These verses sum up the crux of Paul's message. In Christ we are all God's children through faith. The Law is not the means on qualification, faith in Christ is the only means of qualification.
If we were baptised into Christ, then we have been clothed in Christ, nothing else needs to be done. Anyone who tries to introduce any extra criteria is going against the gospel. It makes no difference whether we are a Jew or not, what our social status is in the society we live in, whether we are male or female. We are all one in Christ.
God's plan was announced to Abraham in Genesis 12, and we are heirs of that promise, we are part of the fulfilment of that promise.
Now to most of us the difference between Jews and non-Jews has little day-to-day relevance, so what does all this mean for us today? Well the habit of putting extra requirements on people is a very human trait. We can do this consciously or sub-consciously. It means we need to beware of the distinctions that society around us has imposed upon us, for they do not apply in the kingdom.
Sometimes we may, like the Judaisers, even introduce extra tests saying we are being Biblical. It doesn't seem so common today, but in the early days of the charismatic renewal there was a tendency to put those who speak in tongues at a higher level than those who don't. Now speaking in tongues is good (1 Corinthians 14:5), but it is a gift from God, not a means of distinguishing between one believer and another.
If we were baptised into Christ, then we have been clothed in Christ, nothing else needs to be done. Anyone who tries to introduce any extra criteria is going against the gospel. It makes no difference whether we are a Jew or not, what our social status is in the society we live in, whether we are male or female. We are all one in Christ.
God's plan was announced to Abraham in Genesis 12, and we are heirs of that promise, we are part of the fulfilment of that promise.
Now to most of us the difference between Jews and non-Jews has little day-to-day relevance, so what does all this mean for us today? Well the habit of putting extra requirements on people is a very human trait. We can do this consciously or sub-consciously. It means we need to beware of the distinctions that society around us has imposed upon us, for they do not apply in the kingdom.
Sometimes we may, like the Judaisers, even introduce extra tests saying we are being Biblical. It doesn't seem so common today, but in the early days of the charismatic renewal there was a tendency to put those who speak in tongues at a higher level than those who don't. Now speaking in tongues is good (1 Corinthians 14:5), but it is a gift from God, not a means of distinguishing between one believer and another.
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