Galatians 3:25-29 Through Christ, believers have immediate access to heavenly resources to prosper in every circumstance

Galatians 3:25-29 Through Christ, believers have immediate access to heavenly resources to prosper in every circumstance

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Background

The Israelites were under the custody of the Mosaic law, being tutored in the elements of truth and grace for 1,400 years. The truth, through the 10 commandments and grace, through the sacrifices. The purpose of the law is to prime the Israelites to release faith in Christ into all the world so that mankind may be saved. Like a woman giving birth to a child… The womb of a woman corresponds to the law, and the child, faith in Christ. The womb is instrumental in delivering the child. But once the child is delivered, the law is dispensed with. The law is not the foundation of faith, but only an incubation and delivery system. Now that faith has come, Israel must discard the ways of the law and adopt the new life of faith. The new era of faith makes every believer an heir of the heavenly inheritance. Every believer regardless of their race, social status and gender have immediate access to the heavenly resources that are able to prosper them. Today’s devotion teaches us: Through Christ, believers have immediate access to heavenly resources to prosper in every circumstance.

Observation

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Previously, in v23-25, Paul addresses only the Jews who are recipients of the law: “we were kept in custody… our tutor… we may be justified… we are no longer…”. Now that the era of faith has come, Paul addresses both Jewish and the Gentile believers as sons of God: “you are all sons…”. This shift from the Jews (we are…) to humanity at large (you are…) is the result of faith in Christ where all who believe are called the sons of God.

That said, since the law was given to Israel, how does that relate to Gentile believers being called the sons of God? As all humanity is made accountable to Jesus when He first came to Israel,… in the same way, all humanity is made accountable to the law when it was first given to Israel. As a principle, what God has given to Israel is also meant for all the world. Paul said,

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God. Romans 3:19

Notice, “the law… speaks to those who are under the law, so that… all the world may be become accountable to God”. The Jews, being recipients of the law/word are commissioned to preach it to all the world. God had previously said to Israel, “you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:6). The prophet Isaiah said concerning the tabernacle, “For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7c). In the same breath Jesus said, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?” (Mark 11:17). Thus, all that God did in Israel, He had greater humanity in mind. As God has planned, the liberation of the Jews (from the law) became salvation for all the world.

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

The subsequent step to faith in Christ is to be baptised into Christ. The focus here is not baptism, but rather getting into Christ; for baptism is the means through which a person can get into Christ, or into the kingdom of God. Baptism in essence begins a spiritual transformation… expressed through the ritual of water immersion. Here, the believer puts on Christ’s values and ideals while denying his own (clothed yourselves with Christ). Why is being baptised into Christ so important? Because only in being clothed with the resurrected Christ can man receive His inheritance. Paul gives a list of inheritance in his letter to the church at Ephesus,

  • Redemption and forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7)
  • A new found stature in being co-heirs with Christ (Eph 2:6)
  • Infinite grace and kindness of God (Eph 2:7)
  • Every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3)
  • Divine nature and design (Eph 2:10)
  • Divine calling (Eph 1:18a, 2:10)
  • Divine knowledge and wisdom (Eph 1:17)
  • Divine power and authority (Eph 1:19)
  • Eternal glory (Eph 1:18b)

On the flip side, when a man is outside of Christ, he has no blessing, no redemption, no forgiveness, no wisdom, no inheritance, no glory, no authority, no stature, no grace, and no divine nature. That said, baptism into Christ is an intentional act of denying oneself while conforming to Christ’s image and ideals. Paul said,

May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Romans 6:3-4

To be baptised into Christ is to die to one’s fleshly nature (died to sin). One who is baptised for the sake of blessing has missed the point. For blessings and salvation can never be the goal but only a by-product of one’s desire to conform to Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The advent of faith in Christ demands all men and women to be treated with equity and dignity regardless of their race (Jew nor Greek), social status (slave nor free man) and gender (male nor female). “One in Christ Jesus” connotes Christ’s singular attitude towards every person as bearers of God’s image. The fact that Christ gave Himself signifies the infinite value of every soul.

The advent of faith in Christ also sees to the abolishment of prejudices brought on by racial, social and gender divides. In other words, any race, culture or gender must not be given preference over another. For every person must be seen by virtue of their image in Christ, not by the colour of their skin, their gender, or cultural background.

In the advent of faith in Christ, Paul calls for a change in the way we relate with people of different races, social status and gender… to break down divisions and heal injustices… to treat others the in same way Christ would treat them.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Eternal life in the kingdom is promised to Abraham and His Seed. As Christ is the Seed of Abraham, all who are baptised into Christ will become a seed, an heir of the promise made to Abraham. How does this apply to the Israelites who have abided by the law for 1,400 years? Hebrews 9:15 speaks of the redemptive power of Christ to forgive even the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Therefore, it is through Christ that Abraham himself and those under the law are redeemed and given the promise of eternal life.

Truth

Through Christ, believers have immediate access to heavenly resources to prosper in every circumstance

Earthly laws are established to bring justice and equity to all people. Because laws are administered by men, they are never truly fair or just. Thus, some people by virtue of their race, social status and gender are marginalised. As a result, many through no fault of theirs are prevented by corrupt administration from reaching their fullest potential.

The Mosaic law is given as a bridge to faith in Christ and is considered more just and humane than all the other laws that existed during that time. Unfortunately, the administration of the Mosaic law under the Jews became corrupt. And that led to the mislabelling of Gentiles as unclean, unfair treatment of women and the erroneous interpretation of the sabbath law. The Jews, in their corruption have also stopped releasing slaves and forgiving debts on the year of Jubilee as is required by the law.

The advent of faith in Christ brought a new era of freedom and dignity to every human being. In Christ, every slave, woman and Gentile are given immediate access to the heavenly inheritance. The slave, despite his lowly state has become an heir of God. Paul says,

For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman. 1 Corinthians 7:22a

Thus a slave is a freedman in Christ, possessing authority over the heavenly angels. Through faith, a seemingly dull person has access to divine wisdom and revelations that the intelligent can hardly grasp. A new born believer will experience a face to face encounter with God that long-time believers never dreamed of. A needy person will feel an overwhelming sense of peace and wellbeing that the rich can only hope for.

Therefore, believers must be free from their earthly circumstances by clothing themselves with divine wisdom and authority of the resurrected Christ. Regrettably, the church has been teaching believers only to emulate Christ when He was on earth, but not the resurrected Christ at God’s right hand. That explains why the church cannot exercise authority over the elements of the earth. And many kept their eyes fixed on the reality of their earthly situation… So much so they descend irreparably into despair and unbelief. Paul says, “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” The promise of heavenly inheritance is here for the taking, not in the future. But, if man do not learn to access the heavenly inheritance now, he passes up on the heavenly resources that are able to turn his circumstances around.

Application

How do believers access the heavenly resources to prosper in their circumstances?

Firstly, you must put your full trust in God who has absolute control over your circumstances. A man who has no faith in Christ seeks his own solutions while straying away from God’s intended path for him. He constantly entertains doubts and is unstable in his mind and actions.

Secondly, you must build the bridge to Christ in heaven by reading and meditating on the word. In building the bridge of the word, you develop hunger and thirst for God. One who desires God will in the same breath desire the truth and revelations of the word. The time when you hear God speaking to you through the word is also when the bridge is finally completed.

Lastly, you gain access to the heavenly inheritance: the divine knowledge, the wisdom, the angelic resources. It is here when communication with God and the angels becomes real and distinct. And heaven becomes real, perceivable and tangible to your natural senses. Try sending out the angels in Jesus’s name to accomplish the will of God in your particular situation.

Dear Lord, I desire to obtain the heavenly resources so that I may prosper in my circumstances through faith in Christ. Sanctify me by your word so that I may see you face to face. Stir my senses and my perceptions so that I may learn and understand. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.


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