Take a few minutes to catch up and pray that God would bless you through the reading of His word.

Read Galatians 3:23-29

[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.

Observation:

• How does Paul describe the condition “we” were in “before faith came” (v 23)?
• What role did the law have in “our” life (v 24)?
  • Until what time?
  • For what purpose?
• What has come now (v 25)? What is the result?
• What does Paul say his readers are now (v 26)?
  • In whom have they become this way?
  • Through what have they become this way?
• What have baptized people done (v 27)?
• What does Paul deny in v 28? What reason does he give?
• What is true of all who Christ’s (v 29)?

Interpretation:

• Who is Paul speaking to in this passage? That is to say, who is the “we”? All humanity? Jews? Christians?
• How did the law serve as a prison?
  • What is “the coming faith”? Did OT saints not have faith (see Hebrews 11)?
  • How was the law a guardian that is no longer necessary?
• What does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus” (v 26)? How is the same or different from being “Christ’s” (v 29)?
• What does it mean to “put on Christ”? How is being baptized a way of doing that?
• What is Paul teaching in v 28? 
  • Is he saying that ethnicity and gender and social functions no longer exist? 
  • How are Christians “one in Christ Jesus”? How is that the opposite of being divided along gender, ethnic, and social lines?
• Why would some of Paul’s audience be surprised that all Christians are Abraham’s offspring?

Application:

• Paul lays out a radical vision for the spiritual unity of believers in the context of a local church. But it is a unity that we have to work hard to live out together. 
  • How could you do something this week that would contribute to a greater sense of love and unity in the church across gender, ethnic, and class lines?
  • Is there anyone in the church that you wouldn’t think about praying for or trying to build a relationship with? What could you do to build a sense of unity in Christ with that person/people?
• As we have seen repeatedly in Galatians, it is such good news that we are no longer under the law (a prison!). How can you live this week in joy knowing that you are an heir to the promises of Abraham through your union with Christ?   

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