April 20 Galatians 3:28Law or Faith - The Purpose of theLaw
Galatians 3:28 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek. There is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female, for all of you are one in Jesus Christ.
The occasion for writing the letter to the Galatians is to address the question "Is the Mosaic Law binding on Christians?". We need to remember that the Council of Jerusalem (Gal 2:1-10), as well as the "Incident at Antioch" (Gal 2:11-14, Peter and Paul's confrontation about the Law), had not entirely answered the question. This text could be headlined:
Unity in the Body of Christ Paul, a Roman citizen, a Gentile, in Gal 3:28, teaches the Galatians, and us:
That the Greek (Gentile) is just as much in Christ Jesus as the Jew. That the slave is just as much in Christ Jesus as the free man. That the female is just as much in Christ Jesus as the male.
When we humans of any and every description come into Christ sincerely, we are equally and wholly in Him and are thereby saved - irrespective of who we are, where we are, or what we are.
The main thrust of the passage before us has to do with our relationship with God. Is keeping of Jewish law and ordinances necessary to become saved? Paul answers "emphatically no" to this bone of contention. Not by keeping of the law, but by faith in Christ Jesus, sinners of all kinds and caliber are saved. Paul's emphasis was on believers' unity in Christ, not their equality with one another.
For those who have been called by God and have properly responded, social distinctions-whether national/racial, conditional/financial, or gender-recede and disappear.
Unity comes with God's calling and justification. We are united in our need for a Savior. We are united in our acceptance of His blood for the remission of our sins. We are united through common experience: We all recognize that the only reason we have physical or spiritual life is because of God's grace and mercy. We are united in our receipt of God's gifts and mercy.
Gunter Beck
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