Us and Them? Black and White? Or One in Christ?

Black and White Christians: Are We Dividing What Christ Has United?

Isn’t the very nature of the pronouns “us” and “them” divisive? As Christians, why would we use language that separates? I hate to hear anyone in the church talk about “us” and “them,” especially when it’s Black Christians saying it about White Christians or vice versa. This kind of talk divides the body of Christ. Whether it’s in Romania, where Romanians and Gypsies separate themselves, or in Houston, where Indian Christians gather in their own churches, this “us and them” mindset does not belong in the church. It’s divisive and wrong.

What Does the Bible Say About Division?

When you look at Galatians 3:28, Paul says it plainly: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” That’s it—no divisions. The same truth is repeated in Colossians 3:11, where Paul says there’s no Greek or Jew, no circumcised or uncircumcised, no slave or free, because Christ is all and in all. These verses aren’t just theology—they’re commands for how we should view one another in the church. Christ has united us, and there’s no room for separation.

Who Are “Us” and “Them”?

The “us” in the church ought to mean all believers—me and my Black brother, my Hispanic brother, my Asian brother. The “them”? That’s the lost: my Black brother’s unsaved family, my unsaved family, or anyone outside of Christ. But what do we see instead? Too often, we hold onto identities from the lost world—family, political affiliations, sports teams, even race—and let those things divide us. That’s not who we are in Christ. The most fundamental truth about our identity is this: Christ is all.

Do We Believe It?

Do we really believe Christ is all? If so, why do we let the world’s categories of Black and White Christians separate us? It’s time we examine how we speak, how we think, and how we live as believers. The church must be a place where the unity of Christ is on full display. Let’s leave “us and them” talk behind and embrace what the Bible teaches: we are one in Christ.