Galatians 3:8–9 (NIV)
8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Abraham was a Gentile, a non-Jew. God imputed righteousness to Abraham simply because he believed. Likewise the argument of Paul is that all (Jew or Gentile) who have faith in Christ are counted righteous. Paul makes it plain that this is the Gospel. The Gospel isn't a New Testament invention. In this argument Paul confounds two errors: One, is that the people of the Old Testament were saved differently than those of the New; and Secondly that there are two peoples of God. From all time there has been one means of salvation and only one; and this one means produces but one people.
The Jews according to the flesh, according to the Law have absolutely no righteous standing before God. Neither do any of any of nation. Our only hope is to trust Christ as Abraham did. "There Abraham by the promise of God is appointed a father of many nations, and the inheritance of the world for his posterity and issue after him, is given unto him before the law was published . . . the inheritance of the Gentiles was given unto Abraham, not by the law and circumcision, but long before the same, by the only righteousness of faith." [1]
How is the world blessed? "The Greek present tense shows the blessing to be axiomatic, and the passive voice shows that God is the blesser." [2] "The blessing to the nations in the context of Galatians is the gift of justification by faith and the Spirit. " [3] Luther answers: "Hereby then we see that to bless signifieth nothing else, but (as I said before) to preach and teach the word of the Gospel, to confess Christ, and to spread abroad the knowledge of him among all the Gentiles . . . Therefore, like as Abraham obtained imputation of righteousness by the hearing of faith; even so did all the Gentiles obtain, and yet do obtain the same. For the same Word that was first declared unto Abraham, was also afterward published to all the Gentiles." [4]
The conclusion is clear: "Hereof it followeth that the blessing and faith of Abraham is the same that ours is; that Abraham’s Christ is our Christ; that Christ died as well for the sins of Abraham as for ours. For “Abraham saw my day and rejoiced” (John viii. 56). All things therefore are the same." [4]
"The true children of Abraham share his faith, whether they are physically descended from him or not. The promise to Abraham is also a promise of blessing to the Gentiles, a blessing that must be received with faith like Abraham’s." [5]
Father, four thousand years ago You granted to Abraham saving faith in Your Son, Jesus; his Messiah. He longed to see His day and His day has come. The simple yet profound trust in the promise of God was counted by You righteous. Nothing has changed over all these years. Still today if we but simply believe the Promise of Your Christ, we shall be saved. This is a great blessing to the whole world. Palestinians, Germans, Filipinos and Jews all may receive justifying grace by simply believing the Gospel. There can be no greater blessing upon a nation, upon a family or upon an individual than to hear, see and respond to the Gospel. Grant that many will be saved this day -- especially those of our loved ones that weigh heavily upon our hearts. For Christ's glory we pray; and for the joy of all the nations. Amen!
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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 3:8). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2385). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
3. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 3:8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
4. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 3:8). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
5. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ga 3:6). Nashville: T. Nelson.
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