There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
It’s not about cultural distinctions like those things that marked off Israel in the promised land distinguishing them from the neighbors who didn’t know God. It’s not about that. It’s not about slave or free. There were 10 million slaves in the Roman Empire – 20% of the population of the Roman Empire; and the Roman economy depended upon and was built on slavery, property, chattel, owning human beings.
I want to say a word about that by the way. Paul never argues for slavery in the New Testament. He just lived under a brutal empire that had about 20% of the people in the empire as slaves; but Paul never argued for slavery.
Now, back in antebellum days before the Civil War in our nation, there were a whole lot of southern preachers and theologians who misused the Bible just like the Jewish Christians were misusing the Bible in Galatia. They pulled quotes out, even from the New Testament saying, slavery is OK, we defend it. Some of our Southern Baptist leaders at Southern Seminary in Kentucky owned slaves. The whole reason the Southern Baptist Convention came into existence in 1845 was so they could have missionaries that owned slaves. And there were those who defended slavery based on the Bible. Paul never argued for slavery. And we shouldn’t either.
There’s no hierarchy in the body of Christ.
But he says something radical here. He says that in Christ there is neither slave nor free. Today we might say neither rich nor poor. The playing field is level. There’s no hierarchy in the body of Christ. (Frankly, I’ve never liked standing up here with you down there. It kind of gives me a hierarchy feeling. I guess it’s so you can see me better. I don’t know. Whatever.) But there’s no hierarchy in the body of Christ.
It’s same thing he says here about male and female. Women in that day were like slaves. Did you know that? They were chattel. They were owned. They were their father’s property. And when the right man came along that had the dowry price that the father was asking, that young lady was sold to her suitor and she became his wife, his property.
They’re trying to make second-class citizens in the church, blinded by culture.
Just like those defending slavery in the 1800’s and misapplying and misusing scripture, the same thing is going on today with those who would subjugate women and bring them under a hierarchy of male leadership and say, you can’t be pastor or an elder unless you’re a male. Those people, those preachers and teachers, they’re doing the same thing that those misguided Jewish Christians were doing to the Galatians. They’re trying to make second-class citizens in the church, blinded by culture. I’m going to tell you that is still alive and well in our day today. Why in our country and in our world?
We’ve seen a lot of changes in this country in that regard. Women got the right to vote by the way in nineteen twenty. Can you think about that? Just little over 100 years ago, women were finally given the right to go to the polls and vote. That’s just a moment ago historically. I know this is not a topic that some people like to hear about, but women are still paid less in similar positions as men and they’re still seen as sex objects predominantly.
I was reading a book the other day by about Mitt Romney, and Mitt Romney was talking to another senator about one of the new women senators who was elected, a young woman. He just had made the comment, “She has a very pretty face.” And his colleague said, “I haven’t gotten that far up yet.” I think maybe there’s still a problem in the halls of power. You think there are still some issues that need to be addressed with the patriarchy and women today?
The scandals of rape and sexual abuse of women in churches by pastors and church leaders is a shocking sign that points to male hierarchy.
The scandals of rape and sexual abuse of women in churches by pastors and church leaders is a shocking sign that points to male hierarchy. And the worst thing about it is people are choosing to look the other way.
Right is still right and wrong is still wrong. Whatever the price we pay, we will stand for what is right. We will stand for what Jesus taught.
I want to show you what’s needed in our nation today, and in our church by those who follow Jesus. I don’t care how many tanks there are coming our way. Right is still right and wrong is still wrong. Whatever the price we pay, we will stand for what is right. We will stand for what Jesus taught.
I read just this week about a pastor in Tennessee. He divorced his wife and married his wife’s best friend. During this time, his church grow from 250 to well over a 1,000 in weekly attendance. You know why that happened? Because he began to use his pulpit as a political platform peddling conspiracy theories and bashing “the liberals”.
I want to tell you something today. It’s not about conservatives and liberals. It’s not about slave or free, male or female. All have fallen short of the glory of god.
All of us need a savior, and it was Jesus who said, “blessed are the peacemakers”. Not those who use their pulpits to rile people up and infect them with conspiracy theories and hatred.
All of us need a savior, and it was Jesus who said, “blessed are the peacemakers”. Not those who use their pulpits to rile people up and infect them with conspiracy theories and hatred. That’s why scripture says we keep our eyes focused on the things that are not seen rather than the things that are seen.
I’m an American. I love our country. And I know we’re divided country right now. We’re a kingdom divided against itself. I have my convictions about the future of our nation, but I want to tell you something – whatever those convictions are, I will not engage in stirring up hatred.
That’s not easy today. It’s not even easy in the church today. But god is looking for people who will be peacemakers – more open arms, more accepting when we do have differences over who can be ordained or certain doctrines in the Bible.
There’s only one doctrine that matters: JESUS IS LORD.
There’s only one doctrine that matters: JESUS IS LORD. Amen. You confess that and you are my brother, or you are my sister. I don’t care where we may disagree. Period.
Because in Christ, there is neither slave nor free. Neither male nor female, neither Republican nor Democrat, for we are all one in Christ.
Sermon “The Chosen Spectable” by Dr. Dan Armistead
February 11, 2024
Leave a Reply