Galatians 3:27-29

1. The Bible holds a central place in the lives of Christians because we believe it is God's message and a revelation of who God is. It is through the Bible that we come to know Jesus Christ and gain insight into God's actions. This is because God's work is represented by Jesus Christ, our Lord. God has kept His promises through Jesus Christ. I have been studying the 16th-century Reformations to explore its significance for the church, particularly as it marked the beginnings of the Protestant movement. My main area of expertise within the 16th-century Reformations is the Swiss Reformation.

2. To grasp the essence of these reformations, it's essential to understand the role of humanism, which offered a fresh perspective on the Bible. Erasmus, a highly influential scholar, played a pivotal role in this. Humanists had a guiding principle, "Ad fontes," meaning "back to the source." Their focus was on ancient writings, especially those of Greek philosophers, myths, and Greek church fathers. While there were controversies, such as viewing the Bible as one of the human sources, it was beneficial that Erasmus sought to extract the Bible's true meaning. He accomplished this by studying the original languages, including Hebrew and Greek. Zwingli, the first reformer in the Reformed tradition, read Erasmus' new Greek Bible and was influenced by it. Consequently, he also delved into Greek and Hebrew and engaged in daily Bible studies. This foundation laid the groundwork for the Swiss Reformation in the 16th century.

3. When we delve into the original language of the Bible, it's important to examine specific words and grammatical details. Today, we celebrated a Baptism ceremony for two individuals. Baptism holds the significance of commencing a dedicated life in Jesus Christ, symbolizing our new connection with Him. Hence, today, I would like to explore the meaning of our relationship with Jesus Christ by concentrating on a particular Greek word. Let's turn to Galatians 3:27-29.

Galatians 3:27–29 NKJV

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

4. To understand the Greek Bible, it's useful to grasp the meanings of prepositions like "in," "by," or "toward." These words may seem distinct in English, but in Greek, they're represented by a single word, "ἐν." This Greek word can have various meanings based on the context, including "in," "with," or "by" and it is  a marker of a state or condition.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 13.8 ἐν

ἐν μαλακοῖς ἠμφιεσμένον ‘dressed in soft clothes’ Mt 11:8

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 13.8 ἐν

ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις ‘being in torment’ Lk 16:23

5. In Greek, there is another similar preposition, 'εἰς.' 'ἐν' and 'εἰς' have a similar meaning, which is "in" within a Greek sentence. However, their grammatical usage differs slightly. 'ἐν' signifies a state or condition, while 'εἰς' indicates identity and status. Nevertheless, both of them are translated as "in" or "into." Therefore, we can analyze Galatians 3:27-29 in the following way based on the grammatical distinctions:

"For you, who were baptized into union with Christ, have put on Christ. 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. And if you are in Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and all of God's promises in Jesus belong to us."

6. This interpretation underscores the importance of being baptized "into union with Christ" and highlights the unity and equality among believers, regardless of social and cultural differences. Through the prepositions 'ἐν' and 'εἰς,' we can understand that the relationship between Jesus and his followers is a crucial concept. In fact, God's desire is to restore the relationship with His chosen people. Due to sin, they had been separated from God's promise. However, when the right time came, God fulfilled His promise by sending His Son to be with His people.

Matthew 1:22–23 (LBP)

This will fulfill God’s message through his prophets—‘Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”).’ ”

Romans 5:6–8 NIV

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

7. The Bible teaches two key concepts related to our relationship with God: being born again and adoption. To understand these concepts, let's draw a parallel to how people become citizens in the world. First, there's citizenship by birth. When a person is born in a country, they automatically become a citizen once their birth is officially recorded. For instance, when my daughter was born in Calgary, she became a Canadian citizen. Even though my wife and I weren't Canadian citizens, our daughter was eligible for government healthcare support in Toronto.

8. The second way to become a citizen is through immigration. Immigrants can apply for citizenship after meeting certain requirements and residing in the country for a set period. I've been an immigrant since 2019, and I'm now eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.

9. In addition, in the Greco-Roman world of the first century, there was yet another method of obtaining citizenship: adoption. Royal families often used adoption to secure their dynasties. They would adopt a male infant as their first son, making that child part of their lineage and an heir. This is why there were many Caesars who were adopted into power.

10. I brought up these methods of gaining citizenship to illustrate that citizenship signifies a connection to the country of one's affiliation. When we are citizens, it means that the country's leader, like the prime minister, is responsible for safeguarding us in times of danger, even if our relationship isn't direct. Additionally, our citizenship implies an obligation to abide by the laws of the land due to this connection. Similarly, in a spiritual context, being born again and adoption signify a deep and meaningful connection to God, with all the privileges and responsibilities that come with it. About being born again,

John 3:3 NKJV

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

1 Peter 1:23 ESV

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

About adoption,

Romans 8:15 NLT

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:6 NLT

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

11. When I was born, my parents gave me my name. My name changed three times before I reached high school because some Korean families believed that a good name could bring a blessed life. The first name I had meant "long life on Earth," and I used it until I was 5 years old. Then, my uncle, who is my father's older brother, gave me a name that meant "ringing the bell nine times during my life." According to Buddhism, if a person rings the bell nine times in their whole life, it signifies a successful and blessed life. However, he gave me another name just before he passed away, which meant "a blessed harbor." He believed that I would be a blessing to people, just as a harbor provides safety and blessings to those who come to it. This name is my current Korean name. Even though my first name changed three times, my last name remained the same because the last name is a family name. My last name is Kim, and it signifies that I was born into the Kim family. I belong to the Kims, and I am an inheritance for the family, indicating my strong connection with the Kim family.

12. We are born again, signifying that we now belong to God's family and are part of it. This new birth defines our identity. Through Jesus Christ, we have gained citizenship in God's Kingdom, and we have been adopted by God. Just as someone adopted by Caesar could become the next Caesar, we become heirs of God through adoption. Our identity has transformed from being insignificant to being cherished. We have become special to God because through Jesus Christ, God has restored our relationship with Him.

13. Let's embrace this wonderful relationship with God and live, embracing our new identity in His Kingdom. We are His unique and cherished people, and as we live our lives, we bring glory to God.

1 Peter 2:9 MSG

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—