Galatians 3:26-28 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Many gentile believers who desire to be under the law, quote the above passage of scripture as their excuse for doing so. They say that because in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek (gentile), and we are all one in Christ, that it is therefore quite acceptable for gentile believers to observe the law, just as Jewish believers are allowed to observe the law. When they use this passage of scripture in this manner however, they take it completely out of context. For when Paul teaches us this truth, he is teaching us that it is in Christ, that we are all one. In other words, as believers we are all one in Christ in the Spirit, for we are one Spirit with the Lord (1 Corinthians 12:13). In this life however, things are different. What do I mean when I say that? In this life, there is Jew and there is gentile. In this life, there is slave and there is free. In this life, there is male and there is female. Let me demonstrate this truth by looking at the other two categories listed by Paul in this passage of scripture before we look at the Jew and the gentile. With regards to slave and free in this life; after salvation, the difference between slave and free remains in place, for in Paul’s day, no slave could go to his master and claim his freedom as a result of being born-again. In other words in this life, the day after the slave became born-again they remained a slave, nothing changed. In fact Paul encouraged slaves to try gain their freedom if it was at all possible, but if it was not possible, his counsel to them was to serve their masters as exemplary slaves (Titus 2:9). With regards to male and female in this life; after salvation the difference between male and female remains in place. Paul teaches the church extensively about how men and women are to behave differently in the church, and how they are to behave toward one another. If there is neither male nor female in the church in this life, then all of Paul’s teachings along this line are false. Clearly in this life there is still male and female. And because of that truth it is unacceptable for men to try to behave as women and vice versa. Now apply that same principle to Jew and gentile in this life. In this life, after salvation, the difference between Jew and gentile remains in place. And just as it is unacceptable for men to try to behave as women, so it is unacceptable for gentile believers to try to behave as Jewish believers.
1 Corinthians 7:17-20 “But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so, I ordain in all the churches. (18) Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. (19) Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. (20) Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul reinforces the truth of the difference in this life between Jew and Gentile believers. For in this passage Paul teaches us that each saint is to remain in the same calling in which God originally called them. God knows what He is doing, and so if He called you into His kingdom as a gentile believer, then that is where He wants you to remain. For you to try and become a Jewish believer is to go against the express will of God the Father. Rebelling against the will of God for your life does carry consequences, none of which are good. And so, the Holy Spirit could not have made it any clearer than that.
Galatians 5:1-9 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (2) Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. (3) And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. (4) You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (5) For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (6) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (7) You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? (8) This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. (9) A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture Paul tried to warn the churches in Galatia of the consequences of trying to change their calling. In verse eight above, the apostle Paul clearly tells the churches in Galatia, that in taking the path that they are on, they are not following the leading of the Holy Spirit. He goes on to tell them that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. In other words, he is telling them that what may start out as just observing one or two Jewish feast days and nothing more, eventually has the effect of influencing them to adopt more and more Jewish laws and customs. The end result is that they will reach the stage where they will fall from grace, and they will become separated from Christ. To be separated from Christ, has the eternal consequence of a lost salvation. The warning to gentile believers is very clear. We are to stay away from trying to observe any part of the Law of Moses, for that is not our covenant. This brings me to one final point, for those who are willing to receive it. The Holy Spirit has not replaced the Jewish calendar with a “Christian” calendar. So what do I mean by that statement? Men have come up with their own version of the Jewish calendar, and called it by different names to make it “Christian”. This persuasion also does not come from Him who has called us into His kingdom.
Michael E.B. Maher
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