Galatians 3:23-29

                                                                         Galatians 3:23-29

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.  So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

 

The law served a purpose of preparing the way for and clarifying the Gospel of Christ.  Paul calls in a guardian in this passage as it was used at a temporary means of preparing the world for the coming of Christ.  Now that Christ has come, the law has been fulfilled and the mandate for which it was given has been completed.  A far better reality has been made clear in Christ.  Paul makes at least four statements about this reality that the Gospel brings to all who believe.

 

WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH: Salvation has always and only been by faith.  The object of that faith has always been Christ.  However, after the coming of Christ the details of the Gospel with the crucifixion and resurrection become so much clearer.  The law simply makes it clear that the only possible means for salvation is faith.  Keeping the law is impossible for all of mankind which demonstrates the fact that we are born under the curse of having corrupt hearts.  The law was never meant to save but only to convince us of our need for salvation by faith.

 

WE ARE SONS OF GOD: The law shows us the reality that we are all slaves of sin.  However, when we trust Christ, we are set free from sin and we are given the righteousness of Christ in the place of our sin which was placed on Jesus.  Since we have the righteousness of Christ credited to our account, we gain His standing before the Father.  That standing is that of son.  In Christ we become sons of God.  What a radical and glorious change!  We go from being condemned slaves of sin to becoming children of God.  That is the true blessing of the Gospel.

 

WE ARE ONE IN CHRIST: This glorious gift of sonship through faith in Christ is available to all people everywhere.  All Jews and Gentiles are saved in exactly the same way.  We are united as one in the body of Christ.  The poorest of slaves and the richest of business men are both only justified by faith in Christ.  Both men and women have the same standing before the Father in Christ.  The unity of the body is a precious truth.  Those who were trying to claim that salvation came from keeping the law would have to exclude the entire Gentile world and all the descendants of Abraham that came before the law.  Justification by faith in Christ unites all believers everywhere into one body.

 

WE ARE HEIRS OF PROMISE: The promise of the Gospel was given in the Garden of Eden.  The revelation of the Gospel became clearer and clearer in successive generations.  Those of us who have honor of living after the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ have become heirs of the promise of the Gospel.  We inherit what was promised to the previous generations.  This is the glorious truth that we are called to believe and proclaim. 

 

APPLICATION: Believe in Christ alone as our only means of justification.  Stand in awe of the truth that we who believe are the sons and daughters of God.  Don’t ever consider any other race, social status, or gender to be in any way inferior.  Be grateful to be alive in this time of fulfilled promises.