the importance of friendship and not walking alone. But today I believe God brought me a new revelation from the same text. The importance of walking together in equality. We are all one in Christ as it is written in Galatians 3:28 (There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.)

We live in a society that seeks self-satisfaction first. We have settled in our heads the constant competition with the other people around. Throughout our lives we are conditioned to always seek first place in relation to others and not to have a pure equality. This can happen in many areas of our life. Whether in search of a better position at work, or in search of greater prominence within our ministry. I am not saying that we should conform to the place where we are. Much less give up seeking growth in all areas of life. But this should not be our main focus as Christians.

The original plan

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

When God created man and placed him on earth, he did so with the intention that man, always under His will, had dominion over all things on earth. The divine purpose was never for man to have dominion over another man. But let them all reign together, on equality, over the whole creation of God.

The problem

Ecclesiastes 4:4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

The problem then, as you can see, is not to seek growth, but to do so motivated by envy to others. For always wanting to be above the other. God’s Word says this is vanity. That is, it is vain and meaningless for someone who is seeking to live a life according to God’s will.

Envy reflects the anguish of the spirit and this is nothing more than the search for something that is not in line with the perfect and pleasant will of God.

Practical conclusion

Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

We should not seek growth motivated by envy and wanting to be greater than others. God made the whole human race to reign together equally. In God’s perfect plan there is no difference. No one is bigger than anyone else and we are content with what God gives us, never wanting to have or be more. Putting all the verses together we can understand that together, in the same position and free from envy, we obtain stillness and peace instead of being distressed at all times because we are going against what God, in His infinite wisdom, knows is the best.

Stay close!

For a more personal contact, I’m on Instagram (@zmbrandao). Also follow @BibliaJFA!