Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
— Colossians 3:11
In this second set of epistles—Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians—the Lord progressively reveals how the oneness within a church is practically carried out among the believers. Therefore Colossians should contain the furthest development on this matter. Instead, however, it does not even use the word oneness. How is this possible? It is possible because in Colossians we are told that Christ must be everything. When we have Christ, enjoy Christ, possess Christ, experience Christ, and hold to Christ as the Head, the genuine oneness spontaneously issues forth. With Christ there is nothing but oneness. Oneness comes from Christ.
Thus, Colossians does not talk about oneness, but it does tell us what true oneness is. Hence when you read this book, you do not find any talk about the practice of oneness, but what you do find is the reality of oneness. Colossians reveals to us that oneness can be obtained by enjoying and experiencing this Christ. Colossians has three sections, which describe where we are now, what we enjoy in the place where we are, and what our experience is with this enjoyment.
Adapted from Oneness and the One Accord, page 73.
Monday: “Enjoying the Riches of Christ” (1)