Paul Declares the Galatians Sons of God and Heirs of
God
Galatians
3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s,
then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. KJVPaul concludes this portion of his letter with the glorious result of the “Laws” purpose and work of ushering every sinner to the foot of the Cross of Christ and in so doing these Galatians are now children of God by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The “Law” never made anyone children of God. In the Old Testament God never referred to the people of Israel as His children, but rather my people as He spoke in this manner, “Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:12-14). Paul wants the Galatians and us today to see the complete contrast between what the Jewish people experienced with God through the “Law of Moses” verses “faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” as we declared in the last study the outward manifestation of God’s Law to the Jewish Nation, but the inward manifestation of God’s Law to all He gives the right to become His adopted children (John 1:12-13). The Prophet Jeremiah prophesied of this reality coming to fruition as we documented in the last study in Jeremiah 31:33-34.
Prior to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s birth as a Man and His Perfect, Sinless Life lived, and then His death for man’s sin, the Galatians and every other Gentile person were alienated from the One True God and all the blessing that are derived from Him as Paul wrote to the Ephesian Gentiles in Ephesians 2:11-22. However, now Paul wants these Galatians and us to see ourselves as we really are sons and daughters of God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul declares them God’s children by virtue of being “baptized into Christ” and this baptism is twofold in nature; 1) They and we were baptized into Christ Body “The Church” by God the Holy Spirit at our regeneration and new birth as Paul declared in this manner to the Corinthian believers, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks (Gentiles), whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13). 2) They and we acknowledge our receiving the Lord Jesus Christ by being baptized in water picturing our death to sin and resurrection to new life “in Christ” as Paul wrote to the Roman believers in this manner, “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:3-7).
Paul means with the English phrase “having put on” that they and we are united or joined with Christ into a single entity. The Greek word is enduo which means to sink into a garment. Paul declared this meaning in several places in his letters, but what he wrote this way to the Corinthians best characterizes what he means here, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, ‘The two shall become one flesh.’ But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” ( 1 Corinthians 6:15-20). Paul wants them and us to see that we are no longer tied to or governed by some “external laws”, but they and we are now members of Christ Body (literally) by virtue of His Spirit residing or living in us, therefore, what in the world would they or we want to add anything to this truth and reality for salvation or to get us closer to God.
The mistake Paul wants these Galatians and us to see that proceeded forth from those Jews who wanted others to add observance of the “Law of Moses” to “Faith in Christ Jesus” was their skewed thinking that the “Law” would be done away with if it were not added on, but Paul in writing to the Roman believers showed with these words how “in Christ” the “Law” is not abolished but fulfilled, “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. DO WE THEN NULLIFY THE LAW THROUGH FAITH? MAY IT NEVER BE! ON THE CONTRARY, WE ESTABLISH THE LAW.” (Romans 3:21-31).
Finally, Paul declares everyone equal “in Christ” and no one above another by virtue of race, class, or even sex. Paul wanted all those during that time to understand that all of the Jewish societal hierarchy and the Gentile hierarchy were done away with for the children of God and that all Gentile converts to Christ were likewise the “seed” of Abraham, not in the physical sense, but spiritually through “faith in Jesus Christ” the “Seed” of Abraham. Therefore, these Galatians and us today are “heirs of God” according to the “promise” and an heir of God the Father shares in or is partaker of all that He is and has which is far beyond our human comprehension as the Apostle John wrote in this manner when he said, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2) and also as Paul wrote in this manner, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) and again as Paul wrote in this manner, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:15-17).
My own Personal Note: If we stoop so low as to add anything to “faith in our Lord Jesus Christ”, then we are saying to Him that He is not enough and His ability to keep us from sin and Satan is without efficacy, i.e. (the capacity or power to produce the desired effect of our complete salvation), but our Lord Jesus tells us this in His Word, “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:23-25).
“It is faith in Christ then which constitutes its sons of God. This principle is the foundation-stone of the Christian life. In the Old Testament the sonship of believers lay in shadow. Jehovah was ‘the King, the Lord of Hosts,’ the ‘Shepherd of Israel.’ They are ‘His people, the sheep of His pasture’-‘My servant Jacob,’ He says, ‘Israel whom I have chosen.’ If He is named Father, it is of the collective Israel, not the individual; otherwise the title occurs only in figure and apostrophe. The promise of this blessedness had never been explicitly given under the Covenant of Moses. The assurance quoted in 2 Corinthians 6:18 is pieced together from scattered hints of prophecy. Old-Testament faith hardly dared to dream of such a privilege as this. It is not ascribed even to Abraham. Only to the kingly ‘Son of David’ is it said, ‘I will be a Father unto him; and he shall be to me for a son.’ (2 Samuel 7:14).” Expositor’s Bible Commentary
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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