Question
Paul says that the Gospel was first preached Abraham, in Galatians 3:8,16; What does this mean and what constitutes the true Gospel that was preached unto Abraham?
Answer
The passage that you asked about follows:
GAL 3:6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
GAL 3:7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
GAL 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you.”
GAL 3:9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
GAL 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”
GAL 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”
GAL 3:12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”
GAL 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us– for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”–
GAL 3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
GAL 3:15 ¶ Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.
GAL 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,”as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,”that is, Christ.
From this passage, we learn the following:
1. Abraham was justified by faith (trusting confidence in and obedience to God), not by perfectly performing the Law of Moses.
2. To be saved, we, whether Jew or Gentile, must come to God by faith, depending on His mercy and putting our trust in Him.
3. When the promise was made to Abraham that through His seed all nations would be blessed, God was saying that all, whether Jew or Gentile, would be saved through the sacrifice of Jesus.
4. Trying to be justified by the Law would mean that one would have to obey every precept, without fail.
5. Therefore, there must be a way made for both Jews and Gentiles to be saved. This was accomplished by Jesus.
6. Therefore, when Paul says the gospel was preached to Abraham, he means that potentially the gospel was preached to Abraham, in the sense that it was revealed to Abraham that eventually all nations would be blessed through his seed, Jesus.
7. Today, the gospel is preached having come to pass in its full disclosure. We preach the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and we call on all to believe, repent, confess and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. See Acts Chapter 2.
By Gary Hunt
