Galatians 3:6-9 – Abraham was justified by faith; therefore, we also.

SUMMARY

Abraham was justified by faith. God called Abraham to bless all nations through him. Therefore, those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. This means that non-believing Jews are no longer Abraham’s children.

GALATIANS 3:6-9

God elected Abraham
GOD ELECTED ABRAHAM

3:6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 3:7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 3:8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “all the nations will be blessed in you.” 3:9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.

In the previous five verses, Paul gave reasons why man is not justified by the works of the Law. Now he provides reasons why man is justified through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 2:16):

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (3:6; cf. Gen. 15:6).  Since this was true of Abraham, and since God promised to Abraham that “all the nations will be blessed in you” (3:8), it is also true for all Christians (3:7), for they are Abraham’s children (3:7, 29).

(To receive “righteousness” (3:6, 11) means to be put right with God.  It means the same as “justified by … before God” (3:11).  See the discussion under Galatians 2:21.)

THOSE WHO ARE OF FAITH ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM.

To be “sons of Abraham” (3:7) or “Abraham’s descendant” (3:29) means to share in the “inheritance” (3:18) promised to him.  This is still another way of saying that a person is justified (3:7-8; Romans 4:13, 16).

The Jews proudly claimed, “We have Abraham for our father” (Luke 3:8). They thought of themselves as the people elected by God from the nations of the world to receive His special blessings, while the rest of the world is under God’s judgment.  But Christ said, “from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham” (Luke 3:8).

Paul adds that believing Gentiles may also count Abraham as their father (3:7).  But the statement that “those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham” (3:7) also means that non-believing Jews may no longer count Abraham as their father.  As stated by Romans 9:7, “nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants.

BLESSED IN YOU

Paul emphasizes the promise to Abraham that “All the nations will be blessed in you” (3:8).  God called Abraham not only to benefit Abraham and his children but to benefit the entire world.  The major benefit was Christ Jesus, born from the line of Abraham, “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles” (3:14).

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