GALATIANS (18): Our Inheritance in Christ (Galatians 3:26 - 4:7)

In this study, we see what God did for us, when we received Christ as Lord and Saviour. The key phrase is ‘in Christ.’ God made the promise of salvation to Abraham and His SEED, who is CHRIST (v16). Christ received the full Blessing of Abraham on our behalf, and when we trusted in Christ, we were baptised into Christ (v27, Romans 6:3-7). In Christ (through our union with Him) we became sons of God (v26), clothed with His righteousness (v27). Moreover, all believers in Christ, whatever our race, status or sex, are ONE (literally, one entity), for if we are in Christ (v26,27,28), we are Christ’s (under His headship), forming part of Abraham’s SEED (v29), who is CHRIST (He is the head and we are the body). This agrees with 1Corinthians 12:12-13: “By one Spirit we were all baptised into one body (Christ), whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” Since in Christ, we are now the Seed of Abraham, we inherit the Blessing of Abraham, which includes our full salvation, as a free-gift of His grace (v14,29). In Galatians 4:1-7, Paul restates his previous argument from 3:23-25, proving that when we trust in Christ, we are no longer slaves (under the law), but sons, who are free. He points out that any potential heir, while still a child, is under external restraint (law), like a slave, until the time appointed by the father (4:1-2), for him to be raised into the position of mature sonship (as a ‘huios’), when he is set free from bondage to the external law, and is able to enter into and enjoy his inheritance (v5,7). Likewise, before our salvation, we were in bondage to the Law, described as the elementary principles of religion, that is, the Ceremonial Law (v3), but now through Christ we have been redeemed, set free from slavery to the Law, adopted as sons and heirs of God, and given His Holy Spirit to dwell within us (v5-7).