Belonging

Galatians 3:23-29

²³ Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

²⁴ Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. ²⁵ And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

²⁶ For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. ²⁸ There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

Paul can be complicated in his writing. Basically he is writing to both gentile and Jewish believers, describing how it is by faith alone in Jesus that we are made right with God. We are saved, but not by following a set of do’s and don’ts in the law or a birth heritage.

The part I love about this passage are verses 28-29, describing the equality of the gospel and our faith in Jesus. We are all on a level playing field. Watching the Olympics, even though athletes from so many nations are participating and all had to make a qualifying mark you realise that all are not on a level playing field, but this passage lets us know that when we belong to Christ, we are all equal before God. Our working position, our race, our gender play no part, just the beautiful metaphor of clothing ourselves in Christ.

Be encouraged, your faith in Jesus, accepting him as Lord of your life, is all that God the Father is looking for, you belong to Christ.

Lord being made right before you, belonging, you have made so simple and yet we make it so hard. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you that we are all equal before you. Amen.

Written by Suzie Hodgson

This passage is so rich!  Paul refers to the law as a school master or as NT Wright puts it a baby-sitter, one charged with the protection and safe custody of young people.  A role that is no longer needed when maturity comes. Now that Jesus has come, we do not need the baby-sitter anymore – the ‘law’ is written on our hearts, and we fulfil it by faith and indeed fulfilling it displays true faith.  Some think we must have rules, many rules so as we do not sin – Paul says no to this concept – the Son has set us free for the sake of freedom and we are to live by faith in this freedom – not under law or for that matter licence but under God’s grace – free to live by faith – lead by the Spirit.  Some say that means we may sin, and sin grossly and so it is better to place some rules around us – but this negates the life of faith – we become reliant on things outside of us rather than the relationship we have in Christ led by the Spirit.

I know it is a risk, but when someone is truly led by the Spirit, truly saved then we do not crave the appetites of the flesh we crave the life of the Spirit!

Father, help me to live in the power of the Spirit, fulfilling the desires of the Spirit as He leads me in life!

Written by Ps. Richard Botta