Galatians 3:23-29 – The believer’s blessings

Keep in view that Paul was writing to Jewish believers who had embraced faith in Christ but were now regressing to their past life of Judaism. In these verses, he was describing the two phases of their lives – before and after Christ came. 

In the first phase described in verses 23-24, it tells of a person living under the Law where faith had not arrived. Here Paul saw two experiences that that person would undergo. Firstly, he would be “in custody.” The word literally means “imprisonment.” He was shackled and lived in confinement. The Law confined him. Secondly, he would be “under a tutor.” A tutor is a guardian who supervises an underage child. The guardian would act as a strict disciplinarian and would rule strictly to a point of being cruel. Paul wanted his hearers to know that the Law was like a jailor or a tutor, expressing God’s will and requirements, and warning of the consequences of disobedience. It puts one under constant bondage while continually reminding him of his inability to meet the demands of God. However, the tenure of the Law is not permanent. It was put in place until faith would come to set one free; until Christ would come to make sons of those who believe. 

In this second phase from verses 25-29, it describes believers in Christ. This is when faith had arrived and all believers become sons and daughters of God in Christ. In this position we have tremendous blessings. Here Paul describes three aspects of the blessing. Firstly, all believers are sons or daughters of God in Christ (vv.26-27). In Christ, we believers belong to God and He becomes our Father. He forgives us and loves us because we have put our faith in Christ. In verse 27, Paul was not saying that baptism saves. He was showing that baptism is an outward sign that confirms an inward reality. It affirms that we are God’s sons in Christ. Secondly, we are one in Christ (v.28). In Christ we belong to each other. Believers are so united in Christ that there is no distinction between them. There is no distinction in race (neither Jew nor Greek); no distinction in position (neither slave nor free) and no distinction in sex (neither male nor female). Thirdly, we become Abraham’s offspring in Christ (v.29). Now in Christ even believers like us, who are non-Jews, belong to Abraham. We are now heirs of the promise, which God made to Abraham, the father of faith.  

We must learn to distinguish between what is legalism and what is righteousness that results from our faith in Christ. Our inability to fully keep the demands of the Law shows how much we need Christ Jesus as Lord. Know that the Law serves to lead us to Christ so that we can make Him our personal Lord and Savior. And as we embrace Him, all barriers that divide us are being torn down. In Christ we are equal. None of us should feel inferior or more superior to other believers. Instead, we should lend our support to each other as we make our journey in Christ.