The Baptized Have Put On Christ

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Galatians 3:27
Psalters: 15, 140, 80, 101
Sacrament of Baptism
  1. The issue.
    1. Paul is emphasizing the blessedness of the Gentile believers in Galatia.
      1. The elect believers heard the preaching of Paul and believed the gospel of justification by faith in Christ.
      2. Some of the Christians who were Jews (Judaizers) said that faith in Jesus was not sufficient.
      3. But Gentile believers (having faith) are to be identified as the true children of Abraham (7-9).
    2. The reason is that faith puts one in living fellowship with Christ.
      1. Gentile believers too are no longer immature children, but are mature children of God in Christ.
      2. Let no one deceive the Galatians into thinking that in order to become Christians they must first become Jews.
  2. Those baptized into union with Christ have put on Christ.
    1. First, note this is the first and only mention of baptism in this book (and not much detail is given).
      1. Baptism was (and is) used as a sacrament in obedience to Christ’s command in Matt. 28:19.
      2. When the preaching bore spiritual fruit of confessing and repenting believers, then they were baptized (Acts 16:15,33).
    2. Baptism is sufficient because it is baptism into union with Christ.
      1. First, realize that Paul is speaking of the spiritual significance of the sacrament, not of the outward practice only.
      2. “In Christ” relationship is all that matters.
    3. This is true for “as many of you as.” (the “all of vs. 26).
      1. This is true for all, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female (28; Col. 3:11).
      2. All racial, social and sexual distinctions are to be forever abandoned, since in Christ all are equal.
    4. Thus baptism had taken the place of circumcision as the sign of the covenant (no more need for bloody sign).
  3. The implied calling: put on Christ.
    1. The figure of speech is that of putting on clothes.
    2. One who has been given the white robe of Christ’s righteousness is a child of God in God’s house.