Galatians 3:7 - The Primary Object-ive

"Therefore, be knowing that the [ones] out of faith, these are sons of Abraham."

-Notwithstanding all his relapses and attendant warts, ol' Abe did believe, he trusted in God, in His promise, in His Word, began to relate to Him on the basis of this faith, and he became the father - the predecessor, the archetype - not of those who have their foreskin cut off in a religious ritual but rather of those who likewise put their trust in his God Who would thru the Seed of Abraham bless all nations (Genesis 12.3, 22.18; cf Romans 4.11, 4.16).  The Scripture which Paul just quoted in v. 6 makes it abundantly clear that God gave Abraham right standing with Him by this act of faith - BEFORE he was circumcised.  In other words, APART from the work of law which the Judaizers were attempting to foist onto the Galatians’ shoulders.  Thus we along with them can know-know-know for certain that we become his descendants, his spiritual sons and daughters, those innumerable children of promise (Genesis 15.5), when like him we put our trust in the God Who makes us right with Him.  Solely on the basis of faith.  Faith which has as its object not any work of law or ritual or any code of compliance but simply the One Whom God sent.  This promise is to all who believe, simply believe the Good News about God’s Son (John 1.12, 3.16, 6.29, 14.1, 17.20-21, 20.31; Acts 16.31; Romans 4.11, 4.16).  We choose to believe, trust, place our faith IN the promise, and IN the One Who made it.

-And ultimately this is the most important aspect of faith - the object.  The thing IN WHICH we put our trust.  Anyone can have faith.  In fact, all people have faith.  Everyone trusts in something (or someone).  Many are quite sincere, in fact, about the object of their faith, of their devotion.  They sincerely devote themselves to trusting in that person, or that thing, that teaching - or that work.  These troubling Judaizers actually had quite a bit of faith - in circumcision.  In the law.  In works and self-effort.  They had the wrong object.  And so Paul objects to their object - and rightly so.  They, like so many others even still today, were trusting in themselves, such that we could fairly say they had no faith, that they were not of faith at all.  Technically they still had faith, but in truth their faith was sorely misplaced.  The ONLY object of faith which will actually prove to be effective - worthwhile, worthy - is Jesus.  There is no other object, no other name given under heaven by which we may be saved (Acts 4.12).  He alone is worthy of our faith, our trust, our devotion. The Primary Object-ive.  Only through (faith in) Jesus can we become true sons and daughters of Abraham, heirs of the marvelous promise.  Is ol' Abe your daddy?  Who's your daddy?