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From the Church on the Hill by D. Eric Williams Pastor, Cottonwood Community Church pastor@CottCommChurch.com But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:23-29 NKJV). I do not typically look at long section of scripture in this series but these particular verses demand examination as a whole. In these verses Paul explains the relationship between the law and the people of God. We should remember the “law” Paul is talking about is the Mosaic regulations. I prefer to call the time-period from Sinai to Christ’s first Advent the Mosaic dispensation. Now, I am not a dispensationalist of any sort, but the term fits this circumstance nicely. For, a dispensation is a “system of revealed commands and promises regulating human affairs” and “a particular arrangement or provision especially of providence or nature” (Webster-Merriman Online Dictionary). Thus, a dispensation is a temporary state of affairs. Indeed, the Mosaic dispensation is the true “Great Parenthesis.” Moreover, it is the only dispensation (as described above) found in the Bible. No other era may possibly defined as a Great Parenthesis. It was an interpolation put in place for a specific transitory purpose. Paul clearly delineates that purpose in these verses. Hence, its goal was faith in the Messiah. Its purpose was protection and tutoring “to bring us to Christ.” It was not designed to hold sway - over anyone - once the promised Seed had come. It served to define the people of God prior to Jesus completed ministry but it no longer does so. That role ended – never to be revived. Any attempt to impose the Mosaic Dispensation on any person deserves a curse. (Galatians 1:8-9). Any attempt to revive the Mosaic regulation by any person or people group deserves a curse(Galatians 1:8-9). Now, the people of God are identified in Jesus the Messiah. There are two categories of people in this world: those baptized into Christ Jesus with access to the Abrahamic promises and those who are outside the covenant and its promises. The words of Paul are very clear. In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there are only the people of God. There is neither slave nor free there are only the people of God. There is neither male nor female, there are only the people of God. Without a doubt, the people of God are defined only in Jesus. Everyone else –their ethnic, racial, national, sociological, political or religious identity notwithstanding, is outside the Abrahamic covenant. Truly, if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. |
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