Footsteps #55

Read Gal.3:26 – 4:31 

There is an important and subtle step in vs26-29 where Paul makes baptism the new sign of the covenant. By adult faith baptism, he says, we become Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to the promise. 

The word ‘for’ at the beginning of v26 indicates that Paul sees a direct connection between this verse and the preceding one. In the same way that a master’s son was under a pedagogue only as long as he was a minor, Paul is saying that those who come to faith in Christ are no longer minors; their relationship with the law is changed because they are now adult “sons” of God.  

The term son is not, of course, exclusive to males, as Paul clearly includes females in this category (Gal.3:28). The reason he uses the word sons instead of children is that he has in mind the family inheri­tance that was passed on to the male offspring, along with the fact that the phrase “sons of God” was the special designation of Israel in the OT (Deut.14:1, Hos.11:1). In Christ, Gentiles now also enjoy the special relationship with God that had been exclusive to Israel. 

Paul’s use of the word ‘for’ in v27 indicates once again the close, logical development of his reasoning. Paul sees baptism as a radical deci­sion to unite our lives with Christ. In Rom.6, he describes baptism symbolically as our uniting with Jesus, both in His death and resurrec­tion. In Galatians, Paul employs a different metaphor: baptism is the act of being clothed with Christ. Paul’s terminology is reminiscent of wonderful passages in the OT that talk about being clothed with righteousness and salvation (see Isa.61:10, Job.29:14). Paul views baptism as the moment when Christ, like a garment, envelops the believer. Paul is describing the perfect righteousness which is conferred upon believers.  

Our union with Christ, symbolized through baptism, means that what is true of Christ also is true of us. Because Christ is the “seed” of Abraham, as “joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom.8:17), believers also are heirs to all the covenant promises made to Abraham and his descendants.