Being the Church #47

As Paul is wrapping up the first half of his letter to the Galatians, he says in chapter 3:

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 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. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

What joins us together is our common faith in Christ. That breaks down all sorts of distinctions and differences that have historically divided us. Together, we have a newfound freedom - not from obedience to the Law, but dependence upon Christ.  In Christ we have been forgiven, taking off our old sinful life and putting on our new Christ-life. We are now more alike than different. We are family and you can see the resemblance to Christ and one another.  May the world around us see that resemblance today.