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Growing In Grace - STUDY

For you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:26

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1

Paul’s Frustration

Oh, you foolish Galatians – you stupid people! Can you hear Paul’s frustration? These people believed the gospel of grace for their salvation and then returned to the old way of legalism. Men and women who were removed from the law of condemnation to that of liberty and life, had willingly returned to the old ways of death, despite Paul being their teacher. These saved, justified believers tried to be sanctified by returning to law! No wonder Paul was frustrated and urged them to: stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has set us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Positional Truth

We are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus and this verse can also be translated: it is through faith in Christ that all of you are sons in union with Christ.  These believers knew about their heavenly heritage and their position in Christ, for in the next verse we read: for as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ.

Baptised into His Death

Now, this is written in the aorist tense, which denotes an action and not a process. It is written in the passive voice, meaning this is something done to you – it was nothing you did yourself. Being in the indicative mood also emphasises a literal state – an absolute reality. This same gracious blessing is reinforced by Paul both to the Corinthians and Romans: for by one Spirit were we all baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and have all been made to drink into one Spirit, 1Cor.12:13 or do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus, were baptised into His death? Rom.6:3.

Work of the Spirit

Like us, these believers were baptised by the Spirit into union with Christ. He placed us in the body of Christ the moment we believed and our position in Christ is an eternal and unbreakable union with Him. At the point of salvation, we became identified with our Lord, forever. We may not have had an experience, or see or feel these blessings – but our assurance is in the Word of God, but we are called to trust the invisible and intangible truths of Scripture. We are simply asked to believe, trust, and have faith in the inspired Word of God.

Identification Truths

These Scriptures are a matter of certainty for God word is unbreakable. These passages in Scripture are a completed fact, for God’s word is true. We do not have to do anything for these truths are completed in us by the Spirit. In Romans 6 Paul tells us we were baptised into the death of Christ Jesus and this talks about our identification with Christ’s death. Christ’s death is linked to our death. We were identified with His death. When Christ died for my sins, His death equated to my death. When He paid the penalty for sin – His death equates as my death. When He paid the price for my sins, He paid it on my behalf. Christ died as our substitute and so by His death and so we identified with His death and His victory.

No Condemnation

The condemnation and wrath of God that you and I deserve was poured out on Christ, because He was my substitute – and yours too. This means that as a believer we will never ever face condemnation, because Christ was condemned in our place. Now this truth from God is a simple fact of our Christian life, but sadly many Christian revert to the old ways of the law – saved by grace through faith but living under law. Justified by grace through faith but trying to be sanctified under the law. Never forget the privileges of son-ship only come the “grace-faith-promise” way and cannot be acquired the “law-works-merit” way.