“Sharing Abraham’s Blessing”

Galatians 3:6-9

Introduction:

In chapters three and four of this letter, Paul presents a biblical and theological proof of the good news he preached. In verses 1-5, the apostle Paul appealed to what the Galatian believers knew from their own spiritual experience. He made the point that justification by grace through faith explains what happened to them. Next, he turns to the Old Testament Scriptures to confirm the teaching of grace as opposed to the false teaching of the works of the law. What we should learn is that what is true in the experience of the real Christian is also revealed in the Word.

     Let’s think for a few minutes about Abraham, because it will be hard to follow what Paul says to the Galatians unless you know something about Abraham.

Exposition: Let us think through this section in the form of three questions.

I.          Why was Abraham right with God? (3:6)

            A.         We need to grasp the significance of this example from the Scriptures.

                        1.         The false teachers were appealing to the law (the covenant made with Israel at Sinai) as the way to be right with God (cf. 2:16).

                        2.         However, Paul presents redemptive history and seizes on the first example of someone that the Scriptures say was right with God. That person was Abraham.

                                    a.         He lived five hundred years before the law was given. Obviously, the law had nothing to do with his justification.

                                    b.         He was declared righteous before he was circumcised. Clearly, circumcision had nothing to do with his justification (cf. Rm 4:9-12). To put it in a somewhat surprising way, Abraham was justified when he was still a Gentile! Abraham was still an uncircumcised Chaldean. Yet God declared him righteous.

            B.         We need to understand the Biblical testimony.

                        1.         Righteousness was credited to Abraham. “Abraham is not said to have achieved righteousness or to have performed a righteous act” (Morris). He had righteousness credited to him. Righteousness was put on his account when he believed God. Justification is a present position for every believer, and not merely something that happens on the Judgment Day.

                        2.         Trust in God was the issue. “The principle underlying Abraham’s faith was no different from the basic principle of Christian faith, although the latter was necessarily comprehensive because of the [fuller] revelation of Christ” (Guthrie). Believers trust a person, God, not merely his promises. Trusting God means that they also trust his promises. This is the reason we emphasize that you must trust the Lord Jesus Christ.

Apply: So then, do you trust in Christ? Have you committed yourself to him?

II.         What did God promise to Abraham? (3:8) – There are three ideas to think through in answering this question.

            A.         The identity of the Scriptures

                        1.         Though the Scriptures did not yet exist in written form, they were in existence as God’s word. Since they are God’s message, they are credited with God’s foresight.

                        2.         Today we have God’s voice in written form, which is a great advantage.

            B.         The equivalence of justification by faith with Abraham’s blessing

                        1.         Notice carefully how Paul interchanges the two phrases in this passage. What does it mean for believers from all nations to be justified by faith? It means that they are blessed through Abraham. Later in this chapter, Paul will explain Christ’s connection with Abraham.

                        2.         Justification is the primary spiritual blessing. It comes first and all others like adult sonship and the reception of the Spirit are based upon it.

            C.         The plan of God

                        1.         The gospel or good news was preached to Abraham in the form of promised blessing that would come through Abraham’s seed, Jesus Christ. God did not tell Abraham everything that he had purposed in Christ. But what he told Abraham was enough for him and other Old Testament people to believe and be saved. Observe again that this had nothing to do with the law covenant. The promise to Abraham was fulfilled through the gospel of Christ. The question is, “Why then did God give the law?” Paul answers that question later in this chapter.

                        2.         God planned the salvation of people in Christ. This plan always included the Gentiles. Before the law was given, God planned to save the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. The new covenant is not some sort of “Plan B” that God made up when “Plan A” failed.

III.        How can anyone receive the blessing of Abraham—justification by faith? (3:7, 9) – I’m glad “you” asked that question!

            A.         There is one way to be blessed by God.

                        1.         Read the text carefully: “those who believe are” (3:7), and “those who have faith are” (3:9). God the Holy Spirit plainly tells us that believers are blessed by God; we are declared righteous in God’s sight.

                        2.         In all history, God has been saving only one people—those who believe. Being under the law, though it provided spiritual opportunities, was only a physical experience. Read the text: All who believe are “children of Abraham” (3:7); all who believe are “blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (3:9). All believers are blessed together (Heb 11:39-40).

            B.         This one way of blessing has consequences that we must understand.

                        1.         There is no physical relationship that can lay hold of spiritual blessing. Some would call this the problem of believer’s children. “How can I guarantee that my children will be saved?” You can’t! There is no way you can save them; your faith and godliness will not open heaven for them. If they would be saved, they must repent and believe the gospel. We must not allow affection for our children, and I have deep love and affection for mine, to displace love for the gospel. We must not invent teaching like “covenant children” to quiet our fears about the children we love.

                        2.         There is no ritual act that can gain the blessing of justification. Circumcision could not justify the children of Abraham. They had to believe and be saved. Infant baptism cannot justify the children of believers. They must believe and be saved. Baby dedication cannot justify the children of believers. They must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

Apply: What do you rely on before God? Is it your family heritage or a system of religious beliefs or being spiritual or something you do? God only accepts those who have Christ’s righteousness credited to their account. The good news is that this gift may be yours right now through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.