What does it mean that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:7)?

The Jewish teachers had said, You must become as Jews. You must live like Jews; keep the Jewish law, the Jewish feasts; receive circumcision, which is the special mark that distinguishes the Jew; then you are proselytes, and can be reckoned as Jews. Know then (or, Be it known to you), says Paul, that the ones who are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham's sons. It is not the outward marks that make a man a son of Abraham; it is not even the natural birth: but the ones who follow in the steps of Abraham, and have faith in God, these are the ones who (in God's sight) are the true sons of Abraham. How completely Paul answers every argument of these false teachers!

But the Galatian Christians were Gentiles; they belonged to "the nations," and what right had Paul to say that they could be counted as "sons of Abraham"? Again Paul 'goes back to the Old Testament and shows that God has promised Abraham that all nations should be blessed in him. This verse also is quoted from the Greek Old Testament — Genesis 12:3. It is quoted again in Acts 3:25. So according to the Old Testament that had been committed to the Jews, the Galatians had a right to expect blessing from Abraham. How could this blessing come? Surely in the same way that Abraham himself received the blessing. Faith, all of faith, and only faith. "So that the ones on the principle of faith are blessed with the believing Abraham." If we could say, "So that the ones on the principle of faith are blessed with the 'having faith Abraham,'" it would be nearer to the Greek. It was faith that marked Abraham. It was faith that brought the blessing to Abraham. So the ones on the principle of faith are marked out as being in the likeness of Abraham, and these are blessed just as Abraham was — the one who was famous for his faith. The Old Testament makes this abundantly clear. The subject of law is never mentioned in this part of the Bible. Abraham never heard of the law. There are those who try to prove that the ten commandments were given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. This is just the foolishness of men. The Bible teaches no such thing; on the contrary it plainly says that the law did not come until four hundred and thirty years later than Abraham (Gal. 3:17). Faith brings blessing. The law brings a curse.

The Judaising teachers had been trying to persuade the Galatians to adopt circumcision, that thereby they might put themselves into a kind of Jewish position, becoming children of Abraham in an outward way. It would have been a poor imitation thing, if compared only with the true-born Israelite. And all the while, if they were "of faith," that is, believers, they were children of Abraham, and that in the deepest possible sense, as verse 7 makes manifest.

Verse 7. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." As believers they possessed already, did they only know themselves and their true standing, the very honour which they vainly sought by works. Did they not believe in God, as receivers of that gospel which called them unto the grace of Christ? But if they did, they were "of faith," as Abraham was, and were therefore his children spiritually, as partakers and imitators of his faith. They were his "seed" also, in another sense, as he shows at the close of this chapter. But he reasons here, as he does when laying out before the saints at Rome the same great argument of justification by faith. Abraham's sons are they that do the works of Abraham; working, as he did, the work of God by believing, he on the Giver originally of promise, they on the same Promise; as the fulfiller of His word in Christ (Rom. 4:11 seq.; John 8:39; 6:29).

“Know then that they that are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham’s sons …” (3:7)

It is not “children,”as the King James Version says, it is “sons.”There were those who were literal descendants of Abraham (his children), but the emphasis here is on those who were his ‘spiritual children,’or ‘sons,’those who were characterized by the faith that Abraham had. This would also be an extensive theme to study, the characteristics of Abraham’s children and Abraham’s sons, but I leave that with you.

A testimony from God, received by faith, has ever been the alone ground on which souls have come into blessing from God. Abraham is an outstanding example of one who, in Old Testament times, received blessing by faith. Moreover the history of Abraham shows that before law was given, and therefore altogether apart from law, God was blessing man on the principle of faith. The case of Abraham is all the more convincing, seeing he is the one, above all others, who was highly esteemed by the Jews. The very one in whom these advocates for the law boasted as being their father (John 8:39), is the one who was blessed apart from law on the ground of faith. Abraham believed God, and was consequently reckoned to be in a righteous condition before God. It follows, therefore, that those alone, who are blessed on the principle of faith, are the true sons of Abraham. Such is the testimony of Scripture, which, foreseeing that God would justify the nations on the principle of faith, anticipated the gospel when the word came to Abraham, "In thee shall all nations be blessed." So then they which are on the principle of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Abraham (in whom the Jews boasted as the father of their race, while also boasting in the Law) is taken as an example and proof of God's work which independent of any principle of law (v.6). Before the Law was given Abraham was counted righteous because he believed God. Was the Law given to cancel that righteousness? If they boasted in the Law, they were actually denying their relationship to Abraham, for he was justified by faith. If they didn't have faith, they were not children of Abraham. Abraham believed God; hence those who have faith are children of Abraham.

The Jewish question was clearly decided, which also effectively settled the question for Gentiles, for "the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, in you all the nations shall be blessed" (v.8). The promise of blessing to Gentiles was to Abraham, not to Moses, and it was also an unconditional promise, just as the promise to Jews (through Abraham) was unconditional. Note in this verse there is importance attached to Scripture that is measured only by the importance of God Himself: Scripture foresaw God's justification of the Gentiles on the principle of faith, and declared it as early as Genesis 12. If the critics deny Genesis as inspired by God, this one verse displays their shame and folly, for their denial is a denial of God.

He begins with Abraham in verse 6. He believed God and was accounted righteous in virtue of his faith, and the true children of Abraham are those who are "of faith," that is, believers. But this blessing of Abraham by faith had in view what God would introduce many centuries after, what is being verified amongst the heathen to-day, and all who have Abraham's faith are blessed equally with him, whoever they may be (verses 8 and 9).

The great point is that all had been wrought on the principle of faith, not works. The apostle now enforces the truth in another way. He brings forward Abraham, the root of circumcision, as also in Romans 4. On what principle did God account him righteous before Him? "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (ver. 6). Even Abraham then, of whom all legalists boasted, knew nothing of works as a ground of blessing! God pronounced him righteous, not only before the law was given, but before circumcision was instituted. This was brought in later as "a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised" (Rom. 4:11). Consequently, if they felt it an honour to range themselves under him, works must be abandoned, and faith take their place. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (ver. 7). Not "they which are circumcised," as they seemed to suppose, "but they which are of faith." Mere fleshly claims God entirely rejects; faith is looked for in all who would stand before Him. This is no new thing with God. He always had purposes of blessing for Gentiles apart from works and ordinances; indeed, He spoke of it to Abraham himself. "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham"(vers. 8, 9).

Thus early did God let out what was in His heart, however humbling to the seed of Abraham according to the flesh. They would have liked to confine blessing within their own circle, doling out to others as they thought well, and in entire subordination to themselves; but God had larger thoughts. Blessing is for all alike, the Gentile may be saved and justified without becoming a Jew, or submitting to ordinances; while those who contend for merely natural descent find themselves excluded altogether, and disowned of God, as we read, "He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly" (Rom. 2:28). The apostle merely speaks here of the ground of blessing, and does not state to the full what present blessing is. Our union with Christ as members of one body must be sought elsewhere; and in this the patriarch has no place; nevertheless he and we are blessed in one common ground before God. This is the point in Galatians; the apostle scarcely goes beyond it in this Epistle.

"Know ye, therefore," he continues, "that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." This is the deduction he draws from it. If Abraham was brought into this place of blessing by faith, all his seed are blessed similarly. He begins with the natural seed, the Jew; but he brings in the Gentiles also. "And the scriptures, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." We shall find afterwards that he does not argue on the promise to Abraham himself only, but to his seed; but he purposely leaves out the seed here. He refers to the first promise to Abraham, because, when that was made, there was no thought of circumcision. He says, "The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed." It showed that they would be blessed as Gentiles — not by becoming Jews virtually; for the blessing would flow out to them as Gentiles. "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." There he closes that part of the subject, proving that the blessing depends upon faith, and not upon the works of the law or circumcision. Abraham was blessed by faith, and God had promised him, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" — not in circumcision, but in Abraham; so that we find in Abraham's case the principle of a promise comes in. In fact, he was an idolator at the time when God revealed Himself to him, as we learn from Joshua 24: and true blessing is always the effect of God's revealing Himself to the soul. The effect of this revelation to Abraham is, that he leaves his country and his father's house, and goes forth at the word of God, not knowing whither he went. He counted upon God's goodness towards his soul. He receives from God the promise of blessing, and of blessing for others, too; as it was said, "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." And here is the manner of it: "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." As blessing depended upon faith, so, he argues, does yours.

None but the children of Abraham inherit the blessing. But this is not the natural seed, but the spiritual. Abraham was the father of the faithful. They who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham (Gal. 3:7). The natural seed do not count. Abraham is the father of all them that believe, whoever they may be. His line is the line of blessing, and all who believe are on that line; for all who believe are Christ’s, and all who are Christ’s are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.