“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” – (Galatians 3:29).
The gospel at our disposal today is but a clearer version of the promise Abraham received.
In the previous article The Message Abraham Heard – Emmanuel Iren, we learned that God preached the gospel to Abraham. God promised Abraham salvation saying that IN HIM (referring to his ‘seed’, someone in his lineage namely Christ), the nations of the earth will be blessed. God essentially hinted Abraham about the coming of Christ. (Gal 3:16). Abraham believed that ‘gospel’ and was declared righteous for doing so (see Gal 3:8). What a blessing!
But you know what? It gets better.
Paul then makes a salient point. He says that everyone (Jew or Gentile) who believes what Abraham believed, is reckoned a child of Abraham.
Galatians 3: 7 says “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
This means that even though the Jews were natural descendants of Abraham, they were not truly children of Abraham as long as they sought righteousness by works. “…For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6 b).
While the Jews thought that their identification with Abraham was biological and also through the covenant of circumcision (which was exclusive to the Jews), the true children of Abraham are marked by their faith in Christ.
Besides, Abraham was not declared righteous by circumcision. The covenant of circumcision came after he was already declared righteous.
“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” – Romans 4:11-12.
In Christ, we are children of Abraham because we believe as Abraham believed. Share on XIn Christ, we are children of Abraham because we believe as Abraham believed.
