Galatians is found in the New Testament of the Bible and was written originally as a letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Galatia, which is now known as modern-day Turkey.
It is thought that Paul wrote this letter while he traveled through Macedonia (known today as Greece) around AD 55-57.
The letter written is part of the collection of Pauline Epistles, and the focus of Galatians is to explain that we, as Christians, are not justified in Jesus through our works or our good deeds but rather through faith in Jesus and his death on the cross.
This faith, Paul reminds them, should empower the church to live just like Jesus did and to follow his example. This is essential information for us to know as it helps us understand the context before we jump into our question today.
It will help us to unpack the lesson Paul is trying to teach the early church and therefore, help us to grasp what we can glean from it.
What Is the Context of Galatians 3:28?
The verse we will look at today is found in Galatians 3, verse 28. It reads:
There is neither Jew nor Greek (or gentile), there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus(ESV).
This verse has been used to debate many topics: race, slavery, and gender equality. Martin Luther King Jr. cited this passage in 1957, stating that “Racial segregation is a blatant denial of the unity which we all have in Christ.”
This verse was part of his mantra, stating that our oneness in Christ must mean that there should not be racism, as we would lose out on the equality promised in Scripture.
Others have used this verse to discuss gender roles in churches, some stating that this is a key verse, among others found in Colossians and Ephesians, that is essential to negotiating women’s roles in ministry.
However, others completely disagree with this thinking and align more so with biblical patriarchy, and I will let you decide what you think.
Lastly, the verse has been used to argue for Christian abolitionism. There were some who believed that this verse and others implied that no one is less than another and so slavery should be abolished.
There were people who did not see it that way and used other verses to back up their mindset. Thankfully, however, slavery was abolished.
We must first ask ourselves, is Paul suggesting that we remove these titles of Jew or Gentile, etc., entirely? Can we no longer use titles of this nature to identify ourselves?
I do not believe that Paul is saying this. I believe Paul is not speaking literally, but rather, he is conveying the message that these titles that we have in Christ do not matter.
Galatians 3:26 highlights this further by saying: “So, in Christ Jesus you ALL are children of God through faith.”
The word all here is similar to that of the whosoever. All are welcome, wherever they come from. Jesus wants to welcome them into his fold, as He is the good shepherd.
That being said, when we come to Jesus, He begins a work in us, sanctifying us and justifying us, and so that work will begin with the help of the Holy Spirit.
When we come to Jesus today, tomorrow, or next year, he will change us to be more like him if we allow him.
Is Salvation for Everyone?
Paul is trying to explain that salvation is not only for the Jews, who had become very good at hoarding God for themselves in the Old Testament, but Jesus’ gift of eternal life was, as John 3:16 tells us, for the who so ever!
Salvation, or the entire redemption plan, was an offer placed on the table for all of humanity. No one was to be left out or pushed aside, but all, no matter their title, stature, financial status, or any other, was to hinder them from being able to present themselves before Jesus and receive that abundant life, or as John 1 puts it, to become a child of God.
This idea that only the priest was welcome in the holy place with God was changed when Jesus died and the veil was torn. We are all welcome in the Holy Place with Jesus when we ask Him to be our friend and Lord.
The most incredible thing about this one verse is it sends a message to the church that we are united in Christ.
This idea that we are all one in Christ does not mean we must all be united in our thinking, our actions, our jobs, and our roles, but rather that just as one must come to Jesus through faith, so must we all.
Paul fleshes this idea out further in 1 Corinthians by explaining that just as the body has many parts, so does the church, but we, as the parts of the body, make up one unit. Each of us is welcomed and needed in the family of Jesus.
As well as unity, this idea of being one in Christ, and there being no Jew or Greek, also calls for harmony in the church and for the support of the church for each other.
Scripture tells us that when one is honored, we all rejoice, but also that when one suffers, we all suffer. And so, we ought to show through Jesus a love that is patient, longsuffering, humble, and gentle, just as 1 Corinthians and Ephesians show us.
In Bible times, there was a real divide between Gentiles and Jews. They did not see eye to eye at all. This verse helps us recognize that there is not supposed to be a divide in humanity, be that due to race, economic status, finances, gender, or any other reasons.
God made humankind in His image, not to fight and argue with each other, but to live in harmony, to subdue the earth, and to live in it.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
Friend, if you do not know Jesus today and this life of unity has not yet been received by you, can I suggest that you read a Bible, get in touch with a Christian and ask them about this love of Jesus that was the catalyst for our redemption story.
Consider accepting Jesus as your friend and allowing Him to change your life for the better.
Christian, if you are in the family of God, rest easy in knowing that you have Jesus on your side, but you are also a part of the greatest family you could ever reside in. You have a loving Father, a sacrificial Lord and Savior, and a Holy Spirit who will guide you.
But as well as that, you have a church community that is open to you, a group of other believers who wish to live as Jesus did.
If you are not part of a home church, find one, find your group, and follow Jesus with them. Together, we can do more to impact this world for the better than we could ever achieve alone.
So, friend, whatever you align yourself to, know that the offer of Jesus is open to you. I hope you accept that gift today.
For further reading:
Is Christ Really the Only Way to God?
Why Is the Gate of Salvation Narrow?
Should Christians Follow the Book of the Law Today?
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