“What does Paul mean when he says that we are ‘Abraham’s seed’ (Gal. 3:29)?”

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29).

In Galatians 3:27, Paul referred to our union with Christ: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Having been spiritually baptized into Christ, Paul wrote, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed.” We are joined to the one “Seed, which is Christ” (v. 16), and being Christ’s, we are “Abraham’s seed.”

Also, like Abraham, we are justified by faith alone: “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Gal. 3:6-7). We believers who are members of the Church, the Body of Christ, are Abraham’s spiritual children in that we follow in the footsteps of his faith. Abraham believed God, and we are “they which are of faith” (v. 7), having believed God and His gospel of grace (1 Cor. 15:3-4). And like righteousness was imputed to Abraham by faith alone, the same is true of us (Rom. 4:1-5).

Our relationship to Abraham is not physical but spiritual. Thus, being Abraham’s spiritual seed, we are spiritual “heirs according to the promise.” We are heirs of the same spiritual blessings that Abraham received when he believed God: righteousness and everlasting life!