Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldeas and there received the call of God (Acts 7:2-4). Abraham was not a Babylonian. More likely he was a part of the Aramaean influx of shepherd tribes from the northwest whose herds grazed in the verdant pastures along the Euphrates river. His image of nobility, wisdom and compassion, lends strength to the Biblical term, “A mighty prince among us” (Genesis 23:6).
God’s call was enriched with a seven fold blessing, the last of which was “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). Because of his faith God CREDITED him with righteousness (Romans 4:3). The only real estate he owned was a burial tomb in Machpelah for his beloved wife, Sarah (Genesis 23:13-20). Abraham was called “the friend of God” (James 2:23).
The original promise, “that in thy seed shall all families of the earth be blessed” was fulfilled in the life of Christ. “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:8).
The conclusion that Paul makes is simple yet vital. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted (credited) to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond (slave) nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:6, 28-29).
The law of Moses was given 430 years after the covenant was made with Abraham (Galatians 3:17) We are no longer under the law that Moses brought, but under the rule of Christ revealed by the Spirit. Paul writes, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit” (Romans 8:2-4).
In Christ, God reconciled both Jew and Gentile, bond and free, male and female in one body by the cross. Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:11-22). All these truths inspired John Newton to write in 1779 the beautiful song, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see” (1779).
