Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. 24 Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. 26 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.
The Mosaic Law was divinely ordained in order to prepare for freedom in Christ. The Law had temporarily held the Jews in custody and was a disciplinarian until faith came through Jesus Christ in whom we were justified; “For Christ is the end of the law for the justification of everyone who has faith (Rom. 10:4)." Now, we are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, so the disciplinarian is no longer needed. Through our Baptism we achieve union with Christ and are a new self (Eph. 4:24), a new creation in Christ (Gal. 6:15). The community of believers form one body in Christ (Rom 12:5). but each part of the Body has a different function (1 Cor. 12:27-30). Paul presented the Galatians with a universal view of mankind and if they remained in Christ, they were descendants of Abraham, heirs to the promise of God which was the gift of the Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:14). We must have the faith of Abraham and trust God without question or reservation (Deut. 6:5).
Almighty God, through our Baptism we are a new creation in Christ Jesus and through the suffering, death and resurrection of your incarnate Son we were justified and reconciled to you. Grant us the grace to remain in Christ as he remains in you that we may be brought to everlasting life and share in your glory with the Patriarchs, the prophets, the saints and all who have fulfilled your will. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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