Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. (1Corinthians 1:13-17)

Through baptism each has assumed a new identity and entered into a new social order.

Baptism was - and is - seen as a new birth in Christ. Cephas, Apollos, Paul and others served as messengers of Christ. These and others had baptized the members of the Corinthian church. But baptism was the public confirmation of a relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not with the baptizer.

Each and all - baptizer and baptized - are transformed by the self-giving of Jesus.

The power of the cross of Christ made meaningless the former identities: patron and client, master and slave, Greek and Jew, rich and poor, male and female. In Christ, through Christ, and with Christ each and all are restored as true children of God, brothers and sisters of each other, equal participants in the love and grace of God.

Do not be distracted by earthly loyalties. All is harmonized through our relationship with Christ.