Galatians 3:7

7 And therefore know ye, that these that be of belief, be the sons of Abraham. [+Therefore know ye, that they that be of faith, they be the sons of Abraham.]

Galatians 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 3:7

Know ye therefore
Or "ye know"; this is a thing known by you, at least may, or should be; it ought not to be contradicted or disputed, it is so plain a case, and so clear a point:

that they which are of faith;
of the faith of Abraham, as in ( Romans 4:16 ) have the same faith as he had, for nature and kind; though it may not be to the same degree, yet exercised on the same object, Jehovah the Word, the Lord our righteousness, and wrought by the same Spirit; or who are of the faith of Christ, believers in him with all their hearts, and for themselves; who look to him for righteousness and life, who seek for justification by his righteousness, and trust in him alone for it, and not in the works of the law:

the same are the children of Abraham;
his spiritual seed, though they may not be his natural offspring; for he is the father of all that believe, whether of the circumcision or the uncircumcision, and of none else in a spiritual sense: in this the apostle strikes at the false teachers, who boasted of their being the seed of Abraham, his natural descendants, which they might be, and yet not his spiritual children; for none are such, but they that are of faith, or seek for righteousness by faith; not they that are of the law, or seek for justification by the works of it, and so not heirs of the blessing; were they, faith would be made void, and the promise of none effect, ( Romans 5:14 ) and his view herein is to prove, that the Gentiles, who believe, are the true seed of Abraham, the children of the promise, those in many nations, he was promised to be the father of; and his further view is to observe, that as the father of the faithful was justified, so are all his children; and that as he was justified by faith, so are they.

Galatians 3:7 In-Context

5 [Therefore] He that giveth to you [the] Spirit, and worketh works of power in you, whether of [the] works of the law, or of hearing of belief [or of hearing of faith]?
6 As it is written, Abraham believed to God, and it was reckoned to him to rightwiseness.
7 And therefore know ye, that these that be of belief, be the sons of Abraham. [+Therefore know ye, that they that be of faith, they be the sons of Abraham.]
8 And the scripture seeing afar, that God justifieth the heathen of belief, told before to Abraham, That in thee all the heathen shall be blessed [for God justifieth of faith heathen men, told before to Abraham, For in thee all folks, or heathen men, shall be blessed].
9 And therefore these that be of belief [Therefore they that be of faith], shall be blessed with faithful Abraham.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.