Commentaries:
The apostle directs our understanding of Abraham's offspring away from the usual biological definition and toward one pivoting around a relationship with Christ. A few verses earlier, he shows that faith is the crucial substance (see Hebrews 11:1) of that relationship: "Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham" (Galatians 3:7).
Operatively, then, "the faith of Christ" (Galatians 2:16, KJV), not a faith we inflame within ourselves, is the source—we could even say, the functional cause—of our spiritual kinship with Abraham. Through our exercise of Christ's faith in us, we become Abraham's children. Regardless of lineage, we are not his spiritual children by birth. For the purposes of spiritual salvation, reconciliation with God by the faith of Jesus Christ renders irrelevant the genetic, national, social, and gender differences among Homo sapiens (see Galatians 3:26-29).
Thus, the apostle stresses the importance of faith over genealogy. Israel, from God's viewpoint, is first and foremost a spiritual entity, a nation and people (I Peter 2:9) of faith, and only secondarily—subordinately—a physical or natural entity.
Charles Whitaker
Servant of God, Act II: God's Gift of Faith
In Galatians 3:29, Paul lists two results of being "Christ's." First, we become "Abraham's seed." Second, we become "heirs according to the promise." In Romans 4:13, Paul makes plain that this second consequence of being Christ's also pivots around faith: "For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith."
Once more, advantage of birth, as real as it may be to the people of the world, is irrelevant to God for the purposes of salvation. Anyone with the faith of Jesus Christ becomes an heir to the blessing of the promise. "But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe" (Galatians 3:22). The promise, given to Abraham and repeated in various forms to Isaac and Jacob, is in fact one promise, but has a multitude of ramifications. The various statements of this promise appear in a collage of passages in Genesis (Genesis 12:2-3; 13:14-15; 15:18-21; 17:4-9; 22:16-18; 26:4-5; 28:13-14).
Charles Whitaker
Servant of God, Act II: God's Gift of Faith
In all of mankind since Adam, only one person has qualified to receive the inheritance of the promises that were made to Abraham—Christ.
We can see the requirements as early as Genesis 17:1, where God says to Abraham, "Walk before Me, and be perfect." Some Bibles translate it, "Be blameless," which means the same thing; "Be without sin." Christ, at the end of His life, was found to be blameless; therefore, He qualified to receive the promises. He met every condition of the Covenant, and then became the Inheritor.
Verse 29 is explaining that, if we are "in Christ" (in union with Him), then we become co-heirs with Him. We become co-inheritors with Him, if we have meet the conditions the Bible gives: God has called us; we have unconditionally surrendered to God; we believe the gospel; we believe in the blood of Jesus Christ; we have been baptized; we have received the Holy Spirit; we have had hands laid on us. Then we also become "in Christ." The picture is as if we were part of Christ's body, and we are "in" Him. That is not actually what has occurred, but we are within the church.
Christ, being the Inheritor of the promises, then made out a will, as it were, prior to His death for the forgiveness of our sins. This will is also the New Covenant, which includes all the promises and blessings the Scriptures show us.
Christ had to die for a number of reasons. First of all, He was physical; and it is given to all men to die once (Hebrews 9:27). Another reason is that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and when our sins were placed on Him, He then came under the law and the law claimed its penalty—He died. Another reason is that He too had to be "born again" (John 3:3). He had to be transformed, glorified by means of a resurrection, because, as long as He was in the flesh, He could not inherit the promises either. One has to be eternal to inherit them; "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 15:50).
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 13)
Related Topics:
The Christian is not yet a possessor of his reward?he is now only an "heir." What Christians shall inherit, if "saved"?whatever shall be the "reward of the saved"?wherever they shall spend eternity?is a definite, specific promise of God. And that promise was made to Abraham, called, in this same book of Galatians written for Gentile converts, the "father" of the faithful (Galatians 3:7).
If one is converted, regardless of race or color or sex; if one is "Christ's"?a Christian?then he becomes one of Abraham's children, and an "heir" of the promise made to Abraham. What he is to inherit, then, is whatever was promised to Abraham (see Genesis 12:2-7; 13:14-15; 15:18; 13:15; 4:13). There is not one word about "heaven" here!
Will You Go to Heaven?
Related Topics:
The Christian is not yet a possessor of his reward"he is an heir"and what he shall inherit, if saved, is the promise made to Abraham. Whatever shall be the reward of the saved, wherever we shall spend eternity if saved, is a definite, specific promise of God. That promise was made to Abraham, who is called, in this same book of Galatians which was written for Gentile converts, the father of the faithful. If one is converted, whether Jew or Gentile"regardless of race or color or sex"if one is Christ's, then he becomes one of Abraham's children, and an heir of the promise made to Abraham. What he is to inherit is whatever was promised to Abraham.
Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986)
What Is the Reward of the Saved?
Related Topics:
All people who have not descended from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob (Israel) are called "Gentiles" in the Bible. And so Paul went on to show these Gentile-born Galatians that the only way they could become heirs to the promise made to Abraham was by becoming children ("seed") of Abraham by spiritual adoption through Christ!
Will You Go to Heaven?
The Bible plainly reveal that a real Christian is one who has become a spiritual Israelite—one of Abraham's "seed" through Jesus Christ. God made the special Sabbath covenant with Abraham's physical descendants. It was to be obeyed throughout their generations. Today, all Spirit-begotten Christians have become Abraham's spiritual descendants and therefore keep the Sabbath!
The Sabbath is a reminder of our Creator, who not only created the universe, but who is also creating His holy, righteous character in Spirit-begotten Christians—character that will endure forever when they are born into His divine Family! Thus the Sabbath reminds us every week of the Creator God and His wonderful purpose for mankind.
Why Christians Should Keep God's Holy Days
In making the New Covenant—once we have proceeded through the process of repentance and baptism and have received God's Spirit, which baptizes us into Christ—we are then Abraham's children. We become Abraham's descendants regardless of race or national origin. We become, therefore, part of the one Family into which God is drawing all of mankind, and we become heirs of the promises made to Abraham as part of the Abrahamic Covenant. All the Old Covenant did was bridge the gap from the time the Israelites were released from their bondage until the promised Seed came.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 27)
True Christians exhibit the faith and righteousness of Abraham. God considers them to be the patriarch's spiritual descendants regardless of their race or sex. Consequently, they will inherit the same promises made to Abraham.
Earl L. Henn (1934-1997)
Basic Doctrines: The Reward of the Saved
These verses pair groupings or concepts that separate people and keep them divided and sometimes at war with each other. Paul shows racial differences (Greek and Jew); religious differences (circumcised and uncircumcised); cultural differences (barbarian and Scythian); social differences (slave and free); and finally sexual difference (male and female).
These are in no way all the differences that divide humanity, but they give enough of a representation for God to make His point. He makes it clear that we cannot be united to Him and separated from our brother at the same time. To do something for or against a brother is to do it to Christ (Matthew 25:31-46). Because we, as brethren, are "in" Christ and He "in" us, we are one organism. John says if a man does not love his brother, he does not love God (I John 4:20)! This is serious business. We must be one with both.
The person who is truly converted is motivated, guided, inspired, led by, yielding to, and empowered by the radiant energy flowing from Christ, who lives and works in Him. It is almost as if Christ and His converted brethren are driven together because they share the same nature.
John W. Ritenbaugh
All in All
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Genesis 12:1-3
Genesis 12:3
Genesis 13:14-15
Genesis 14:20
Genesis 35:10-11
Deuteronomy 14:28-29
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
Deuteronomy 26:12
Matthew 10:5-7
Luke 16:19-22
John 3:13
Romans 2:26-28
Romans 4:13-17
1 Corinthians 16:1-3
Galatians 3:29
Galatians 3:29
Revelation 19:16
Library resources that contain this verse:
Articles |  |
After Pentecost, Then What? |
All in All |
Born of a Woman |
During a Famine, What Is the Work? |
'Go Ye Therefore Into All the World...' |
God's Promises Are Sure! |
Is the Christian Required To Do Works? (Part Five) |
Is the Christian Required To Do Works? (Part Five) |
Peter's Trumpets Message—on Pentecost |
Servant of God, Act II: God's Gift of Faith |
Servant of God, Act II: God's Gift of Faith (2) |
The Christian Fight (Part Six) |
The Israel of God (2) |
The Israel of God (2) |
The Offerings of Leviticus (Part Nine): Conclusion (Part Two) |
The Prophecies of Balaam (Part One) |
What Is the Feast of Trumpets, Anyway? |
What Was the Law 'Added Because of Transgressions'? |
Why We Must Put Out Leaven |
Bible Questions & Answers | |
What Are the 'Ordinances' of Colossians 2:14 and E |
Why Does Deuteronomy 23:2 Forbid a Bastard from En |
Bible Studies | |
Ancient Israel: Why God's 'Chosen People'? |
Ancient Israel: Why God's 'Chosen People'? |
Angels |
Basic Doctrines: The Reward of the Saved |
God's Master Plan |
Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Part One) |
The Coming Utopia . . . Wonderful World Tomorrow? |
The Feast of Tabernacles: When the Whole World Will Be Called |
The Plain Truth About God's Holy Sabbath (2) |
The Plain Truth About the Old and New Covenants |
Tithing: Third Tithe |
What Is Hell? |
Why Christians Should Keep God's Holy Days |
Why You Need the Holy Spirit |
Will You Go to Heaven? |
Will You Go to Heaven? |
Booklets | |
Lazarus and the Rich Man (2) |
Prepare to Meet Your God! (The Book of Amos) (Part One) |
The Wonderful World Tomorrow: What It Will Be Like |
What Is the Reward of the Saved? |
What Will You Be Doing in the Next Life? |
Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath? (3) |
Why Marriage—Soon Obsolete? (3) |
Why Were You Born? |
Sermon Transcripts | |
Dating (Part 3): A Love Worthy of Your Life |
Faith and The Christian Fight (Part 6) |
Faith And The Christian Fight, (Part 8) (2) |
Knowing God: Formality and Customs (Part 7) |
Loyalty and Submission (Part 2) |
Our Affinity to Christ |
Our Awesome Destiny |
Preparing To Be King |
Principled Living (Part 6): Becoming Holy |
Qualifications of a Godly Judge |
Remember the Christians |
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 11) (2) |
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 13) |
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 25) |
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 26) |
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 27) |
The First Day of Unleavened Bread (Part 2) |
The Handwriting Is on the Wall (2005) |
The Promise and the Kingdom (3) |
The Providence of God (Part 5) |
The 'Rest' of Hebrews 4 |
The Seeds of Change (Part 1) |
The Wavesheaf and the Selfsame Day (2) |
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