THE PROGENITOR

 

THE PROGENITOR

“Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7).

Introduction

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People today are blessed by hearing and obeying the same Gospel Abraham heard! Or to put that another way, as it was for Abraham, so it is for us.

As you know, progenitor means forefather, parent, patriarch, etc. for we see in Galatians 3:7 that “only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” Paul backs this up in Romans 4:16 where he says that Abraham is the father of all believers.

So then we need to ask the question: In what way is Abraham our father? None of us to my knowledge can trace a direct physical descendancy. Well, quite simply Abraham is our spiritual father of a sort. God covenanted with Abraham in the exact same way He covenants with us, his children.

The outward signs and seals of the covenant are different of course. But the inward or spiritual administration of the covenant is the same both for Abraham and us. Indeed, it could be said, like father like son. If you want an idea of what your life as a Christian will be like, then look at the life of Abraham. Not that Abraham was a perfect human being. But that’s part of the likeness, isn’t it? The circumstances of our lives may be vastly different from Abraham’s. But whatever the Lord promised to Abraham, He has promised us too.

Like Father

In verse 6 we see that Abraham was considered righteous before God. He was declared righteous on account of his believing God. Now straightaway we can get into trouble here. So, we need to explain.

Up until God called Abraham, he was an unbeliever. He didn’t know God. We’re told in Joshua 24:2 that Abraham came from a family who served other gods. Genesis 12:1ff. records, “Now the Lord said to Abraham: ‘Get out of your country, from your kindred and from your father’s house, to a land I will show you.”

It’s worthwhile mentioning the one of Abraham’s forefathers was called Eber. And it’s most probable that the Hebrews got their name from him. There were people of God, at the time of Abraham’s calling, scattered among the nations. Apparently the Book of Job was from about this time. After the Tower of Babel, the Lord scattered all people “abroad over the face of the whole earth” (Gen. 11:9). Therefore, there would have been people of God in and among the different nations. For example, Job was from the land of Uz (Job 1:1). His three friends, so called were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. (Job 2:11).

Now whatever else you might think of Job’s counsellors, they did at least have some knowledge of the true God. Then there was “Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram” (Job 32:2). Also, Abraham met with the mysterious Melchizedek King of Salem (Jerusalem). No one would argue that Melchizedek didn’t know the Lord – read the Book of Hebrews. The point I make is that the Lord has His people in all nations. And if you know anything about the Biblical Doctrine of Election, you will conclude that there are even today people of God scattered among the nations. How many? Well, only God knows the exact figure. And remember, we’re talking about God’s people in other nations who haven’t yet heard the Gospel. Some haven’t yet been born and others are living as Pagans, or secular humanists or whatever live.

The Lord called Abraham out from Ur of the nation of the Chaldeans. He called Him out in order to make a new nation of Abraham comprising of all nations. All true Christians today are part of this new nation. We call this new nation the church, which is the kingdom of heaven/kingdom of God (same thing).

The Lord as you know has in place a program for uniting all His people as one. John 11:52 says that “He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.” This unity is in Christ, and His work of atonement at Jerusalem accomplished this unity. And the call to unite as one under the banner and headship of Christ is the everlasting Gospel Let me illustrate this by quoting Revelation 14:6 -7, “Then I [i.e., the Apostle John] saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, sea and springs of water.’”

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Abraham was called out from among a tribe who worshipped the sun, moon and stars. That’s what the Chaldeans were into. But the Lord called Abraham and revealed bit by bit something of His plan of redemption to him. Abraham quickly discovered he was dealing with the One who made heaven and earth. He was reminded by Melchisedek who blessed Abraham saying, “Blessed be Abraham of God Most High, Possessor [or Maker] of heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:19). In Genesis 14:22 we read, “But Abraham said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth.’” So, we see clearly that Abraham feared God. He made an oath before God. He lifted his hand under solemn oath as would you or I in a court of law. The Lord was in covenant with Abraham and Abraham was in covenant with the Lord.

Abraham then demonstrated that he had heard the everlasting gospel. The same everlasting gospel the angel was proclaiming whom the Apostle John saw. Abraham feared God and as he stood before the king of Sodom he gave the glory to God. Abraham knew the covenant name of God which is Jehovah or Yaweh. He upheld the name – the name of the Lord even before kings. And he personally knew the Most High God (Elyon, if you’re into Hebrew).

I don’t have to tell you that Jehovah and Jesus are one and the same Person. Abraham did what Jehovah/Jesus said the Apostle Paul would do. Jesus said as recorded in Acts 9:15, “he [Paul] is a chosen vessel of mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.”

If you were to follow the life of Abraham, warts and all, you’d see that he is clearly a believer. He was trusting in the same Lord in whom Christians today are trusting. He was hoping on the same promises we’re on which Christians today hope. This is the whole substance of Paul’s argument to the Galatians. As it was for Abraham so it is for us. Like father like son.

Abraham had received from God everything the Galatians had received some fourteen years before he was circumcised. He had been declared righteous by God on account of his faith (demonstrated by his obedience). Paul elaborated on this when he wrote to the Romans, “And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also” (Rom. 4:11). Therefore, Abraham didn’t make himself right with God by circumcision or any other outward sign. His righteousness, or his being RIGHT with God, was an imputed thing. In other words, it was the righteousness of Christ as revealed in the Gospel that was accounted or accredited to Abraham.

Before God called Abraham his bank account had no righteousness whatsoever in it. Abraham was a morally bankrupt human being. But through the gospel God revealed to Him the righteousness he needed to escape the everlasting judgment of God. This righteousness is a free gift from God along with the faith that is needed to embrace it. So then, Paul is quoting Genesis 15:6 when he writes, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore, all the Galatians had to do was search the Scriptures to make sure these things were so. And they would see the foolishness of their plan to be circumcised in order to be saved. Therefore, those who have a salvation by works mentality are acting as if they have no faith – as those who are not the true sons of Abraham.

Let’s summarize a little. Father Abraham then, was a believer. He believed the promises of the Lord. And we discover that these promises are the heart and soul of the gospel. Abraham knew that God looked on him as one who was righteous. And he acted on that belief. We see that his faith had arms and legs because he was doing what the Lord told him. But most importantly, he was declared righteous long before God sealed the covenant by Abraham’s circumcision.

Before we move on we need to ask: What were some of the promises Abraham believed? If you were to study, e.g., Romans chapters 3 and 4, and Galatians 3 in connection with Genesis, you’d see some of the promises. In accordance with God’s Covenant of Grace, Abraham had been granted the righteousness revealed in the Gospel. He had been justified in the sight of God on account of God’s gift of faith. He had the forgiveness of sins. He was adopted as a child of God. He had the gifts of the Spirit for sanctification and eternal glory. And he believed in the resurrection of the body too.

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    “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (Heb. 11:17-19).

In a nutshell, Abraham was believing in the eternal life promised in Christ Jesus. But here is the subtlety: Abraham only possessed the substance of these things. O all these things were his. There’s no disputing that. But the point I make is this: Abraham only had God’s word on it. He only had it on God’s good word that He was good for it. In other words, Abraham had faith in the promise of God. He had faith that God was good for everything He promised!

Hebrews 11:1 gives us this definition of faith, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The NIV puts it like this, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Abraham had faith that God could deliver all He promised. Ask yourself: How could Abraham be saved if he didn’t hear the Gospel? How could he believe if he wasn’t born again? How could he discern spiritual things if he was devoid of the Spirit of Christ? How can he be called the father of all believers if it was somehow different for Abraham? But keep in mind that all Abraham received from God was promises.

The Lord said to Abraham, “I will make you a great nation; I will bless and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12;2-3). Paul says, “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Gal. 3:9). We know that this faith comes from God and not ourselves. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

God granted Abraham the free gift of faith. The object of his faith was the Christ to come as revealed in the Gospel. Therefore, Abraham was blessed with all the blessings that are included in the Gospel. For he was seeking first and foremost the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And these are found only in Jesus Christ.

Like Son

Everything Abraham had we have, and everything we have Abraham had. And keep in mind we’re talking about the promises of God. As it was for Abraham, so it is for us. But very little of this will make sense to you unless you realize that.

Christians today are under the same Covenant as Abraham. This is the whole basis of Paul’s argument for justification by faith with the Galatians. He is telling the Galatians that they are under the same covenant as Abraham. And that the conditions of that covenant are faith in Christ and His righteousness.

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We see how right Christ was with God at the cross, and particularly His resurrection. It’s not faith in Christ and His righteousness plus some of your own, e.g., circumcision. We have no righteousness of our own. Adam killed whatever righteousness we had. He was our representative under the pre-Fall Covenant of Works. So, we are all in need of a new covenant with God, the Gospel reveals that new covenant – the Covenant of Grace, i.e., the Gospel covenant. Therefore, Paul is saying that those Jews who think they are right with God because they are physically descended from Abraham are wrong.

They think they are right with God because of circumcision. Well, they’re wrong. And of course this is where the Galatians were becoming confused. And I don’t have to tell you about the confusion in Christendom today. So, Paul explains it all to the Galatians the way everything in Scripture ought to be understood and explained, which is in terms of God’s Everlasting Covenant.

Charles Hodge provides us with a handy definition of covenant where he says, “A covenant is a promise suspended upon a condition.”[1] The condition of the covenant God made with Abraham is the same today. The condition is faith in God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Therefore, only those who fulfill this condition are considered children of Abraham. That’s what Paul means when he says, “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7). We call this the Doctrine of Justification – justification by faith alone. This is the way God planned it. This is the heart of the good news – the gospel. This is the way of salvation that the Lord revealed to father Abraham.

“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.’” (Gal. 3:8). There it is! God is going to justify the nations by faith – the same way He justified father Abraham. This was God’s plan of redemption from the beginning. And God revealed that plan to Abraham. We call this plan as it is revealed to fallen man The Covenant of Grace.

Abraham when he heard the Gospel was receiving revelation of this Covenant of Grace. The revelation of the Covenant of Grace is the Good News or the Gospel. Therefore, Abraham believed in the Gospel and it was accounted to him for righteousness. “For in it [ie, the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17). Father Abraham needed this righteousness. Like father like son!

So then, where does: “In you all the nations shall be blessed” fit in? Well, this is the promise the Lord made to Abraham that all the nations will be blessed – in Christ. The Gospel is to be scattered abroad over the whole face of the earth, till ev).ery tribe, tongue and nation has heard of Christ and His righteousness. Why? So that all the nations shall be blessed along with believing Abraham.

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). When the Lord covenanted with Abraham He promised Abraham, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations” (Gen.17:4). If only those who are of faith are Abraham’s children, then what about his physical descendants? Didn’t they have the promises of God too? Of course they had the promises of God. But the question is: Did they meet the one and only condition of the covenant, i.e., Faith? Remember, Abraham was justified by faith not works. And faith is a gift from God. It is a covenant blessing.

There are both blessings and curses attached to the covenant. John 3:36 should suffice to illustrate this, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Therefore, in order for a person to fulfill the condition required by the covenant he must do what Abraham did. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

So, what are we to say about all those unbelieving physical descendants of Abraham? The Lord also promised that there would be a place for them to live. It was looking pretty good during the days of King David. It was looking even better during the reign of Solomon his son. But all of that was short lived. It was just a picture of something else.

So, what are we to make of the covenant promises God made to Abraham? What about the descendants as numerous as grains of sand? And what about the piece of land in which they were to live? If you listen to some Christians, they’ll tell that Abraham has hardly any descendants. They keep talking about a remnant all the time. But it’s hard to see where they’re coming from when you look at God’s promises to Abraham. Was God talking about spiritual descendants or physical descendants are both? Well, what did the Lord say to Abraham? “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love...” (Gen. 22:2). Isaac wasn’t Abraham’s only son, was he? Abraham had another son called Ishmael, didn’t he? In terms of the covenant God did not recognize Ishmael as a son of Abraham. And anyway, Paul is telling us that only those who are faith are sons of Abraham. Therefore, we have to conclude that there are going to be as many believers as there are grains of sand.

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And what about the land the Lord promised Abraham and all his trillions of descendants? Well, Paul tells us in Romans 4:12 that God promised Abraham world. And doesn’t Jesus say in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”? This blessing is to fall upon all families of the earth – all nations.

Now then, as we tie things together, we know that Abraham is to be the father of many nations. And we know that “In [Abraham] all the nations shall be blessed.” And we know that this blessing comes with all the promises attached to the Covenant of Grace. We know that the blessing comes upon those who believe in the gospel. Or as Paul puts it, “So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Gal. 3:9). With all of this in mind, it would seem to me, there’s still the possibility, perhaps probability, of whole nations turning to God en masse! Yet as we look around the four corners of the globe (to use a mixed metaphor!), we would think the Lord said instead to Abraham “In you all the nations shall be cursed.” For if the blessing comes by believing the gospel, then which nations are believing? And we know that the wrath of God abides on those who don’t believe.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me on this: The nations need to hear the gospel if they are to believe and be blessed with believing Abraham. So then, how many people do you know who have a covenantal understanding of the gospel? Therefore, are you sure the nations are actually rejecting the gospel? Can you honestly say that it’s not some distorted gospel they are rejecting? – a non-gospel? A non-gospel such as that proclaimed by those Paul was countering among the Galatians?

Is the Gospel of Christ really being proclaimed among the nations today? The gospel today has been covered in the dust of theological liberalism. It’s been coated and encrusted with the chocolate and sugar of the Church Growth movement. It’s been smudged beyond recognition by the grubby hands of Arminianism! The world needs to hear the pure unadulterated Gospel of the Covenant.

Covenant Theology is Reformed Theology which is the theology of the Bible. And. Like it or not, Calvinism is the expression of this Theology. As the Calvinist Preacher CH Spurgeon once said, “Reformed theology is nothing other than Biblical Christianity.” And as BB Warfield once said, “It may be contended that the future, as the past, of Christianity itself is bound up with the fortune of Calvinism.”

Think of all the nations that were blessed along with father Abraham from the time of the Reformation onwards. Scotland, Wales, Holland, Switzerland, Puritan England, Puritan North America etc. The British Empire spread the covenantal Gospel abroad over the whole face of the earth almost. And God blessed with spiritual and material wealth all those places the true gospel went. The West today is still cruising on that blessing. But I don’t have to tell you that the West has been grinding to a halt. Why? Bad economic policies? Bad tax systems? Corrupt governments? Secularism? Communism? Socialism? Humanism? All of these things, and all the rest, are just symptoms of the one major problem, the true Gospel is not being proclaimed.

Conclusion

How shall all the nations be blessed if no one proclaims the true gospel? The same gospel father Abraham heard all those years ago, the same gospel the Galatians heard, the same gospel the ministers of the Reformed Faith swear to proclaim and defend. Whatever the Lord has promised to Abraham He has promised to us. He has promised us all the nations in Christ.

Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. That’s what Paul went to great lengths to explain to the foolish Galatians. Scripture says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34). Righteousness cannot be generated by sinful men. But the righteousness that the nations need if they are to be blessed with Abraham is revealed only in the pure unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ. This was the gospel revealed to Abraham – believed by Abraham – obeyed by Abraham.

How does all of this sit with you? Like father like son?

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[1] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, (1871-73), Reprinted 1981, Vol. 3), 549.

THE PROOF

 

THE PROOF

Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 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.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. Galatians 3:6-9.

Introduction

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We were reminded that the Promise of eternal life is displayed by the Gospel message and that this Promise is conveyed by the Spirit working among us. In the following we need to look at how we can know the Spirit is at work among us. What is the evidence, or more strongly, the proof, that He is present with us? There’s an old saying which goes: The proof is in the pudding. Well, I’d like to change that a little to say that the proof is in the Bible.

The general gist of what we’re looking at is that the Spirit’s work and our experience as Christians must line up with Scripture.

We’re going to see how Paul insists Christians always measure what they think against Scripture!

We see that the Lord was supplying the Spirit and that He was doing miracles among the Galatians, for back in verse 5 we read, “He … supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you.” So, Paul wants the Galatians to understand that the Spirit of Christ came to them along with the Gospel. The Spirit works with the Word. Therefore, the miracles were a sign that the Christ of the Gospel was in their midst. The word “miracles” here is literally “powerful deeds” or “powerful works.”

    Paul has already told the Galatians that they had begun in the Spirit (Gal. 3:3). Meaning that the Spirit had begun His work of sanctification in the Galatians. The Spirit was the One perfecting them and not they themselves. And the sign or proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit, or if you will, Christ’s Spirit, is in the powerful deeds that are taking place among them. Therefore, Paul’s question is of the rhetorical variety, “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

The Galatians are supposed to answer, “That’s right! The Spirit was here long before the Judaizers with their works of the law got here. And we have proof of this in the miracles that are taking place among us.” With this thought in mind Paul, a little later, reminds them that God’s covenant with Abraham was 430 years before the giving of the Law to Moses (Gal. 3:17). In other words, the Galatians are under the same covenant God made with Abraham! Therefore, they have the received the same promise as Abraham. The Promise is Christ, of course. The same Christ who is present doing powerful works among the Galatians by His Spirit. This is only possible because Jesus is both God and man in one Person. As man He remains in heaven but as God He’s everywhere, even among the Galatians. As God He was even around to talk to Abraham in Abraham’s day. Jesus is the great “I AM” of both the Old and the New Testaments, i.e., the Bible.

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Paul is asking how the Galatians received the Spirit – by doing works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Therefore, Paul is equating receiving the Spirit with believing the Gospel message. To receive the promise personally you need to be believing in the Gospel. Indeed, Scripture tells us that to receive the Spirit is to receive the Promise.

Speaking of the Spirit Peter in Acts 2:39 says, For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord will call” (Acts 2:38-39). The proof then, that the Lord has called you and that you, personally, have received His promise, is the Spirit.

The sign that the Spirit of Christ was among the Galatians was the miracles. And no doubt these powerful deeds accompanied the Apostle Paul wherever he went. What did Jesus say to His disciples before His ascension? “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Paul said to the Romans, “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient – in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 15:18-19). And Paul said to the Corinthians, “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). So, the signs then, were the indication that Christ was indeed with the Apostle among the Gentile nations – including the Galatians. The object of the exercise was, as Paul says, “To make the Gentiles obedient” (Rom. 15:18b).

The Apostle Peter mentions Galatia at the beginning of his first letter, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:1-2a).

Whether a Christian has come from a Jewish background or a non-Jewish background, all Christians are to be obedient to the Gospel. Hence Paul saying in Galatians 3:1, “Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?” There is an important general principle here, to do with the covenant of grace. It is this: God blesses obedience, and He curses disobedience among His people. Keep that in mind and you’ll begin to understand why Paul is so resolute with the Galatians. Then you’ll begin to catch on to what God meant when He said to Abraham, “In you all the nations shall be blessed” (Gen. 22:18; cf. 12:3).

God blessed the obedience of Christ by giving Him all nations for an inheritance. And God is blessing these Galatians, who were predominantly a nation of Celts, in that they were hearing and believing the same gospel Abraham heard and believed. But it doesn’t matter whether your Celtic, Anglo/Saxon, North American Aboriginal or Australian Aboriginal, Chinese, African etc, the blessing is for all nations. The Lord through his Prophet Joel says, “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17). But these Galatians are in the process of turning their backs on the blessing.

The sign that the blessing has come upon you is the Gospel accompanied by powerful deeds. We’re talking about the stuff we only hear about in revivals. And we’re not talking about the man-u-factured stuff of some American TV Evangelists. Therefore, these powerful deeds or working of miracles Paul is referring to in Galatians 3:5 no doubt included the sign gifts of the Apostolic Age. So, we’d expect that some of the Galatians would have had the gifts as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. These include: “...a word of wisdom through the Spirit...the word of knowledge through the same Spirit...faith by the same Spirit...gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues.”

These sign gifts were given as proof that all nations were included in the Gospel blessing. The Lord commanded His Apostles “...Go and make disciples of all the nations, etc.” (Matt. 28:19ff). Therefore, the sign gifts were proof that they were saved by grace not works.; because only the Spirit can work miracles – which are signs, visible manifestations of God’s grace.

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Another sign that Christ was in their midst would be the fruit of the Spirit. Paul provides a short list of some of the fruit for the Galatians 5. Each Galatian Christian should have been experiencing: “...love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,    gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22). But the number one sign that Paul is hammering home – the main proof the Galatians have received the Spirit – is the Gospel. They heard the Gospel they were believing it! What more proof does a person need? And they were to demonstrate their love for Christ by being obedient to the truth. The hearing of faith believes the gospel for eternal life. And to believe the gospel is to receive the Promise. And to receive the Promise is to receive Christ. And to receive Christ is to receive His Spirit. And to receive His Spirit is to receive proof that the Gospel Promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ is for real and is for you the individual. This was reality for Abraham. It was reality for the Galatians. And it is reality for us today.

“Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Gal. 3:6). This is the heart of the Gospel. We are justified in God’s eyes by faith and not by our works. We’ll look at the doctrine of Justification in a chapter up ahead. But for now, we’re looking at some of the signs that would indicate a person has been justified, i.e., declared by God to be righteous, in the right with God.

The main sign that you’ve been justified is that you have faith in Christ alone for salvation as He is presented in the Gospel. And one major sign that you have this kind of faith is your obedience to the Gospel. It goes without saying, that if you’re obedient to the truth, then you’re at the same time repenting of your sins. For Jesus Christ Himself commands us to, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Therefore, a sign you’re not believing is a continuation of your sins without repentance.

The Christian, although he’s never free from sinning in this life, should be, nevertheless, hating his sins. That’s repentance. And repentance is, of course, one of the major signs that you are indeed a believer. Anyway, enough of signs.

Wonders

We’re not so much looking at wonders in the miraculous sense of the word, as in signs and wonders, because we’ve already done some of that. Instead, we’re using the word in the question sense. For example: One wonders what has gotten into the Galatians! Paul is certainly wondering. Let me illustrate this: You’ll notice that each of the first five verses of Galatians chapter 3 ends with a question mark. At least the way it’s worded in the NKJV. Anyway, Paul engages the Galatians in a whole bunch of questions. He’s wondering: Who has bewitched the Galatians? (Gal. 3:1). How did they receive the Spirit: By a free gift or did they work to receive Him? (Gal. 3:2). Are they so foolish as to want to give the Spirit away and try to go it alone? Was what they’ve experienced all for nothing?

It’s important to note that Paul is engaging the minds of the Galatians here. He’s going after their minds. He wants them to wonder about themselves. He wants them to wonder about how they can tell if they’re saved or not. Who is Jesus Christ? Why was He crucified? Who is the Spirit? What is He doing? How can you tell He’s in your midst? Consider the facts. Mill them over in your mind.

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    He starts by engaging the intellect of the Galatians. And it’s important that we speak to people’s minds. Christianity isn’t for those who believe in blind faith. Those who don’t really care what the Bible says but they say they believe it anyway. Christianity’s not like that. Christianity is the thinking-man’s religion. Oh sure, the village idiot can be a Christian. We don’t all need the brain of an Einstein. But Scripture says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2).

The Galatians are falling down a bit here! They’re failing to prove what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is. They’ve fallen at the first hurdle. They’ve heard all about God’s free offer of grace in the cross of Christ. And now they’re beginning to think a must needs to be circumcised to be saved. Paul’s saying in essence, “Use your heads you foolish Galatians!”

After His resurrection the Lord walked with a couple of His disciples on the road to Emmaus and said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” He engaged their minds. He asked them a question. Then He answers His own question. Luke 24:27, “And beginning at Moses and the all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

Jesus engaged the minds of His disciples. Paul engaged the minds of the Galatians. And they both did so by getting the people to think about the Scriptures. We need to think about the Scriptures. We need to ponder and wonder what these things mean. And we must not rest until we find the answers if they can be found.

Christianity is the thinking-man’s religion. Don’t let any anti-intellectual tell you different. If you’re wondering why there’s so many heresies being adhered to in the churches, it’s because too many Christians are ignorant of what the Bible teaches. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” says Jesus “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?” says His Apostle.

We need to know the Scriptures. For the Scriptures are the truth. And it’s the truth that sets us free, even from our bondage under the Covenant of Works. “Engage your minds!” That’s what we should be hearing. But this doesn’t mean that people who are brain-damaged can’t be saved? Neither does it mean that people cannot be saved as infants. But what it does mean is that those who can are supposed to exercise their intellects.

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    Think about the Scriptures. Ponder them. Mill them over in your minds. Deepen your understanding and you’ll avoid pickles such as the one at Galatia. But notice that Paul also goes after the heart, as did the Lord on the road to Emmaus. Jesus said to the disciples, “Ought not the Lord to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory” (Luke 24:26). Christ wants them to think of the meaning of the cross in light of the rest of Scripture. But, as they do so, He wants them to consider what He experienced, what He suffered. Paul has already made the astounding statement to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ!” (Gal. 2:20). And then he reminds them that the crucified Christ had been portrayed before their eyes. So, now that he’s got the Galatians thinking about Christ and Him crucified, he asks the question, “Have you suffered so many things in vain?” That’s the heart-attack! Or rather an attack on the heart, might be a better way of putting it.

Consider the suffering of Christ. Consider what it all means. Consider it all in the light of the Scriptures. Did Jesus Christ suffer in vain? And the Galatians are supposed to think to themselves, “Of course He didn’t! We have eternal life through believing in Him. We have God’s promise which is confirmed by the presence of the Spirit. We know the Spirit is here because we are believing in the crucified and risen Christ.” Well then, now that you have understood it all intellectually: Has all your suffering for the sake of Christ likewise been in vain?

You’ve heard of the Passion of Christ which refers primarily to what He suffered at His crucifixion? Jesus used the word “suffered” when He talked with the men on the road to Emmaus. Paul is using the same word here as he talked to the Galatians. The word speaks of things you experience. So, we notice something very important here for Christians today. Christianity is an experiential religion. If you read some of the Puritans, you’ll hear them use the word experimental. By this they meant that Christianity is a religion which engages the whole man. It’s not a dead intellectualism which detaches itself from all emotion like Mr. Spock on Star Trek. Neither is it an emotional free-for-all where everyone gets to do what they want.

Christianity is the thinking man’s religion. But it is at the same time the religion of feelings. However, the emotions must match the facts. Therefore, you must know the facts before you can respond with the appropriate emotion. Otherwise, you’re just a fool! “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” You are acting like fools! You are not acting according to the facts of the Gospel. Think about what you are doing. Think about it in the light of the Scriptures. Up until the Judaizers came along with their funny teachings, you were experiencing the normal life of the Christian. You were experiencing the usual friction between yourselves and your unsaved mums and dads, brothers and sisters, friends. You were experiencing the Holy Spirit at work among you.

You saw the Lord perform miracles, and what Christian hasn’t? The Lord sometimes answers our prayers in miraculous ways. But most of all, we know the Lord is at work when people come to know the Lord. When His people seek a deeper understanding of His Word. We know the Lord is in our midst when people are obedient to God’s Word. But when people just do their own thing without thinking it through, then we know we are among a bunch of fools such as these Galatians. Because that is the essence of what you are saying.

To turn again to works is to turn away from Christ. It is to say that He suffered in vain. It is to say that what you have suffered up till now has been in vain. One has to wonder along with Paul, why? Since Christ had clearly portrayed among them as crucified before their eyes.

As we begin to tie things together, let me do so by drawing you attention to 1 Thessalonians 2:9-10. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

If you have ever wondered how to tell the difference between the genuine work Spirit, and the counterfeit work of Satan, it’s in 2 Thessalonians 2:10. When it comes to all the signs and wonders there is one sign that stands out above all. This is the sign that separates the Christian from the non-Christian. It separates those who are pretending form those who are born again. Non-Christian and counterfeit Christian alike are, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:10, “those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

What is the sign that a man has received this gift – this love of the truth? Well Jesus says to His Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Therefore, the proof is not in how well you can speak in other languages you’ve never studied. Nor is it through how many healings you have perform. Satan is able to fool people by counterfeiting all of that. In fact, Jesus says, “False christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matt. 24:24).

Conclusion

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One of the chief signs you should be looking for is an insatiable desire to study God’s Word. You should have a powerful love for the truth that should be expressed in the way you live your life. And one of the chief wonders has to be the so few Christian nowadays who know their Bibles. Not every Christian can be a Knox or a Calvin. But every Christian should be hungering after the righteousness revealed in the Gospel. And where are you going to find the righteousness you need so badly if you won’t study your Bible?

If the Galatians listened more to the teaching of the Gospel and less to the claims of men, then they wouldn’t have been in such a pickle. So always keep in mind that the Spirit’s work and our experience as Christians must line up with Scripture.

JESUS FOR THE LAYMAN

See video in comments where I relate my own first encounter with the Son of God.

Blurb from inside Jesus for the Layman:

Balloch, Loch Lomond

The question: ‘Can you convince the reader Jesus is the Son of God?’ Neil Cullan McKinlay picks up the gauntlet thrown down by a friend seeking the definitive answer to a question which has tested theologians for centuries.

One man claimed to be ‘the way, the truth, and the life’. He was nailed to a cross and cried out in dying despair: ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ Make no mistake: To understand precisely what happened here is to accept responsibility for your part in this. With this book, you will face a choice. Be careful what you wish for.

The author - The answer: Neil Cullan McKinlay, is a Scots-Canadian who lives in Australia, where he is a chaplain in the Australian Defence Force. He is the author of 28 books, produced with his trademark touch of reducing elusive complexities to accessible simplicities.

His path to Christ took him from his native Scotland to the harsh winters of Manitoba where he was given a book as a gift, the Bible. It was to be the gift of life.

His ministry is characterised by the shipyard wit of his Scottish inheritance, and the robust thought conferred by the Reformation. Without ostentation and with Calvinist clarity, his work persists in turning everything to the service of Christ; yet he claims no credit for it. 'Can you convince the reader Jesus is the Son of God?' he is asked. His answer is simple: ‘Let me be up front. I don’t believe that I am able to do so. Only God can do that. However, God uses means to convince people of things.’

This book is such an instrument.

COURAGE & COWARDICE

 

Courage & Cowardice

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 Jesus’s disciples went from cowardice after Christ’s death and burial to courage after the baptismal outpouring of the Spirit upon His Church. Cowardice? ‘Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you”’ (John 20:19; see also 26). Courage? ‘So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”’ (Acts 4:18-20).

It is true that ‘The better part of valour is discretion’ (William Shakespeare) and that ‘Fools rush in where angels fear to tread’ (Alexander Pope). However, as Christians we must never be cowardly but rather courageous with the gospel. ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes’ (Rom. 1:16a). As Jesus says, ‘For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels’ (Luke 9:26).

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To be sure, some Christians are timider than others, just as some are more gifted at articulating the Christian message than others. However, as a Christian ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect’ (1 Pet. 3:15). We see this illustrated in the following, ‘Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well”’ (Luke 8:43-50).

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        Jesus asked the trembling woman to make a public profession of faith. As difficult as it was for her, at the Lord’s request, she went from cowardice to courage. Every Christian today learns ‘that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame”’ (Rom. 10:9-11).

Is it cowardice or courage with you? If it is cowardice, then humbly ask the Lord to give you courage to confess, to make your profession of faith before others. The woman with the blood issue wanted to remain hidden in the crowd. Yes, this is the same reason some Christians attend churches with large congregations. But, just as Jesus requested the lady to make her public profession of her faith in Him, so He requires the same of you and me. Courage encourages courage. That woman did as the Lord bid and no longer hid. And may her courage help change your and my cowardice to courage!

A REASON FOR HOPE

 Excerpted from The Kingdom: Every Square Inch by Neil Cullan McKinlay & D. Rudi Schwartz.

A Reason for Hope

“Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good con science, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Pet. 3:14b-16 ESV).

Charlie Kirk, co-founder and executive director of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was assassinated at Utah Valley University on the 10th of September 2025. If “every square inch” of creation already belongs to Christ, then Charlie was busy with Kingdom business, reclaiming universities (and other spaces) for Christ the Lord. It would be an understatement to say that he died with his boots on, holding a microphone in his hand doing what he loved best – engaging non-Christians with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some might call this sort of cultural engagement, evangelism, some might call it apologetics, others political activism. All three would be correct. Charlie would set up a stall with the words “Prove Me Wrong” written on it which invited students to come to the mic with their challenges. He responded calmly and respectfully, even when insulted, always defending his position from Scripture. We would simply say that Charlie was engaged in Kingdom work.

If the United States is considered “one nation under God” then Charlie demonstrated remarkable commitment across all three of the God-ordained interconnected spheres of authority of Family, Church, and State. He was dedicated to his family— leaving behind a widow and two young children. He was actively engaged with the Church, and he held a deep respect for civic responsibilities associated with the State. Charlie exemplified service to his country through his contributions in these key areas.

Charlie’s death, to the bewilderment of even some Christians, sparked a world-wide revival where people, millions of them students, bought Bibles and headed back to the churches to find out more about Charlie’s God. After attending Sunday worship services these butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers, yes, including university students, might go back to their daily activities, but presumably now with a Biblical worldview of Family, Church, and State, yes, their nation.

Charlie Kirk did not wait for people to come to him. Like his Master, he sought the lost. Why? Because you, your salvation, and every other square inch of creation belongs to Christ.

The Kingdom: Every Square Inch will help prepare you, the diligent reader, to give a reason for the hope that is in you.

We trust that you will find some valuable principles as you “put your hand to the plough” and labour with the sure hope of the coming of the Kingdom.

Go to your local Amazon for a copy. Here's a link to Amazon Australia: The Kingdom: Every Square Inch : McKinlay, Neil Cullan, Schwartz, D. Rudi: Amazon.com.au: Books