The Book of Galatians -- Episode Five: "Abraham Believed God" (Galatians 3:1-9)

Paul identifies all those who believe his gospel as “sons of Abraham”–which includes both Jews and Gentiles.  But he does not include those who seek to be right before God on the basis of works of the law, which Paul has declared, do not justify.

The Judaizers have been spying on the Galatians Christian liberty.  Gentile Christians in these churches do not follow a kosher diet, they do not observe the feasts of Israel, and there is no requirement that Gentiles be circumcised in order to be justified, or declared “right with God.”  Jews and Gentiles worship together, they eat together, and they embrace the same gospel, without, according to the Judaizers, proper observance of the law of Moses; the reason why they were so vocally challenging Paul’s authority and his gospel.

In response, Paul turns to the account of Abraham, who, as we read in Genesis 15:6, believed God and was reckoned as “righteous.”  Paul appeals to the story of Abraham to refute the Judaizing idea that those justified before God, are such, because of “works of the law.”  Abraham is the “man of faith” and the spiritual father of all who believe Paul’s gospel, which Paul says, YHWH had preached to Abraham and which was foretold through the Scriptures.

How can uncircumcised Gentiles be identified as “children of Abraham,” Paul is about to tell us.

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