- Moses was a tutor to lead us to faith: (3:23-25): Before faith came, we were kept under guarded by the Law, kept for the faith which would be revealed later. In a way the Law opened a way for us to go to Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. Once the faith came, we are no longer under the tutor or the supervision of Law. The law teaches us the need for salvation. God’s grace gives us that Salvation. The Old Testament still applies for humanity, moral values and the guidelines for living, but it cannot save us from the sin. The only way is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ, accept His offer of Salvation through faith.
- The just shall live by faith: (3:11; Rom. 1:17; Heb.10:38; Hab. 2:4): The Lord Jesus Christ gave a condition for us in order to be justified that we accept Him by faith as our Lord and Saviour. Paul says that by trusting God, believing in His provision and living each day in His power, a believer can break the cycle of failures and they shall live by faith. In other words : By faith the just shall live.
Learn from the work of Christ on the Cross: (3:13-14): Christ redeemed us. The word redemption came from the warfare. When the victor captures his enemies, the poorest would normally be sold as slaves. But the wealthy ones would be set free when they pay the price set by the captor. Here the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us by paying Himself on the cross of Calvary.
- He took our curses on the cross: He paid a price to rescue us. He became cursed on our behalf. He not only took all our curses and all the sins of the world, but also was cursed by God as it is written (Deu.21:23) “anyone who is hung on a tree is cursed by God.
- He redeemed us with blessings: He extended the blessing given to Abraham to all those Gentiles who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- He promised us of the Holy Spirit: He provided a wonderful way that all those who believe in Him would receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Learn from the work of the Holy Spirit: (3:26-29): The Holy Spirit gives us an identity with Jesus Christ. We are no more children but adults and baptized into Christ. In other words, we are baptized into water and into Christ. (Baptizo) means immersion, (Rentizo) means sprinkling. Many Christians would satisfy themselves with just sprinkling of Christ. May the Holy Spirit would lead them. For all those who are baptized into Christ, would clothe themselves with Christ. Here Paul uses the Roman cultural act, where a youth coming of age would lay aside the robe of childhood and put on a toga. This represents that he is no more a child but a citizen with full rights and responsibilities. By becoming Christians and being baptized, the Galatian believers were becoming spiritually grown up and ready to take on the privileges and responsibilities of the more mature. Paul was saying that they had shed aside the old clothes of Law and must put on the new clothes of Christ’s righteousness.
- Our identity is made: Here Paul stresses that we have an identity with Jesus Christ. If he is the Son of God, we are also. If He stands righteous before God the Father, we are also. If He has free access to the throne of God, so do we. If He has victory over spiritual powers of darkness, so do we. We are not associated with Jesus, but we are in Jesus.
- We have equal standing: Paul says, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise” (3:28-29). This is an extra-ordinary statement. Some Jewish males prayed every day like this “Lord I thank you that I am not a Gentile, a slave or a woman” Here Paul erases the dividing line when we stand before God. Now Jesus is our identity. We are all one in Christ Jesus. In the matter of Salvation, rank, learning, righteousness and influence count for nothing (Luther). There is neither preacher nor hearer, neither teacher nor scholar, neither master nor servant, neither male nor female etc. All are treated equally before the Lord. What counts is only Salvation.
Sadly some Christians draw lines on the basis of their denominations, some on races, some on nations, some on political parties, some on geographical locations and etc. We must understand that we have a common identity and common eternity. We all have one and the same Gospel, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, one Christ and Saviour of all. The Christ of Peter, Paul, and all the saints is our Christ.
- We are Abraham’s seed: If we believe in Christ, we are the children of Abraham indeed.
- We find our place in eternity because we are the sons and daughters of God.
- We find our place in society because we are the brothers and sisters in the family of God.
- Through our faith in Christ, Abraham gains paternity over us and over the nations of the earth according to the promise.
- We find our place in history because we are part of God’s plan of the ages related spiritually to Abraham by our faith in Jesus.