Acts 2:44

                “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common.”

                At the time of Pentecost, all the now-believing Jews were once separated by land, nation, blood, title, social class, family, and many other characteristics. Some were even hostile to one another. There were some lawyers, doctors, religious leaders, rabbi, fishermen, politicians, tax collectors, thieves; there were Galileans, Romans, Elamites, Judeans, Cretans, and Arabs; various men around Israel. Yet this diversity didn’t cause divisions or disputes among the church in Jerusalem; for they have been knitted and joined in to the body of the Reconcilor: the Lord Jesus Christ.

                “How can this be?”The world questions in amazement. Well Paul gave an answer in Colossians, and the reason why these people “had all things in common” was because of the “new man.” By faith in Christ, we’ve “all have put the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” We are all new creations in Christ Jesus, baptized by one Spirit, into the Lord’s body. When not in His body, we lived for ourselves which is what creates division, racism, hatred. But Christ died so that we might live not for ourselves, but for Him who gave Himself for us. That is what unites us together like how we’ve been united perfectly with the Father through the blood of the Lamb.

                Sure, the believers in Jerusalem still had differences in skin, in blood, in nationality and background, and they still must have stumbled through bouts of pride and selfishness among each other. But these things will pass away and for they’ve all been nailed to the cross. “Therefore now there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all” (Colossians 3:11)

Application: I need to make sure that I don’t compartmentalize or make distinctions within my brothers and sisters in Christ. I need not puff myself above my brethren with my gifts and knowledge that God has graciously bestowed on me, for they’ve been given to me to edify and share with my fellow believers. Spiritually I have all things in common with all of the church, so why do I keep to myself and boast of the knowledge and blessings that God has given me to share among my brethren and truly have “all things in common.”