Study #4: The Day Abraham met Jesus Galatians 3.6-14
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ… Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1.6-7 Some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. Galatians 2.4
I KNOW THE PRICE OF MY FREEDOM I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2.20-21
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. Galatians 3.1 Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12.1-2
CONSIDER ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS BELIEVING THE GOSPEL PROMISE When we look at Abraham, we see a man who “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3.6), and that he was “a man of faith”(3.9). Elogisthan: Logos , to speak, to be declared, accounted. To confer a status on something that was not there before.
CONSIDER ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS BELIEVING THE GOSPEL PROMISE When we look at Abraham, we see a man who “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3.6), and that he was “a man of faith”(3.9). As righteousness and not in righteousness.
CONSIDER ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS BELIEVING THE GOSPEL PROMISE We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. Romans 4.9-11
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE Those who have faith are children of Abraham. Galatians 3.7 Those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Galatians 3.9
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (3.6) It does not say: believed in God. James 2.19 says that even the demons believe. Rather, he had to believe and trust what God actually said in His promise to save. Saving faith is different from generic faith in the existence of God.
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE A son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars…” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15.4-5
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. Romans 4.18-21
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE Definitely Abraham could not have children. God would have to do something that would not depend on him at all! The promise of a son depended exclusively on God, not Abraham. He had to believe that God would do it. It was something impossible for him, just as Salvation is impossible for us.
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE Who’s performance do we operate? To have Abraham-like faith brings blessing, because “ those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham” (3.9). But we if live by the law “we are under a curse”(3.10), at the very least, a psychological curse, of attempting to be saved by works, which will lead to anxiety, frustration and insecurity.
BE LIKE ABRAHAM SAVING FAITH IS FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION NOT OUR PERFORMANCE The gospel offers blessings and what should we do to receive them? Nothing! We do not have to do anything. Just believe. That is, to listen to the preaching of faith and to believe in the gospel. To believe is to let Christ be our Savior and rest in his finished work. The word faith and the verb believe appear six times in this little text of 3.1-9
ENJOY LIKE ABRAHAM THE CURSE HAS BEEN REMOVED Jesus brought us into blessing by “becoming a curse for us”(3.13). He experienced the curse of divine rejection. On the cross (the tree), “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles” (3.14)
ENJOY LIKE ABRAHAM THE CURSE HAS BEEN REMOVED Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (3.13) If Jesus became a sinner for us, then we have become righteous before God. We are regarded by God as if we are perfectly righteous and flawless.
ENJOY LIKE ABRAHAM THE CURSE HAS BEEN REMOVED Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. Romans 4.16
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