Galatians 3:6-9

Justification by faith proved by the case of Abraham. Galatians 3:6-9

TEXT 3:6-9

(6) Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. (7) Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. (8) And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. (9) So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.

PARAPHRASE 3:6-9

6 That both Jews and Gentiles are to be justified by faith, is evident: For seeing Abraham believed God, and it (his believing) was counted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye certainly, that they who imitate Abraham in his faith, and who seek to be justified, as he was, by faith, the same are the sons of Abraham, to whom the promises were made; and particularly the promise, that their faith shall be counted to them for righteousness.

8 For God, the author of the scripture, having predetermined that he would justify the nations by faith, preached the good news to Abraham before the law was given, and even before Abraham was circumcised; saying Genesis 12:3. Surely in thee all the nations of the earth shall be blessed with the blessing of justification by faith.

9 Wherefore, according to God's promises, they who imitate Abraham in his faith, and who after his example seek to be justified by faith, shall be blessed with believing Abraham, by having their faith counted to them for righteousness.

COMMENT 3:6

Even as Abraham believed in God

1.

The Scriptures tell of Abraham's faith.

a.

And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6

b.

For what saith the Scripture? And Abraham believed God. Romans 4:3

c.

He received it while in uncircumcision. Romans 4:9-10

d.

He received it after he had been reckoned as righteousas a seal. Galatians 4:11

2.

We have a different seal as Christians.

a.

Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.

2 Timothy 2:19

1)

The blessings bestowed shows He knows.

2)

The answer to prayers shows He knows.

b.

Who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 1:22

c.

In whom ye also. having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13

d.

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

3.

The case of Abraham antedated the law by 430 years according to Galatians 3:17.

it was reckoned unto him for righteousness

1.

Since Abraham by faith would work with God, God could work with him as a righteous one.

2.

The prime requirement is faith and not law.

ABRAHAM, THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL 3:6-7

There are lines when crossed that completely change circumstances. When one thanks God that he has achieved humility, he at that point has crossed over the line from humility to pride.
Works is one of those fine lines. Work is great, but there are millions of people who think that they can work their way to God's grace.
Many people who believe the Bible find some way to explain away either Paul or James. In the Roman and Galatians letters, Paul says that Abraham was justified apart from works. In his epistle, James says that Abraham was justified apart from works.
However, if Abraham had not obeyed God, he would have stayed in Ur of Chaldees and would not have been the Father of the Faithful.
Works for God without a faith that includes commitment to Him are not Christian. If faith without works is dead, works without faith are shallow and unprofitable to God and man. There is a school of thought with widespread influence which believes that a man is justified by faith apart from works. There is another large school of thought which believes that if you work, even without a deep, personal relationship to Him, works will save. These are both wrong. Those who believe that works can save them have the mistaken idea that they keep the law of God perfectly.
In other words, they can work themselves to heaven. They are just as wrong as those who believe that they can think themselves to heaven while living in a dream world of correct opinions, without works for Christ.
There are millions in this world who claim faith in God, but are as demons who believe in Him without serving Him. They may even accept orthodox doctrinal statements about God, but they may not be Christian. This means if the faith I have in God is intellectual only, that faith is demonic and dead in quality. It is active against God in its determination to be saved without God in spite of His demand for obedience.

WORD STUDY 3:6

Reckoned (logizomailaw GID zo my) was a very common accounting term in the sense of put down to one's account. Abraham's faith was credited to him in God's ledger as righteousness. This is the only way, incidentally, that any man can ever square his accounts with God.

COMMENT 3:7

they that are of faith, are the sons of Abraham

1.

We are saved by faith and not genealogically.

2.

By faith Abraham came into proper relationship with God, He was a child of God.

3.

We become a son of Abraham and, of course, a son of God by faith.

COMMENT 3:8

and the scripture foreseeing

1.

What is meant by foreseeing?

a.

It means the event was foretold.

b.

Scripture is always in advance of man's wisdom.

2.

How long before did they foresee?

a.

430 years before the law, the scriptures told of the faith that would justify the Gentiles.

b.

The blind Jews had veiled this truth from the Galatians.

preached the Gospel beforehand unto Abraham

1.

The gospel preached was good tidings, that all the families of the earth would be blessed.

2.

All families means all nations.

3.

Observe that the King James says, Preached before the Gospel.

a.

This does not change the meaning.

b.

Read it with a comma after the word before.

c.

Note that the context likewise agrees with A.S.V.

in thee shall all the nations be blessed

1.

This is expressed in Genesis 12:3.

2.

The blessing would come by faith; and faith would be in the person of Christ.

3.

The law was to prepare the way; it was not the way.

4.

Now 430 years before the law and 1500 years of law have gone by and in the fulness of time (Galatians 4:4) the person of Christ has performed this.

PREACHING THE GOSPEL 3:8

Very little is said in the Galatians letter in a direct way concerning personal responsibility in preaching the Gospel. The exaltation of the saving grace of God is certainly motivation to share the good news. In Galatians 3:8, Paul makes it clear that Good News was preached unto Abraham.

The command for us to preach is not so stated in the Galatians letter.

But the witnessing role is not purely passive. God has given the church a ministry of reconciliation that through the church God might bring about the reconciliation of all things. things in heaven and things on earth (2 Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 1:20). This gives Christians a mandate for working in various ministries of reconciliation, performing those good works which God prepared beforehand for the fulfilling of his plan of reconciliation (Ephesians 2:10).

Paul urges us to do good to all men, Galatians 6:10. What is better than preaching the good news?

The Church must witness to God's personal acts throughout historyand, as the book of Acts makes clear, supremely to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:32; Acts 3:15; Acts 4:33).

WORD STUDY 3:8

Justify (dikaioodih ky OH o) was a common legal term. It first meant to reach a verdict, and later came to mean to declare to be just. A contract might declare a certain sum of money to be right and just. A court might declare a defendant innocent, and thus acquit him of the charge against him. It did not mean to acquit on a mere technicality, as is common today, but to vindicate on the basis of evidence. In our case, the evidence is that the debt of sin has already been satisfied by the sacrificial death of Jesus.

COMMENT 3:9

they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham

1.

Everyone can be of faith.

a.

Those who were not of genealogical fortune, were unfortunate under the law.

b.

Everyone can be under the blessing of Abraham by faith.

c.

The whosoever of John 3:16 is all inclusive.

2.

What was the blessing of Abraham?

a.

The blessing of righteousnessjustification imputed to Abraham is now imputed to Gentile men of faith.

b.

The God who blessed Abraham abundantly is the same God today.

STUDY QUESTIONS 3:6-9

262.

What Patriarch is used as an example of faith rather than works?

263.

How many years prior to their time was Abraham?

264.

By how many years did his father precede the law?

265.

By what evidence was Abraham's faith accepted?

266.

Did the Galatians have evidence that their faith was acceptable?

267.

Define the word reckoned.

268.

Were the Galatians children of Abraham?

269.

Are Gentile Christians today his children too?

270.

Why is faith so exalted by the apostle here, as though obedience is not necessary?

271.

Define foreseeing?

272.

Who should have seen through the eyes of Scripture?

273.

How did Abraham hear the gospel?

274.

How could Abraham bless all the nations?

275.

Was this blessing only for the nations of his day?

276.

Does the blessing cut across national and genealogical lines?

277.

What blessing of Abraham will we receive?

278.

Who is meant by they that are of faith?