Paul’s Writings

Paul turns to Abraham here in order to show that faith and salvation is for both the Jews and everyone else and to show that the Law is not everything.

Paul interprets the Genesis account through the eyes of Faith. That is, instead of focusing on the Law, Paul looks at it though the faith of Abraham as a model for Christian faith.  Because of this, he says that if we look to Abraham in the Genesis story, we can see a model of faith in God that ultimately unites us to Jesus in the resurrection.

Paul goes about this by first focusing on the fact that Abraham was not circumcised. During Paul’s time the common belief would have been that one must be circumcised or else you weren’t as holy as those who were. But Paul, attempting to show that the church is meant to be universal, shows that their forefather Abraham was blessed and yet at the time was himself uncircumcised.  

Paul continues this theme of demonstrating that the church, faith, and salvation is accessible to everyone by showing that faith, not necessarily the law, is of utmost importance. To prove this he says, “For the promise to Abraham and his descendants that he should inherit the world was not thought the Law, but through the uprightness of faith.” Because of this, Paul is emphasizing that yes, it is good to follow the Law, but one must truly believe in their heart. Or, in other words, it is faith that saves. Whether it be though the Law or just though a sense to do the right thing, God’s kingdom is for everyone and is meant to be spread to the ends of the earth.