The phrase “in Christ” means through unity with Him.

A mysterious unity

Paul’s writings imply a mysterious unity between Christ and the believer:

โ€œI have been crucified with Christโ€ (Gal 2:20).

โ€œChrist lives in meโ€ (Gal 2:20).

All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christโ€ (Gal 3:27).

In Christ

Phrases such as โ€œby faith in the Son of Godโ€ (Gal 2:20) and โ€œthrough faith in Christ Jesusโ€ (Gal 2:16; 3:26) are often understood as indicating a single concept, namely belief in Christ. However, the phrase โ€œin Christโ€ is also used on its own. For example, “you are all one in Christ” (Gal 3:28). For that reason, it is possible to separate a phrase such as “through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:26) into two concepts:

      • “”through faith” and
      • “In Christ.”

Consequently, the phrase โ€œin Christโ€ has a separate meaning by itself.ย  For example:

      • โ€œIn Christ,โ€ the blessing of Abraham comes to the Gentiles (Gal 3:14, 29).
      • โ€œIn Christ,โ€ we have liberty from the law (Gal 2:4).
      • โ€œIn Christ,โ€ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything (Gal 5:6).
      • โ€œIn Christ,โ€ are we seeking to be justified (Gal 2:17).
      • โ€œIn Christ,โ€ there is no distinction between Jew and Greek (Gal 3:28).

For example:

The NASB translates Galatians 3:26 as follows:

โ€œyou are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.โ€

The NIV recognizes the distinctive meaning of the phrase โ€œin Christโ€ and separates the phrases โ€œin Christโ€ and โ€œthrough faithโ€ by translating this verse as follows:

โ€œIn Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.โ€

In this way, the NASB phrase โ€œthrough faith in Christ Jesusโ€ is divided into two concepts:

Through Faith

The first concept is faith, which may be faith in Christ or faith in God. For instance, Abraham received the promise โ€œthrough the righteousness of faithโ€ (Rom 4:13), but he did not literally have faith in Christ because he did not know about Christ; at least not as clearly as we do today.

In Christ

The second is the โ€œin Christโ€ concept, referring to the mysterious unity between Christ and the believer.ย  We should not think of ourselves as separate from Christ. As Paul explains in Galatians 3:16 and 19, the promises that were made to Abraham were actually made to and inherited by Christ. Christians are, metaphorically speaking, inside Christ, and only share in the promises โ€œin Christ Jesus.โ€

Conclusion

The point is perhaps that we should not underestimate the value of the Cross. Christ is the Vehicle through which we are saved. He โ€œgave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Fatherโ€ (Gal 1:4). Without Christ, there would not have been any rescue.


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Listen to Graham Maxwell, a well-known preacher, as he explains, from the letter to the Galatians, his view of the Atonement and of Justification.

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