The five questions in Gal. 3:1-5 required no answer, and now in the sixth verse the apostle Paul starts on a new line--the faith of Abraham and the principle of his faith as applied to the case of the Galatians.

      First of all, from the statement of Gen. 15:6 ("Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness") Paul shows that all who hold the like faith are spiritually akin to and sons of Abraham--and that without regard of race or descent. In this he discerns God's ultimate purpose to justify the Gentiles ("the nations") by faith. For those who share in Abraham's faith, will certainly also share in the blessing pronounced upon Abraham's faith: to them, as to him, that faith is reckoned for righteousness. This "justification, by faith" is the blessing of Abraham, whereby (as the scripture foresaw, Gen. 12:3) all the nations were to be blessed. "So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham." (Gal. 3:6-9.)

      Now this blessing can not belong to those who Would be justified by the Law; for the law carries with it a curse for those who are under it: "Cursed is everyone who continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the law to do them." (Deut. 27:26.) And most evidently the law has power to condemn, but no power to justify, the sinner. The only justification (i. e. the only way in which a man can be accounted righteous and stand accepted of God) is by faith. For, again it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." (Hab. 2:4.) Now by "faith" the apostle means (as in Abraham's case) the trust in the free, gracious promise of God. The principle of the law is something quite different. The law says "He that doeth them [i. e. the precepts of the law] shall live in them." (Comp. Rom. 10:5.) And no man has ever attained to life by that road. (Gal. 2:16; Rom. 3:20.) The law could only curse and condemn--it could not save and justify. But "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law," by taking our curse upon Himself on the cross of Calvary; so that all who believe in Him might be cleared of the curse, and might receive the blessing. This goes for Gentiles as well as believers of the Jews; they all come in for the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus. This blessing is not only that of being justified, but involves also the gift of the Holy Spirit: "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith." (Gal. 3:10-14.)

      The next words grow more and more weighty. The apostle shows (1) that no further conditions could be imposed after once a covenant had been, made and confirmed; (2) that the blessing of Abraham was fully realized--not by his many descendants, but by One; and through that One became freely available to all.

      1. First, it is to be noted that the "covenant" spoken of was not a contract between two covenanting parties (as the covenant of Sinai, for example, Exod. 19:1-5) but a covenant of promise. The [19] term "testament" (used in Heb. 9:16, 17) would perhaps better describe the unilateral nature of it. A covenant of promise could not, after it had once been confirmed, be afterward modified and qualified, and most especially not in such fashion as to make the promise of non-effect. Now God made that covenant with Abraham: could then the law, which came 430 years later, be superadded to it, and thus make it all void? "For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is made of none effect." (Rom. 4:14.)

      2. The one true and perfect Seed of Abraham, whom God had in mind when He said to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed," was, as Paul tells us, the Christ. Paul certainly knew (and repeatedly speaks of it) that Abraham's seed, that is to say his descendants, would be numberless as the sand of the seashore and as the stars of heaven for multitude. But after all, among all the numberless descendants, there would be One to whom the title "Seed of Abraham" would specifically belong--One who should not only be a son of Abraham, but the Son of Abraham, who alone could make it effective. It is in Him and through Him that all the families of the earth were to be blessed. And thus "upon the Gentiles" comes "the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus." (v. 14.) In Christ Jesus--never apart from Him (for "it was the Father's good pleasure in Him should all the fulness dwell," Col. 1:19) would the blessing of Abraham come unto all those who are of Abraham's faith, who accept the free promise of God by faith. "For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God granted it to Abraham by promise." (Gal. 3:15-18.)

      In the verses following the apostle discusses the law--its nature and function, also its limitation. [20]

[PLG 19-20]