Galatians 3:6-9 says,...

Today's verses are Galatians 3:6-9, which read,

Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.  The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations will be blessed in you."  So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

There has been no other way to salvation in Christ than faith and this is shown all the way back to the father of the Jews, Abraham.  In the book of Romans, Paul expands on this thought by showing the time that Abraham had faith in God prior to the sign of the faith, circumcision.  That sign of faith was just that, a sign and not faith itself.  The Old Testament teaches that we are justified with God by faith and so this message is not only Biblical but it is old.

Just being a Jew does not mean that you are a spiritual child of Abraham.  Someone, no matter of nationality, who has the faith in God like Abraham's is a spiritual child of his.  This defined who a true, genuine Christian is.

Paul is telling the Galatian churches that the gospel message was also found in the Old Testament.  "All nations  will be blessed in you."  Not just the Jewish nation but all nations who have faith as Abraham had in God.  The gospel message was going to spread over the globe.

I have heard the title given to Abraham as "a friend of God" but this is the first time I recognized the title "the believer" in this passage.  Abraham, the believer, because of faith in God was chosen and called by God to lead the way for others over the centuries to faith in Christ, the seed that would come from Abraham's family.

I do listen for people who are religious to speak about their faith in Jesus Christ.  Many times I don't hear it.  I hear about what they are doing or have done or how long they have been in the church but I don't hear about the faith in Jesus Christ.  Something so essential seems to be missing.  The line in this passage that says, "...be sure that it is those who are of faith..." stands out.  This is the key element and I think we may have let it slide at times for the sake of human works over God's work in someone's life.

"Lord, Paul is making it 'rock-solid' that faith in Christ is the qualifier and not some nationality or some works added to faith.  May I speak of my faith in You rather than my faith in myself and who I am.  May what is essential be what is remembered.  May I be called because of the action of faith in You, Adam, the believer.  Amen."

Pastor Adam