November 29 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading:

Galatians 3:15-29

¹⁵Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
¹⁶Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
¹⁷And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
¹⁸For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
¹⁹Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
²⁰Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
²¹Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
²²But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
²³But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
²⁴Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
²⁶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
²⁷For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
²⁹And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Devotional:

What a full portion of revelation! It may seem inappropriate to focus on four selected words in this passage, but in our day there is need for these words to be stressed in order to answer some criticisms of the Scripture, and especially of Paul's epistles. The words in question read, 'neither male nor female' (3:28).

Conservative Christians differentiate between the functions of men and women in the divine economy. They feel that it is important to stress the fact that God would have men take the leadership in the family as well as in the family of God, the home as well as the church. They likewise show from Scripture the need of the wife to be a submissive follower.

These teachings are incorrectly interpreted by certain church leaders who tell us that they mean the woman is a second-class Christian. So it is important to give attention to these words of Paul—'neither male nor female'—and to ascertain what he is actually saying.

Paul is here stressing that there is neither Jew nor Gentile in the sight of God. All believers, not just the chosen people of Old Testament days, are children of God. All are united in Christ and have been clothed in Christ's righteousness. To emphasize the all-inclusiveness of this coverage and the oneness of believers in Christ, he adds that there is neither bond nor free, 'there is neither male nor female.' Paul would include every category of the human family in his coverage without making any distinctions.

Believing husbands and wives are alike children of God. In His eye there is no difference. The differences we speak of are social and natural differences and apply in this world only! The woman who thoroughly grasps this and is aware of her standing with God will not fret at any temporal, positional difference between herself and her husband. She will be satisfied with what God has made her and will rest in His wisdom in doing all things well!