What does it mean that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham?

Answer

In Galatians 3:7, Paul, addressing Gentiles, states, “Understand then that those who have faith are children of Abraham” (ESV). Here, Paul introduces the concept of a spiritual family as opposed to a biological one—a family united by faith rather than bloodline.

Certainly, Abraham had literal, biological offspring. It was through Isaac and Jacob that they became the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people. However, many in Israel did not faithfully follow God. Simultaneously, there were Gentiles in the Old Testament, such as Rahab and Ruth, who were welcomed into the family of Israel. In the New Testament, many Gentiles are “grafted” into the tree of Israel through their faith in Jesus, the Messiah of Israel (Romans 11:17-20).

Throughout the New Testament, we observe that being physical descendants of Abraham, while culturally significant, holds no eternal value. When John the Baptist preached to the Jews, he cautioned, “Do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” «and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. », (Matthew 3:9). John emphasized that their spiritual lineage was more significant than their physical ancestry.

In John 8:32–41, Jesus addresses some Israelites who were descendants of Abraham by birth. Nevertheless, Jesus points out that their physical lineage is overshadowed by their negative spiritual lineage:

[Jesus said] “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been sl

aves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

“Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.”

Twice, Jesus agrees that they are Abraham’s children but implies they really have another father. In verse 44, He states it plainly: “You are of your father the devil.” Their spiritual lineage trumped their physical lineage. Whatever blessings they counted on as physical “sons of Abraham” were negated by their condition as spiritual “sons of the devil.” Entrance to the kingdom will not be based on physical DNA but on faith in the Son of God.

In Romans 9:6–7, Paul explains, “For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children.” In other words, there are some people who are descendants of Israel (Jacob), but they are not part of the blessing of Israel. Likewise, there are some who are descended from Abraham but not “sons of Abraham” in a spiritual sense. Being a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob is not enough. One must also now be a “descendant” of Christ. Of course, Christ had no physical descendants, but, at the end of Romans 9, Paul explains that those who have faith like Abraham had are made righteous before God, just as Abraham was. Those without faith in Christ, even if they are physical

Descendants of Abraham are excluded; those with faith in Christ, even if they are Gentiles, are included as spiritual “sons of Abraham.”

In Galatians 3, Paul states it plainly: “So also Abraham ‘believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. . . . So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:6-9). To be a “son” of someone is to have that person’s traits. To be the “Son of God” is to have God’s traits. To be a “son of Abraham” is to display a character quality of Abraham, namely, faith. Everyone who shows faith is demonstrating themselves to be like Abraham in the sense that Abraham, too, had faith «And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. », (Genesis 15:6).

Abraham heard from God and believed. Abraham’s faith led him to leave everything behind and live the rest of his life as a stranger in a strange land. Abraham’s faith trusted that he and Sarah would have a child, even though that seemed impossible. Abraham’s faith was even willing to sacrifice the promised son, believing that God would raise him from the dead «By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: », (Hebrews 11:9). Because of Abraham’s example of faith, the Bible points to him as the father of faith, as it were. All who trust in the Lord in a similar manner are “sons of Abraham.” As Paul writes, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

According to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).

God had promised Abraham that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” «and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. », (Genesis 12:3). One way this prophecy is fulfilled is through the salvation that God grants to us, by grace through faith: “Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:7-9;ESV).

A children’s Sunday school song has the line “Father Abraham had many sons; many sons had Father Abraham.” It’s a truth of Scripture expressed simply in those lyrics and stated clearly in Galatians 3:29, “Now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you” (NLT).