Heirs of God

Galatians 3:27-29

Jody Robertson

October 4, 2026

In Pastor Jody's last sermon, we noted that we are adopted by Grace. We are children of God. (1John 3:1-2) Many rejected God's offer of salvation, but those who accepted his offer became children of God. (John 1:11-12)

Verse 27 of our text takes us further. In becoming children of God, we are baptized, not by a pastor, but by the Lord. 1 Corinthians 12:13 says the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. Romans 6:3,4 states that baptism illustrates our dying to our own life and rising to a new life. Colossians 12:13 states this as well.

Having been adopted and baptized, we have a new identity. That is stated in verse 28. We identify ourselves in many ways, including our nationality, profession, marital status, gender, and even the sports team we support rigorously. Those are all secondary identities. Our higher, primary identity is being a child of God. This primary identity does not change our ethnicity. Our DNA does not change. It does not change our gender. A man is still a man and a woman is still a woman. Our favorite sports team probably does not change. (Raider fans will still be hopeless Raider fans.) But as children of God, there's no distinction between different kinds of Christ-centered primary identities.

Each secondary identity has advantages and disadvantages. In our relationships with others, they can bring confusion, conflicts, and divisions. But in John 17:22, 23, Jesus prayed that our primary identity in Him would unite us as one. The Holy Spirit works to bring down the divisions that come from our secondary identities. Satan works to build up the divisions these identities can bring. It is well for us to examine whether our lives reflect what the Holy Spirit is doing or what Satan is doing.

Verse 29 notes that with our primary identity in Christ, we are Abraham's offspring and have a sure inheritance. In Ephesians 1, Paul wants us to know what we are inheriting. We have not yet seen or heard all that God has prepared for us. The Lord wants to open our eyes and ears. That is something we know in our head. May we seek to have that knowledge travel the 18 inches to our heart.

For Further Thought –

There is neither Democrat nor Republican, liberal nor conservative, right wing nor left wing, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.

What is your concept of what you will inherit in your life to come?

Elton Nelson