Children Of God

Galatians 3:6-7 - Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.

Genesis 15:6 - Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:3,12 - What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."… And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

John 8:31 - To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Conclusions:

• Abram is the father of all who believe, and Genesis 15:6 is the first specific reference to faith in God's promises
• It also teaches that God graciously responds to a man's faith by crediting righteousness to him
• Romans 4:3 references Genesis 15:6, where nothing is mentioned about works
• Abraham had kept no law, rendered no service and performed no ritual that earned credit to his account before God
• Abraham's belief in God, who had made promises to him, was credited to him as righteousness
• Abraham was the physical and spiritual father of the Jewish race
• In Galatians 3:7, all believers are called Abraham's spiritual children
• All believers are also referred to as the seed or descendants of Abraham
• Believed in John 8:31 seems to mean made a formal profession of faith
• The Jew's words in John 8 show that they are not true believers
• Abraham is also the father of believing Jews
• Thus Abraham's story shows that for Jew and Gentile alike there is only one way of justification--the way of faith

Application:

• Has righteousness been credited to you?
• Do you think keeping laws, rendering service and performing rituals credits righteousness to you?
• Are you a true believer?
• Do you believe you are justified by faith?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible