The Believer’s New Identity

Galatians 3:24–29 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Some observations from this little paragraph ...
  1. The aim of the Law of Moses is clearly stated: has become our tutor to lead us to Christ!
  2. The purpose of the Law's tutoring us to Christ is clearly stated: so that we may be justified by faith.
  3. The results of the arrival of faith is clearing stated: But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
  4. The reason(s) we are no longer under a tutor is clearly stated: 1) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 2) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
  5. It is important to define these two reasons!  Paul doesn’t define them in this section; however, they are important to understand because they related to "Who we are" and "how we live" in this world, if now we are no longer under the tutor of the Law! Are they further defined later in the letter?
  6. The ramification of being not under the tutor of the Law but baptized into Christ through faith is now clearly stated: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. This doesn’t mean people stop being who they were born to be in the flesh. It means our salvation identity is “in Christ people” not our fleshly identities. We are identified as righteous in Christ by grace through faith not our ethnicity or our gender!  This is in respect to standing before God NOT with respect to roles on this planet. Salvation in Christ does not mean we no longer have personal roles and responsibilities while here on earth. The context is talking about status or position before the Lord. Are we right with God based on our ability to keep the Law or not? NO!  We are right before God by faith in Christ alone.  
  7. In fact, our new position in Christ means we belong to Christ and thus we are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.  The sanctification ramifications of belonging to Christ are also not developed here but will be in chapters 5&6.  The point of emphasis here is more about our relationship to the promised spiritual blessings to Abraham and His descendants (the Spirit - 3:14).

We are children of God by faith not by works of the Law. Our identity is settled in Christ.

Our identity in Christ is a fundamental truth that must be understood and embraced. By understanding our identity in Christ we are able to avoid the self righteous works mentality of the world. I am right with God based on Christ’s person and work not mine!  If we fail to understand and embrace this new identity our life will be characterized as an endless pursuit of the impossible - righteousness!  When we believe in Christ our new identity is “in Him” not in sin under the condemnation of the Law.  This new identity frees us up to obey the Lord Jesus who we belong to. 


Father, these truths are encouraging. I admit Lord I sometimes don’t “feel” like I am “in Christ”. But I know Your Word says if I believe in Christ, I AM in Christ and belong to You. Help me to trust in this truth always. Help me to see this as my predominate identity. Help me to live as an heir with Christ and the adopted Child that I am in Christ. Father, help me to reflect the attributes a child of God should have. Thank You for justification by grace through faith in Christ Jesus!

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