(27) For as many of you as were Immersed into Meshiach did put on Meshiach. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Meshiach Yeshua.
We are no longer “traditional Jews” because we gave up the belief that we look to the Levitical Priesthood for our salvation. We are learning how to separate old traditions and myths from the Torah. We look at everything that we do through the paradigm of Meshiach’s teachings, life example, death and resurrection as we daily conform ourselves to His image.
We are no longer “Greek” because we have totally abandoned every vestage of idolatry in our lives, taking on the teachings of the Torah as we conform to the image of Meshiach.
We are no longer living lives of forced servitude to others but rather willingly serve them in love as we grow into the image of Meshiach.
We are no longer under the penalty of sin because we have learned the way of Salvation by faith in Meshiach Yeshua.
For those who have been called to this journey, there is no difference in being male or female. We understand that when the “change” comes, there will be neither male nor female for we will all be like Him.
Avinu initially installs the new man through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and it is our responsibility to nourish him through repentance from our sins. It is clear from various scriptures that he is manifested in our conduct, that he is reconciled to Avinu and man, that whether or not he is physically circumsized, he is circumcised of heart, that he is connected with the New Covenant, and finally, that adopting him is a matter of choice on our part; accepting the things that we have been given while following the lead of the Holy Spirit.
But, what or who is the new man? The best way to answer this is to answer yet another question: When does Avinu create the new man in us? Paul answers the question in Galatians 3:27: “For as many of you as were Immersed into Meshiach have put on Meshiach.” He uses the verb enduo, “to put on.” Its literal meaning is “to sink into.” We sink into Meshiach when we are Immersed. That is when we first clothe ourselves with the new man, or to put it a little bit more accurately, that is when Avinu first establishes His Holy Spirit within us.
Paul is clearly describing the new man in Galatians 3:27, and he connects the putting on of Meshiach with reconciliation. The new man is, by definition, reconciled with Avinu and with man. Paul immediately follows his statement that the Immersed person has put on Meshiach (verse 27) with a statement about reconciliation (verse 28): “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Meshiach Yeshua.” Note the similarity of Paul’s terminology and approach with
*** “9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Meshiach is all and in all.” (Col 3:9-11)
where he admonishes us “to put on the new man.” Paul also immediately follows this statement with a discussion of reconciliation: “There is neither Greek nor Jew, . . . slave nor free, but Meshiach is all and in all.”
Now we can see how Galatians 3:27 answers these two questions:
1. We put on—sink into—the new man when we are Immersed.
2. We put on Meshiach.
This means Yeshua Meshiach is the new man.
The new man conducts himself according to Avinu’s Word, walking according to His law. With this in mind, notice
*** “12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Master, Yeshua HaMeshiach, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Ro 13:12-14)
where Paul tells us how we should walk—we who have put on Meshiach, the new man: “Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, . . . not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. But put on the Master, Yeshua HaMeshiach.” This only emphasizes our conclusion: The new man “is Meshiach in you, the hope of glory”
*** “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Meshiach in you, the hope of glory.” (Col 1:27)
*** “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Master from heaven.” (1Co 15:47)
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