Gal 3:26-29 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gal 3:26-29: 3:26-29 Because of Christ, our condition under faith contrasts with our condition under the law (3:23-24 ). 3:26 Those who are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (see also 4:4-7 ; John 1:12 ; Rom 9:8 ) have come of age as heirs of his promises (see Gal 3:24-25 , 29 ) and have received the down payment of that inheritance (3:14 ; Eph 1:14 ). The Galatians were foolish (Gal 3:1 ) in trying to gain access to God through circumcision. As God’s children by faith, they already had the best possible access to God.

Summary for Gal 3:26-29: 3:26-29 ^a Because of Christ, our condition under faith contrasts with our condition under the law (3:23-24 ^b). 3:26 ^c Those who are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (see also 4:4-7 ^d; John 1:12 ^e; Rom 9:8 ^f) have come of age as heirs of his promises (see Gal 3:24-25 ^g, 29 ^h) and have received the down payment of that inheritance (3:14 ⁱ; Eph 1:14 ^j). The Galatians were foolish (Gal 3:1 ^k) in trying to gain access to God through circumcision. As God’s children by faith, they already had the best possible access to God.
3:27 ^l united with Christ in baptism: See Rom 6:3-4 ^m. Baptism represents death of an old life and birth into a new one. In the new life, the law’s curse no longer has any force (cp. Rom 7:1-6 ⁿ).

• have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes: Christ covers us and gives us a new identity. Cp. Col 3:12 ^o; 1 Thes 5:8 ^p.
3:28 ^q There is no longer: Everyone comes to Christ and receives God’s promises in exactly the same way (cp. 1 Cor 12:12-13 ^r; Eph 2:14 ^s; Col 3:11 ^t).

• male and female: Cp. Gen 1:27 ^u.

• you are all one: The community of believers is one body, the body of Christ (see Rom 12:4-5 ^v; 1 Cor 12:27 ^w; Eph 2:15-16 ^x, 19-22 ^y).

• in Christ Jesus: See Col 2:6–3:11 ^z.
3:29 ^aa Because Christ is the ideal descendant of Abraham (3:16 ^ab), it follows that those who are one with Christ (3:27-28 ^ac) are children of Abraham and heirs of all that was promised to him.