Who's Your Daddy?

Maury Povich has become infamous for featuring paternity tests on his show.  Hundreds of couples have degraded themselves by parading in front of a cheering audience to find out who’s the father of the child.

Paul tells us there is a simple paternity test when it comes to faith.  If you believe God and trust that He is good and all-powerful and rely on Him, He’s your spiritual Father.  It is part of what it means to be counted as righteous (Gal 3:6).

Who’s your daddy?

“Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham” (v7).  Remember that Paul is trying to convince the Galatians that the false teachers have sold them a load of spiritual snake oil.  

The Judaizers have told them that if they really want to be members of the family of Abraham, they must become Jewish.

You know that means.  Circumcision.  The law of Moses.  Ordering off the kosher menu.  The whole deal.  But the apostle uses the Old Testament and the story of Abraham to diffuse their case.  

God credited righteousness to Abe’s account BEFORE his circumcision.  That happened when he simply trusted God and His goodness.

The result is that Abe is the spiritual dad of not only the Jews but EVERYONE who places their faith in God.  On this side of the cross, that means trusting in the finished work of Jesus.  This does address the often-asked question of salvation before Christ.  

How were OT saints saved?  Simple.  They trusted God. They believed that He would save them somehow, someway.  Through their faith in Him, He counted them righteous.  Their works and obedience would follow.  

But they were still flawed, sinful failures.  Noah.  Abraham.  David.  Moses.  An endless parade of losers that placed their faith in a God who saves.  

The Galatians are no different.  They are sons and daughters of Daddy Abraham when the only thing they have to do is trust God.

Paul will later explain this when he writes to the Romans.  The whole reason God saved Abe before he was circumcised “was to make him the father of all who believed without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well” (Rom 4:11-12).

He goes on to tell the Romans that God’s saving act is a gift He gives and that we have done nothing to deserve so ”that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring…Abraham, who is the father of us all” (Rom 4:16).

I don’t ever think of myself as a son of Abraham.  Obviously, I should.  It’s what connects me to the story of the OT.  It’s what grafts me into the family tree (Rom 11:17-36).  Like Abe and the Galatians, I have done nothing to earn such a blessing from God.  

I have simply believed in what God has done and in who He is.  I trust in Jesus.  So when someone asks, “Who’s your daddy?”  I can say, “Abraham.”  And because of that, I can be assured of my relationship with my Heavenly Dad as well.

©2012

Jay Jennings