Galatians 3:26
Thoughts from Stuart Poteet
Dive Deeper
“For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26
Behind the Scenes
Paul wrote the letter of Galatians to Christians living in Galatia, an area in present day Turkey. One of the false doctrines that plagued this church was what I commonly refer to as “Jesus plus”, meaning that they taught that you could only find favor with God by accepting Jesus and doing a bunch of other legalistic things. They taught that faith in Jesus was not enough. Specifically, in this region, they were teaching that faith plus circumcision and even fulfillment of some of the Old Testament Laws were required. Paul specifically wrote to assure the Galatian church that this was not so.
Paul explained in the verse before this one that the Law served more as a “guardian”, looking out for us and directing us before the time of Christ. But now that Christ has come and fulfilled the Law, we have the opportunity to become adopted into the family of Christ. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we become sons and daughters of the Most High King!
I love the imagery and juxtaposition between a guardian and a father. The Law was never our permanent keeper, it was put in place to protect, watch over, and guide us. But the relationship we have with God through Jesus is so much more intimate and personal. And instead of being centered on rules or a list of do’s and don’ts, it is centered on love.
Make it Real
So many Christians fall into the trap of “Jesus plus”, believing the lie that to please God we have to accept Jesus as well as perfectly check off a long to-do list of rules. But that is not the truth of the Gospel. Jesus calls us sons and daughters of the Most High King, even when we don’t have all the rules figured out. We don’t have to earn a seat at the table of God, we already have it- fully and completely.
The beauty of this truth is that our worth and our acceptance never rest on our performance. We cannot earn more of God’s love and we cannot lose it. We cannot make Him want us more or risk Him wanting us less. We are His children, fully and permanently. There is no changing that.
But like an adopted child that is fully a part of a new family, many times we need to learn what it looks like to live as a member of that family. We need to learn the new ways and choose to put on the new identity. When we come to Jesus in this attitude, fully embracing the truth that we are fully adopted and loved, then our righteousness becomes an overflow of our new identity in Christ.
So, this week, I want to challenge you to ask yourself where haven’t you fully embraced the identity of a child of God? Where are you still living like an orphan under the watchful eye of a guardian? And where can you take intentional steps to start living out the new identity you are given in Christ?
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Disciplship Pastor
End in Prayer
Lord,
Thank You for adopting me into Your family. Help me to fully embrace the truth that I am Your child and that You have fully accepted me. Help me to walk in righteousness, not as an attempt to check off a list of do’s and don’ts, but as an overflow of the new identity You have given me as Your child. Help me to reject any form of “Jesus plus” and walk in freedom in Your name.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen