Galatians 3:28 Commentary

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Galatians 3:28

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Because we have put on Christ then God sees us as in covenant relationship with Christ. He no longer sees the distinctions which exist between us, for they belong to this world and not the world to come. The great distinction under discussion was between Israel and the Gentiles, but if this has no reality in the kingdom of heaven, then the Judaizers are concerned about nothing. National Israel existed as a stage in God’s plan in order to teach mankind about the way of salvation. The true Jew is one who is circumcised in heart and who does not need to be circumcised in the flesh. Even distinctions of nature are of no lasting significance, for they too belong to this world which is passing away. What is this brief life in comparison to the eternal state in heaven where there will be neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female? Nations, social distinctions, and even gender belong to this life and serve to instruct mankind. In the heaven there will be one holy nation, a spiritual nation, comprised of all believers in all ages and from every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Similarly, all social differences will be set aside as those who were beggars are raised to Abraham’s bosom, while the rich are sent away empty-handed. Even gender may not continue to exist, for Christ tells us that in heaven there will be no marriage, thus the dilemma that the Sadducees raised in Matthew 22 does not arise, for the Lord says, they ‘are as the angels of heaven’ (Matthew 22:30). The woman was made for the man in his earthly state and with the intention that they should bear children together; their bodies were designed for physical reproduction. But in heaven there will be no marriage and no new children will come into existence, for God will have the full number of children at the beginning of eternity. Male headship is something which only exists for the society of this world, for in the world to come all figures and picture will be gone including marriage which is only a picture of the greater relationship between Christ and the church.

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If earthly distinctions are done away with in Christ and if they will not exist in heaven, are we entitled to try to remove them while we are still on earth? Certainly not, for while this world continues, God’s order for this world must continue, which means that marriage and property ownership and employer-employee relationships will continue. The rule for Christians in this life is ‘Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers’ (Romans 13:1). The Ten Commandments are expressed in terms which assume the conditions of this life and assume they will continue till the end of the world. The Christian is not a revolutionary who disturbs the present order of things. Paul who said, ‘there is neither bond nor free’, also taught that servants should obey their masters and serve them diligently. He did not advocate the disturbance of society by Christians, but rather that they should be exemplary in submitting to the order of this world even when it works to their disadvantage. God has made rules for society and rules for the church and we overturn them at our peril.

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Galatians 3:28 Commentary and Bible Study