A renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:11
Only a Christian can manage to see past the distinctions of race, religion, heritage, origin, and social status, to see someone who has been chosen to know the “true knowledge” of God, or to see someone otherwise despicable as desperately in need of a savior.
Only a Christian can exhibit “a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” towards all people. (Colossians 3:12) True, a facsimile of these traits can be manifested in some because of upbringing or ulterior motives, but they are only consistently and authentically present in the renewed.
It is interesting that Paul includes in his list the Scythian, someone from north of the Black Sea known to descend upon populations on horseback to conquer with savage and unspeakable cruelty.
13 Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Col 3:13–14
The bottom line is that if we possess Christ, we are motivated and empowered by an unrestrained force within us to love unconditionally and without prejudice, even given past disappointments when our love was not appreciated nor reciprocated, as our Lord himself experienced on the grandest of scales. It is to these prejudices or experiences that we turn the blind eye.
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