Faithful Abraham
" Even as Abraham 'believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.' Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are children of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you all the nations will be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham." (Galatians 3:6-9 - World English Bible)
Paul’s first pure theological argument in this book begins with this passage. His opponents claimed to be upholding the Law of Moses. Paul goes back in time to before Moses and discusses the faith of Abraham. Abraham was the father of the nation of Israel. The Bible calls him, the friend of God. Albert Barnes, in his commentary on this book, explains clearly the argument that Paul puts forward. He writes, “Abraham believed God, and was justified before the Law of Moses was given. It could not, therefore, be pretended that the law was necessary for justification; for if it had been, Abraham could not have been saved. But if not necessary in his case; it was in no other.”
Moses, in Genesis, wrote that Abraham believed God and righteousness was put on his account. This occurred, not only when there was no law, but years before Abraham was circumcised. Abraham was considered righteous before God when he was a Gentile.
The phrase “those who are of faith” is in contrast to “those of the circumcision,” who were Paul’s opponents. We might call these groups the Faith Party and the Circumcision Party. Now the Circumcision Party was proud of their religious heritage of Judaism. They bragged about being children of Abraham in the flesh, and of keeping the Law of Moses.
However, Paul says that the real children of Abraham, the spiritual kids of Abraham, were those of the Faith Party. Those, who like Abraham, believed God and were now righteous in His eyes on the basis of faith and grace. God spoke of Abraham’s Gentile spiritual kids when He told Abraham that “in you all the nations shall be blessed.”
So those of the Faith Party are blessed with Abraham who like them believed God. Paul continues, in verse ten, by stating that rather than being blessed, the Circumcision Party was cursed!
Paul’s first pure theological argument in this book begins with this passage. His opponents claimed to be upholding the Law of Moses. Paul goes back in time to before Moses and discusses the faith of Abraham. Abraham was the father of the nation of Israel. The Bible calls him, the friend of God. Albert Barnes, in his commentary on this book, explains clearly the argument that Paul puts forward. He writes, “Abraham believed God, and was justified before the Law of Moses was given. It could not, therefore, be pretended that the law was necessary for justification; for if it had been, Abraham could not have been saved. But if not necessary in his case; it was in no other.”
Moses, in Genesis, wrote that Abraham believed God and righteousness was put on his account. This occurred, not only when there was no law, but years before Abraham was circumcised. Abraham was considered righteous before God when he was a Gentile.
The phrase “those who are of faith” is in contrast to “those of the circumcision,” who were Paul’s opponents. We might call these groups the Faith Party and the Circumcision Party. Now the Circumcision Party was proud of their religious heritage of Judaism. They bragged about being children of Abraham in the flesh, and of keeping the Law of Moses.
However, Paul says that the real children of Abraham, the spiritual kids of Abraham, were those of the Faith Party. Those, who like Abraham, believed God and were now righteous in His eyes on the basis of faith and grace. God spoke of Abraham’s Gentile spiritual kids when He told Abraham that “in you all the nations shall be blessed.”
So those of the Faith Party are blessed with Abraham who like them believed God. Paul continues, in verse ten, by stating that rather than being blessed, the Circumcision Party was cursed!
posted by David Frank Wilson | 7:15 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home