Galatians 3:8-9 – People Are Saved the Same Way
The second way Paul responds to the accusations that he’s teaching some new doctrine is to show them that people have always been saved the same way. People are saved the same way in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
If we’re saved by having the same faith that Abraham had, then it makes sense that we believe the same gospel that he believed. So how was the gospel preached beforehand to Abraham? Well v8 tells us it was when God told him ‘in you shall all the nations be blessed’. Paul will further unpack this in v16 and following where he explains that this is a reference to Jesus. The nations would be blessed, as Genesis says, by Abraham and his offspring – Jesus Christ.
Do you see how this is all this relevant to Paul’s argument that his gospel isn’t new? He’s saying that Abraham believed this gospel before Moses was even around. And before the law was given. Yes Abraham was circumcised. But that wasn’t what saved him. As Paul will say in Romans he was circumcised as a sign and seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
And even back then, the fact that the same gospel would go to uncircumcised Gentiles was already part of God’s plan. The Scriptures foresaw that God would justify them by faith. These Gentile Christians don’t need to be circumcised and keep the Jewish ceremonial law in order to be right with God. God had planned all along to save them by faith, not works. Just like the Jews.
Getting this one point will save us from so much confusion, and so much misunderstanding. Adam was saved by faith alone in Christ alone. Abraham was saved by faith alone in Christ alone. Moses was saved by faith alone in Christ alone. Peter was saved by faith alone in Christ alone. Paul was saved by faith alone in Christ alone. In the Old Testament they looked forward to the Messiah who was to come. In the New Testament they looked back to the Messiah who had already come, just as we do today. But it’s the same gospel.
Questions
- How was the gospel preached to Abraham?
- How were people saved in the Old Testament?
Prayer Points
- Pray for the preaching and hearing of God’s Word tomorrow.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.