July 10

“But Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:11

The Body of Christ is not Jew and Greek, barbarian and Scythian, but one new man, without national distinctions. The following story is a good illustration.

After the First World War, some Christian brothers from England went to Germany to attend a conference. One of the brothers in Germany rose to introduce the visitors, saying, “Now that the war is over, we have some English brothers visiting us, to whom we extend our warmest welcome.”

Among those introduced, one stood up and replied, “We are not English brothers, but brothers from England.” How well spoken were those words! For remember, even in the church in Jerusalem this mistake began to be made when a dispute arose between the Hebrews and the Grecians (Acts 6).

It is good that at Antioch the disciples came to be called Christians, for in the Church there is neither national distinction nor racial difference, but only Christ who is all and in all. How satisfactory this is!