We Are One: Galatians 3:28 and 1 Corinthians 7

Christ is not divided; his Body is one. We are all one in Christ, and Christ is all in all. Nevertheless, we are still male and female, Jew and Gentile, slave and free. How do we reconcile this with our oneness in Christ?

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you-although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to (1 Cor 7:10-24, NIV).

Since 1 Corinthians 7 mentions the same three categories as Galatians 3:28 (Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female), the chapter should give us more information about how we should understand our oneness in the light of our differences.

The first question is, why does Paul mention only marriage as far as men and women are concerned? Why do we find Paul talking only about an authority husbands and wives share with each other? Why does he not mention teaching, ruling, or governing in the church?

Paul doesn’t mention anything other than marriage, for Genesis 2 mentions only marriage as far as the relationship between men and women is concerned; Genesis 1 speaks about the common work of both men and women to care for the created world as humans created in the image of God. Note that Paul does not mandate marriage for all; he considers it necessary for some, but because he considers our work for the Lord (Gen 1) more important than marriage (Gen 2), he considers those who choose singleness to be particularly blessed.

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul recommends all to remain in the same station they occupied when they first believed. Why does he do so? Because earthly differences give us no special privileges in the body of Christ. Are you a Jew? Rejoice, but do not become conceited. Are you a slave? Take heart, for your freedom has already been paid for. 

Although we are different, we shouldn’t allow our difference define who we are in Christ, for in Christ, all that matters is keeping the commandments of God; we must love our neighbors the way we love ourselves and serve one another through love.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For 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 12:12-13, NIV).

In the body of Christ, we love, serve, and submit to one another through our spiritual gifts. The Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to whom he wishes, whether that person is male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile. 

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines (1 Cor 12:7-11, NIV).

All believers have the same rights, privileges, and duties, as sons and daughters of God, for we have all been baptized into Christ, and Christ is not divided into Jew and Gentile, Male and female, free and slave.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, or 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. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3:26-29, NIV).