One in Christ

Galatians 3
"You are all sons [daughters] of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26-28). This is the foundational equality reality. Level ground at the Cross.
Thank the Lord for how He has made a way for each and every person; for each and every one of us! Contrary to the world's standards of equality: where you were born, what gender you are, what race you are, what economic state you are in, what you look like, who and what your parents were and did, what talents and abilities you possess or don't possess - God's standards and reality are not the same as the world's!

Even in Paul's day, there were some [Jewish men] who would awaken with a prayer like this: "Lord, I thank You that I am not a Gentile (non-Jew), a slave, or a woman" (NIV Study Bible p. 2121). Imagine that! There are many today, who have the same thought (if not prayer), "Lord thank You that I am not ____________________." Jesus - who was a Jewish man - literally broke the power of any such prayer, thought, or notion. He displayed not only in His speech, but His actions (as recorded in Scripture) that "all people were created equal" (not by their governmental constitution or declaration of independence, but by their Creator God!).

Paul continues to speak to the believer's in Galatia. They wanted to follow teachings of those who put the Law on the back of the Jew and non-Jew alike. Paul raises the reality of God's promise to Abraham...which is the promise of Christ, to all those who are in Christ - because, you see, Christ comes from Abraham's line, Abraham's "seed."

This was God's promise to Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:2-3).

There are some earthly realities to this promise, in terms of what took place in Abraham's earthly life time and as some theologians agree in times to come. The focus of Paul in Galatia and what is on my heart has to do with the spiritual inheritance of this promise! Through the promise of God to Abraham, came Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ, in whom our faith resides, is our blessing, the blessing lives inside of us through the Holy Spirit, and causes us to be one in Christ! Co-heirs also to everything that Christ inherited!

Paul's point in this portion of Scripture? We are one in Christ through faith (by grace through faith you have been saved, not a work of your own that anyone should boast, Ephesians 2) alone. Period. No "Christ plus" program. He was reminding the Galatians of this promise of God's...and he reminds us, of God's promise through Abraham, through Christ, to us who believe by faith!

"Lord God, thank You for the promise to Abraham long ago, that is for us today through Christ our Savior! Lord, help each one of us to be convinced by faith of what we receive/ed in You. Let us go and do likewise - by Your grace and mercy. Thank You Lord!"