6 Even so Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “all the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. 10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to perform them. 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, the righteous man shall live by faith. 12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, he who practices them shall live by them. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree–14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
"If a man is not justified by keeping the rite of circumcision, then how could any of our other works justify us? We could do all the good works we could find to do, we could do all the serving we want, we could be dunked in water every Sunday–and it would do nothing to put us in right standing before God. If Paul says here that we are justified by faith alone–not faith and circumcision–then how do some say that we are justified by faith and baptism? If Abraham was justified before his circumcision, then how do some say that one is not justified before his baptism?"
~Steven J. Lawson
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