Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.
Summary: Paul points us to two things in this passage: one is faith, and the other is Abraham. There is a connection between the two that is as strong as a blood bond.
Time and again, Paul comes back to the question of faith! Where do you place your faith? Whom do you trust? What is important to you?
The people Paul writes about in his letter to the Galatians all have one thing in common: they all have faith in God. This letter is not a story about pagans or unbelievers. The subject here does not have to do with unbelief. Instead of being concerned about whether we believe in God, Paul is concerned about how we believe in God.
More to the point, Paul is concerned about the purity of our faith.
For example, let’s suppose a hypothetical situation. Imagine that you have a friend named Pat. You have known Pat for a long time and you know Pat to be trustworthy. One night, you wake up to a loud knock on the door. When you open the door, Pat is standing there looking panicked. Pat says, “You have to leave and get out of town now! They’re coming for you!”
Pat doesn’t wait around for you to ask questions. Before you can process the message, Pat is gone, perhaps off to wake someone else up. The question is, what are you going to do? How much trust do you have in Pat’s message? How much faith do you have in your friend?
Someone with a lot of faith will not wait around to see what is going to happen. Within minutes, they will have pulled on some clothes, grabbed a few essentials, and will be heading out of town.
Someone else who has less faith will be uncertain. Questions will fill their mind.
“Should I try and find out what is going on?”
“Maybe I should turn on the news and see what is up.”
“Who else can I call to find out what is happening?”
Do you see the problem? Our response to Pat’s warning depends on how much faith we have in Pat. Paul sees our faith in God the same way. Jesus Christ, God’s Messiah, has come. Jesus gave Paul a message for us, and Paul delivered that message to the Galatians. After Paul left, someone else came in with a different message and caused the Galatians to hesitate. Paul is terrified that this hesitation, this doubt that has crept in, will be the Galatians’ undoing.
Those who believe in God and respond immediately to his message have faith like Abraham’s. When it came to God, Abraham never hesitated. Paul wants us to have faith like Abraham. If we do, then that makes us “children of Abraham.”
Application: Trust in Jesus. Trust in his Word.
Food for Thought: Why was being considered a child of Abraham important?
A child is like their parent. Since Abraham had faith in the Lord, then if we are his “children” we also have a similar faith. While being a descendant of Abraham would have special significance for a Jew, the important thing is to have the faith of Abraham and not the blood. The faith saves as it points us to Jesus and the work of the cross and not our works or lineage. See also Romans. 3: 27 through chapter 4.
Thanks Rich!
I want to make a pun about “parents” but apparently that is not a good idea. The “Good Idea” is what you suggest — that we strive for a faith like Abraham’s!
Why was being considered a child of Abraham important?
Like Abraham, we are justified by faith.
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 promised. This is why it was credited to him as righteousness. Romans 4:20-22.
Also see Luke 3:29, Luke 19:9, Galatians 3:29, Romans 4:16
Thanks Ron!
The Romans 4:16 passage is interesting. Paul writes:
“He [Abraham] is the father of us all [both Jew and Gentile].”
To the Jew, Abraham was important because of the blood connection. They saw Abraham’s faith and hoped to ride on his coattails by virtue of their family connection.
Us Gentiles know that we have no family connection to rely on in the sense that the Jews do. Paul points us to a spiritual connection; being joined by faith in God.
Seems all believers are brothers and sisters in faith. God does not divide believers by race, heritage or any divisions, classes mankind has come up with to create disunity.
Amen! 🙂