God’s Blessing To “All Nations”
The Scriptures are the written record of God’s Word and will. He gave this record so that men might know Him, and know His ways, and know His promised blessings. Many times He refers to and quotes things recorded previously to help us remember those things, and to reiterate that what He promised then is still “good” now! God is faithful.
The epistle to the Galatians is stern and very direct because it is confronting wrong doctrine. Certain leaders were “troubling” the Galatians by teaching that the legal ways of the old-covenant were still required by God. They were refuting, even denying, the right doctrine of the grace of God in the new-covenant with their legalism.
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of [ek=out from] faith [believing]?
Are ye so foolish [senseless]? Having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? GALATIANS 3:2-3
The Galatians were “senseless” for believing this wrong doctrine that contradicted what Paul had previously taught them about God and the grace of God. In order to help them remember the truth about His ways and His promises, God has Paul quote from a previously written record.
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached-before [declared previously] the gospel unto Abraham, saying, “In thee shall all nations be blessed.” GALATIANS 3:8
The previously-declared record is fundamental in making known God’s immeasurable grace, mercy and forgiveness. To help us understand the greatness of this, here are the Scriptures from the book of Genesis being referenced:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. GENESIS 12:2-3
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. GENESIS 22:18
Had God promised that in Abraham all families of the earth shall be blessed? Yes. And that in Abraham’s seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed? Yes. Had He clearly stated His promise and had it put in the written record so that all could read and know? Even folks in Galatia? Yes! What God has promised He is willing and able to perform.
Now let’s get to the heart of the matter. What is the truth that the Galatians were being “troubled” by certain leaders to compromise, disobey and replace with error? Let’s give detailed attention to the things written in these two verses:
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [ethnos] through faith…. GALATIANS 3:8A
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles [ethnos] through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. GALATIANS 3:14
First it is important to know: The words “heathen” and “Gentiles” are both translated from the same Greek word, ethnos. Ethnos simply means “nations”. It is properly translated in the last part of verse 8: “In thee shall all nations [ethnos] be blessed.”
Also vital to understand are these two great truths inherent in God’s blessing:
1. God justifies people of all nations through faith [out-from believing].
2. People of all nations receive the promise of the spirit through faith [by believing].
To be justified is to be forgiven. God forgives and justifies freely by His grace. This cannot be earned by good works and is not kept by good works. God freely gives. Man believes and receives. Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man. Through his works God’s blessing is given to people of all nations. Through his works we receive the holy spirit God promised. The gift of holy spirit is received by believing and manifested by believing. Good works are not required and God is not a respecter of persons. Whosoever believes receives. This is God’s way. He changes not.
Paul had taught these things in Galatia, but the “troublers” came in and “bewitched” the saints into believing that it was necessary, even required by God, to do certain things and practice certain traditions to be in God’s favor. These “good works” only gained the favor of the men propounding them. But, people like to be well-regarded in the sight of other people, and so the truth is compromised and substituted with wrong doctrine. It takes a bold, loving leader like Paul to stand and speak the truth of God from the integrity of His Word. Men come and go, but the Word of the Lord abides forever.
Paul boldly spoke and wrote to correct the error of walking by the five-senses (according to the old-covenant works), with walking by the spirit from God (according to the new-covenant grace).
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. GALATIANS 5:4
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you. GALATIANS 5:7-8
But if ye be led of the spirit, ye are not under the law. GALATIANS 5:18
Paul’s exhortation is to stand fast in the liberty, or freedom, of grace. Not in the bondage of legalism. By God’s grace He justified us and filled us with the gift of promise, holy spirit. We are called to freedom that we might serve one another in love.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. GALATIANS 5:1
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. GALATIANS 5:13
