Some may wonder, is the
gospel of Jesus Christ for everyone? Is Christianity available for
every person in the world, or is it just for a few chosen nations?
The answer to those questions was given long ago in the scripture,
and Paul the apostle employs this answer as he continues his
discourse on the validity of the grace of God which is offered
through His Son Jesus Christ. In Galatians chapter three and verse
eight Paul wrote:
And the scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached
before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In you shall all nations be
blessed.
Notice
first Paul's reference to “the scripture”. Paul knew his
Bible, and although he did not have the full version of it that we
have today, Paul knew this portion and story well. In the book of
Genesis in chapter twelve and verses one through three we read:
Now the LORD had said
unto Abram, Get out of your country, and from your kindred, and from
your father's house, unto a land that I will show you: And I will
make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name
great; and you shall be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless
you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of
the earth be blessed.
God said
that through Abraham “shall all families of the earth be
blessed.” Paul continued this idea when he wrote, “
foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith”
because he knew that God sees in the eternal and not just in the
present. Down through the ages God could see the blessing to all
nations of the world because His Son Jesus would come through the
lineage of Abraham. “The heathen” would be justified if
they only would receive the gift of His Son.
The
scriptures therefore, “preached before the gospel unto Abraham,
[saying], In you shall all nations be blessed.” The gospel or
“good news” of salvation was presented to Abraham long ago, and
by understanding how Abraham received this good news we gain insight
into the expectation of God on our part to participate today. It was
by “faith” that Abraham received this promise. It was by
“faith” that all nations would be blessed, and it was by
“faith” that “God would justify the heathen”.
It is by “faith” that Abraham was accounted righteous
before God, and therein lies the abundant grace of God.
Today,
anyone, anywhere who receives the gospel or “Good News” of God by
“faith” will be accounted righteous before Him. The gospel
includes these important factors taken from the book of Romans:
There is none
righteous, no not one. All have sinned and come short of the glory of
God. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. But God commended His love toward us,
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and if we will
confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in our hearts that
God has raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved.
This
gospel is open to everyone. This gospel is the gospel of grace that
Paul the apostle preached. This gospel is how “all nations of
the earth will be blessed”, and this gospel is how the heathen
will be justified. There is only one part that we must do, and that
is to have “faith” to receive God's wonderful gift, and
righteousness will be ours.
Next time we will
see how those with faith are blessed with Abraham, so read ahead, and
let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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