Do you notice that among passages in “Mission to the Gentiles” one seems different? Here is more of that text:
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 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 no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise (Galatians 3:26-29).
Other passages draw distinctions between men and women, and this one removes distinctions. What is going on? Let’s start with what is not going on. Paul, as an inspired apostle (Galatians 1:1, 12) is not refuting his other writings as an inspired apostle (1 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1). The Spirit does not contradict the Spirit! Paul is not destroying here what he builds elsewhere about roles in everyday life. He is not reversing the “very good” creation that affirms, “male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). Nor is he canceling God’s leadership choices in the Old and New Testaments. Sadly, some take a single verse, Galatians 3:27, to nullify or undermine many other verses that also plainly reveal the will of God. 2 Peter 3:15-16 has something to say about treating Paul’s letters in this way.
Let’s turn to the main question, the theme of Galatians. How does a person receive salvation? The Circumcision Party wants to “force the Gentiles to live like Jews” (Galatians 2:12, 14). They falsely teach that one must earn salvation by “works,” that is, by keeping the law of Moses (Acts 15:1, 5; Galatians 3:10). Paul insists that salvation is a gift of grace to be received by faith.
We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16).
God’s promises to Abraham are pivotal to Paul’s argument (Galatians 3:8-29). Here is the most famous one: “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:18). The word “offspring” or “seed” can be singular or plural. By inspiration, Paul informs us that it is singular, “referring to one… who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). All of those promises point to Jesus! He is the one true heir of Abraham! But the law of Moses severely restricts inheritance. The law’s general rule is that only sons of Israelites inherit. That tends to leave out women and non-Israelites and many slaves. The Good News is that “in Christ” all classes of people become sons and heirs. All? Yes! There is complete equality. As revealed in Galatians 3, all come into Christ the same way, through faith and baptism. All are sons of God. All are clothed with Christ. All are heirs. Regarding sonship and inheritance,
- distinctions between Jews and Gentiles (Greeks) no longer exist “in Christ.” (See Colossians 3:11; Ephesians 2:14; Romans 10:12.)
- distinctions between slaves and free people no longer exist “in Christ.” (See 1 Corinthians 7:22; 12:13; John 8:32.)
- distinctions between males (arsen) and females (thelu) no longer exist “in Christ.” All share with Christ as heirs of Abraham and of God (Galatians 3:29; Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 3:7).