religious apartheid

i enjoy n.t. wright and he opens some work on galatians this way...

"Imagine you are in South Africa in the 1970's. Apartheid is at its height. You are embarked on a risky project: to build a community centre where everybody will be equally welcome, no matter what their colour or race. You've designed it; you've laid the foundation in such a way that only the right sort of building can be built. Or so you think.

You are called away urgently to another part of the country. A little later you get a letter. A new group of builders are building on your foundation. They have changed the design, and are installing two meeting rooms, with two front doors, one for whites only and one for blacks only. Some of the local people are mightily relieved. They always thought there was going to be trouble, putting everyone together like that. Others though, asked the builders why the original idea wouldn't do. Oh, said the builders airily, that chap who laid the foundation, he had some funny ideas. He didn't really have permission to make that design. He'd got a bit muddled. We're from the real authorities. This is how its got to be."

this may be a good way to understand what happened after the apostle paul left the galatian province and these others came in and challenged what he had been building.

paul is fighting for something. i wonder if we can appreciate what matters here. our faith is not some new system...it is not about being religious...it is not some new way to be moral. our faith is the announcement of a new kingdom through Jesus the savior and lord of a new worldwide humanity. a new humanity founded on Jesus and everything promised to us through him.

we understand rivalry, racism, seperation, division, pride, and various ways to determine who is an indsider and who is an outsider. do we understand how big this kingdom announcement is and the barriers it destroys? do we understand the gospel? do we care about the things heaven cares about?

td