All One In Christ Jesus

We all want the freedom to be uniquely ourselves and yet fully accepted and valued by others. Paul captures this vision in verses 26-29, arguing that it is only possible through faith in Jesus – not by performing works of the law. He first defends this claim by showing how God’s promise to Abraham precedes, and therefore supersedes, the law that came 430 years later. Next he shows why God gave the law to begin with: as a necessary guardian until the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus is both the One offspring to whom Abraham’s promise points, and also the only true Israelite who perfectly kept the law. As such, he is entitled to share his rightful inheritance with people of every race, class and sex who put their faith in him. And because believers now share this same free inheritance, we must fight vigorously against every temptation to exclude or marginalize others based on our differences. Instead, motivated by the grace and love of Jesus, we should celebrate our differences as gifts that reflect the glory of the Gospel.