The Apostle Paul reminds the gentile believers in Galatia that true worship goes back to Abraham in his struggle to save them from the Judaizing extremists. Paul reminds them that the covenant with Abraham is the starting point. The true worship of the true God goes back to father Abraham.
Galatians 3:18 NKJV 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Paul explains that the extremists were incorrect-that no one can earn their salvation; not even father Abraham.
Romans 4:12 NKJV 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
The Apostle further explains that Abraham was not circumcised when he was saved therefore, unlike what the radicals wanted, the adult gentiles need not have a circumcision test before full entry into the church. This was a barrier meant to limit gentiles by the Judaizing party. The church as a whole had already decided that this national sign of Israel was not necessary for gentiles. Note Acts 15 but the extremists would not accept this divine decision.
John 4:23 NKJV 23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
God in the New Testament era wants people to worship Him in spirit and in truth like Abraham.
BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF THE GALATIAN CHURCH
Paul used the founder of the worship of the true God, Abraham in this battle. The book of Galatians has been greatly misunderstood. Paul is not trying to undermine God's law with regard to gentiles. The Jewish radicals of the circumcision party above all else were trying to convince the gentiles that they must earn their salvation. Keeping the law will not earn anyone salvation. They were told to achieve righteousness with God by circumcision and other Jewish rulings by radicals. They self righteously over emphasized some laws and ignored others. Paul thought the brethren might misunderstand him when writing about grace so he said:
Galatians 3:21 NKJV 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
God laws when properly applied were never intended to EARN salvation. However they are of great avail for understanding the plan of God ( annual Sabbaths). They are necessary for the true worship of God at His appointed times, and for growing in grace and knowledge and goodness to fulfill God's purpose for us.
Galatians 6:13-14 NKJV 13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
After Noah, who was also saved by grace, God called Abraham. He was a friend of God and did not earn his salvation but was saved by the graciousness of God. Paul while trying to save the Galatian Christians from the Judaizing conspiracy explained that the progenitor of all Israel including the Jews was himself saved by grace. Paul explained that many Jews were living in religious bondage led by unbalanced policies.
Galatians 4:22-25 NKJV 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,...and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children--
True believers were to obey in a mature free manner. This type of obedience leads to love and real growth.
Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
When we act spiritually we do not even get close to breaking the law. For example a man who emphasizes honesty will not steal. Abraham’s son born in the natural way was Ishmael. Abraham’s son, born of grace by a miracle (not in any way earned) was Isaac. Paul wanted the Galatians to avoid the bondage that returning to radical Judaism would be for them. This would not only include circumcision but many other expanded regulations. Christ told the Jewish people that his yoke was light while that of their religious leaders were burdensome. See Matt 11:28-30 and 23:13-34. Christ explained to the Pharisees that the Law, if administered correctly, should be a blessing to people but they had made it a burden. See Mark 2:27-28, 7:3-12.
Romans 2:27-29 NKJV 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you ...a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter;...
The Judaizers were surreptitiously trying to make Christians and especially gentiles fully Jewish as they defined it. They missed the true understanding of spiritual circumcising of our hearts toward God and deep conversion.
ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD AND WAS SAVED BY HIS FAITH IN GOD
Abraham moved away from the paganism of his society toward learning to hear, believe and act on the voice of the true God. See Gen 11:27-12:9. Abraham learned that it was not what we do for God, but what God has done for us that counts. He obeyed because he believed in God as his friend and loved God. He knew God gave him many blessings. We like Abraham cannot earn our salvation. We trust that God’s ways and laws are best for us and, out of love, try our best to obey like father Abraham. Abraham relocated all his people and belongings from his home country to a foreign one out of trust and obedience to God. That is not an easy thing to do. See Gen 12:4-7. Abraham was a good man basically and grew with God's help over time. This is why he was chosen as FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL a friend of God.
Genesis 26:4-5 NKJV 4 "And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 "because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
See Gen 14:18-20. When Abraham was ninety years old God told him to walk before me, or obey in a mature manner (perfect). God gave him the covenant that would make him the father of the faithful for many nations. See Gen 17:1-5, 19. Abraham obeyed God’s commandments and statutes and laws. Sarah's faith was also critical.
ABRAHAM SHARES GOD THE FATHER’ EXPERIENCE OF OFFERING UP HIS ONLY SON
Abraham knew he needed his only son Isaac, for God to fulfill his promise of being a father to many nations and a blessing to the world. Yet he obeyed God when commanded to make the ultimate sacrifice of his only son. See Gen 22:1-12. Abraham offered Isaac on Mt. Moriah.
Genesis 22:1-2 NKJV 1 Now it came to pass after these things thatGod tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."
God tested Abraham and he passed the test. He trusted that somehow God would make it work out. Abraham experienced what it was like for God the father to see Christ enter Jerusalem to painfully be mankind’s Passover Sacrifice. Just like God, Abraham found it harder to sacrifice his only beloved son than to die himself.
Genesis 22:12 NKJV 12 And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
Abraham obeyed God and proved his belief in God based on his actions. We also need show our faith by our actions without following some radical earn your own salvation false leaders. This is the message Paul gave the gentile believers. God allowed the father of the faithful to have a similar experience to God the Father, during the Passover period. He was stopped at the last second.
Abraham was such a friend of God, and a prophet that he almost talked God into sparing Sodom and Gomorrah. See Gen Ch. 18. If they had a few more righteous men, Abraham’s petition to God would have saved the city. He did intervention with God for his nephew Lot’s sake, no doubt. Paul explains that if there is NO LAW you do not need grace. If no speed law exist you do not need a pardon for speeding. See Romans 3:31. Jesus sacrifice erases the penalty for our sins not the law. Some always accuse us of trying to earn our salvation when we explain that we should obey God’s Laws. They are deceived and just do not understand. See Romans 6:1-2, 7:7. Why should we obey, because we love God and because His laws are good for us?
John 14:21 NKJV 21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
Be like Abraham and Paul and follow God all the way because of faith, trust and love.
