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"Foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith..."

Text: Galatians 3:8b

REFERENCE TO THE SCRIPTURES

The apostle Paul now brought in the Scriptures to back up his argument for the doctrine of justification by faith.

A QUICK REVIEW

He has already made powerful headway in developing this doctrine. Two powerful points were raised up.

1. Argument from the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

2. Argument from the example of Abraham.

ARGUMENT FROM THE SCRIPTURES

Paul read the Scriptures with great insight.

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify
the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham
beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’

Galatians 3:8

1. “And the Scripture”

a) This is a reference to the Book of Genesis.

b) This was understood and accepted as authoritative Scripture.

2. “Foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith”

a) This word is normally associated with the Prophets.

b) Paul however opined that the Genesis text (Genesis 12:3; 22:18) also had prophetic significance.

c) The word of God given to Abraham foresaw Gentiles being  justified by God by faith.

3. “Preached the gospel to Abraham”

a) The word “preached” is not a reference to preaching as we see it practised in church today.

b) The phrase “preached the gospel” is translated from a single word in the Greek text.

c) The key word is where we get the word “evangelism” (a proclamation of good news).

4. “In you all the nations shall be blessed”

a) The phrase “the nations” is normally translated “Gentiles”.

b) This is the way Israel and “the nations” (Gentiles) were differentiated.

c) But the nations would also be “blessed”.

d) The greatest blessing the nations could receive would be justification from God.

e) This is made possible when faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is established.

f) God’s blessings were not restricted to Israel at all.