Galatians 3:23-27
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Verses 23—27 are potent doctrinally. Paul explains that until the time of faith in Christ, the people of God were kept under the Law (v.23). The Law served as a kind of schoolmaster to bring the Jews to Christ (v.24). But when the dispensation of faith arrived, they were no longer under a schoolmaster (v.25). The word, for, at the beginning of verse 26 indicates there is an explanation to follow. They were no longer under a schoolmaster because now they are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. If we stop reading right there, it may sound like the only condition for salvation in Christ is mere faith. But the next verse supplies important meaning. The additional, for, at the beginning of verse 27 indicates further qualification of verse 26. Verse 27 explains the basis by which it can be said they are now “all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus”. It is because they have been baptized into Christ. That is the process that takes place by water and Spirit baptism. It aligns with Jesus’ description of new birth (John 3:5). And, of course, this is also according to the plan of salvation that was preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost and is precisely what Paul himself received (Acts 9:17-18; 22:16) and preached (Acts 19:1-6). So, it’s natural that Paul associated being children of God by faith in Christ with baptism into Christ.
Christian salvation is according to the Gospel.
It must be remembered that Christian salvation is according to the Gospel. Since Christ left this world, the Gospel saves, nothing else. He left it to be preached precisely in His place (2Corinthians 5:18-20). With that in mind, Notice the wording of verses 23 and 25— “before faith came”, and, “after faith is come”. That’s not talking about mere faith in Christ. It’s talking about a system of religion based on faith in Christ. It’s referring to the Gospel dispensation, which has been committed to men.
Jesus emphasized receiving the Gospel from the beginning of His ministry (Mark 1:15). This same element of faith in the Gospel is in Christ’s Great Commission at the close of His ministry on earth (Mark 16:15-16).
The unique literary genre of the Epistles.
The Epistles do not prescribe salvation. They are non evangelistic. They were written to people who had already been saved so they tend to reference the salvation experience in a summary way. Therefore, their meaning must be considered in this light to prevent confusion.
Proper interpretation of the Epistles requires that attention be paid to preceding revelation, namely, the Great Commission and Acts, particularly the Day of Pentecost. People without the Acts 2:38 experience often get misled by the Epistles’ use of the word, faith. But attention to previous revelation eliminates this chance of error. The terms of the Gospel were very specifically prescribed by Jesus in the Great Commission and were clearly presented by Peter on the Day of Pentecost. And the Gospel continued to be upheld by all the ministers of the New Testament (Acts 2:42; Ephesians 4:5; Galatians 1:8-9; Jude 3; 1Peter 1:23-25).