From this part of the world, we are well aware of the divisions that result when people are divided, because of culture or religion. The peace process has thankfully taken nearly all the guns and bombs off the streets. But as time goes by, it is becoming increasingly obvious that there is still a long way to go before we will have substantial harmony and lack of hostility in our hearts. How can we have unity and harmony while there are opposing political, cultural, religious viewpoints and aspirations? The disagreement, suspicion, hostility, sectarianism, etc. that characterises our ‘peace’ for many people, although not all, is not unique to our situation, but is repeated across the world and throughout history. As has often been said before, while there are many things that separate people, they often don’t realise that there is one major thing that they have in common with each other, their humanity. While we live in a Nationalist community, and many have opposing politics and different culture to others in the Unionist community, it is easy to focus on the differences that separate and divide, rather than the common issues that unite, such as our needs for work, pleasure, security, love, forgiveness, etc. We are first and foremost people with a common humanity, and of secondary importance are the issues that divide us. How can we overcome these barriers and divisions, when the issues are often so important and close to our hearts? The answer is that the apostle Paul gives us is that we find ourselves in a new relationship with each other, once we trust in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation. Instead of seeing our alienation from other people as the key issue, we see our alienation from God as paramount. Being reconciled to the Father through faith in Jesus allows us to see things from a different perspective. Our divisions between each other are not quite so important after all. And further, when people from different, even opposing, communities or cultures trust in Jesus, they find themselves with so much more that matters in common with each other than what naturally separates them. A common salvation, a common faith, a common new life in Christ by the Holy Spirit living in our hearts, a common desire to bring glory to God and to reach out with the good news of the gospel to others, unites people where nothing else could. Paul teaches in Ephesians 2:11-22 that while the other nations (Gentiles) and the Jews had been separated by both religion and cultural identity, because of the need to keep God’s law and trust in his redemption in order to be accepted before him, that because Christ (who the Law of Moses pointed towards) has suffered on the cross for our sins, the Law of Moses is obsolete as an administration, so both Jews and Gentiles can be united by faith in Christ. Paul teaches that the Church (all true believers in Jesus for salvation) is the temple (dwelling place) where God lives, by his Spirit, and believers from different backgrounds contribute together. They are united in Christ, despite whatever might otherwise separate them. The gospel unites people who would otherwise not have anything naturally in common with each other. Praise God for his peace process, and his reconciliation. If only more people would experience his love and forgiveness, through faith in Jesus, we would see much more reconciliation not only here, but across the world.