Galatians 3:6 - Why are you righteous?

The last few podcasts we looked at Galatians 3:1-5. Paul has been making his case that we are saved by grace and not by works. People had come into the churches after Paul had left and said you need to observe certain Jewish rituals to be a true Christian. Paul asks several questions.

Are you foolish?

Who has bewitched you?

Was your suffering in vain?

Did you receive the Holy Spirit by the works of the law or by faith?

You can listen to the past lessons to understand the background. Paul then turned his attention to Abraham and pointed out that Abraham had faith in the Lord. What is faith? It is taking the Lord at his word and acting on it. Abraham believed the promises of God and acted on those promises. He was promised a son. He was over 75 years old and his wife Sarah had not had a child.

Today we will look at verse 6 again.

Let’s read Galatians 3:6

6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

So we know that Abraham believed God, but what was the response from the Lord? What did the Lord do in return.

God accounted or reckoned Abraham righteous. It wasn’t because of anything other than his faith in the promise of God. Now it would take more than the time I have in this podcast to explain what Abraham actually placed his faith in. So let me tell you the bottom line. Abraham is not only believing the Lord for a son, but the promise of the son who would come and save the world. Abraham actually placed his faith in Jesus, his savior. Although Abraham couldn’t see or understand what would come, he trusted the Lord.

Some say that Abraham was counted righteous because he was circumcised. In other words because of something Abraham did. Put Paul makes it crystal clear that isn’t the case.

Let’s read Romans 4:1-10

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

We need to make a distinction

He is not righteous because of his faith

He is accounted righteous by God (God made him to be in right standing) whom Abraham’s faith was placed in

It is God’s righteousness that matters

The same is true for us.

We are not righteous because of something we do

God accounts or recons us righteous because of what Jesus did for us … as we receive what he did for us by faith

Jesus is the object of our faith

Jesus, being God, is righteous, but he also lived on this earth

Jesus lived the perfect life in thought, word, and deed

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Peter 2:22

22 Who did no sin,