Righteousness by Faith in the Son of God

Jude 24-25 (KJV)

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

These are the last two verses of the bible before the book of Revelation. This is significant because as the events of the last days unfold it will be Righteousness by faith that will keep the saints from falling. The three angels messages are about Righteousness by faith. Let's read from the pen of Jehovah's messenger:

"Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel's message, and I have answered, “It is the third angel's message in verity.” The prophet declares, “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.” Brightness, glory, and power are to be connected with the third angel's message, and conviction will follow wherever it is preached in demonstration of the Spirit. How will any of our brethren know when this light shall come to the people of God? As yet, we certainly have not seen the light that answers to this description. God has light for his people, and all who will accept it will see the sinfulness of remaining in a lukewarm condition; they will heed the counsel of the True Witness when he says, “Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The Church is presented as standing in a self-satisfied, pleased, proud, independent position, ignorant of her destitution and wretchedness. By her attitude she says, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” How many who claim to be keeping the commandments of God are in this position today! The charge against the Church is, “Thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot.” But while many may be satisfied with their lukewarm condition, the Lord is far from pleased, and declares that unless you are zealous and repent, he will spue you out of his mouth. But he warns you, he entreats you. He says, “Thou knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.”

The gold that Jesus would have us buy of him is gold tried in the fire; it is the gold of faith and love, that has no defiling substance mingled with it. The white raiment is the righteousness of Christ, the wedding garment which Christ alone can give. The eye-salve is the true spiritual discernment that is so wanting among us, for spiritual things must be spiritually discerned.

To our brethren who are standing in this self-confident, self-satisfied position, who talk and act as if there was no need of more light, we want to say that the Laodicean message is applicable to you. Many professed Christians are without Christ because they refuse to weave his principles of truth into their life. The word of God declares, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”  [EGW, RH April 1, 1890]

Ellen White confirms as she was led and filled by the indwelling Jehovah that the message of Righteousness (Justification) by faith had the same purpose and focus as the three angels messages. Righteousness by faith is central the everlasting gospel (Three Angels messages).

There are many counterfeit gospels out there in the world of Christendom. One of the big ones is that we can't stop sinning. This teaching pervades most of Christendom and has even crept into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. What does the bible teach regarding this?

Going back to Jude 24-25, we are told that Jesus Christ can keep us from falling  and present us faultless before the presence of the Father's glory.

Isn't this what the High Priest ministration of Jesus Christ all about? Blotting out our transgressions and presenting us to His Father as righteous saints. As our walk with Christ enters into the most holy place by keeping the commandments, we then can be presented as blameless to the Father. Many will scoff at the idea of being blameless and consider it an impossibility but what does scripture say?

Luke 1:5-6 (KJV)

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Do you see this? These two verses alone destroy the idea that we can't stop sinning and that we can't be blameless before Jehovah. Both Elisabeth and Zacharias walked in ALL the commandments and ordinances of Jehovah. The False Protestant denominations teach contrary to this verse and tell Christians that they are doomed to a life of falling over and over again. This is what the bible calls false doctrine.

Of course, we cannot keep the commandments in our own strength. However, we have a hope that is rich that will lead us to living a life of righteousness.

Colossians 1:27 (KJV)

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

It is Christ in us that is our hope for leading a victorious life. Only by the indwelling Son of God can we overcome the world. Overcoming is a requirement to inherit the Kingdom of Jehovah.

Matthew 24:13 (KJV)

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Revelation 2:7 (KJV)

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:11 (KJV)

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:17 (KJV)

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 2:26-29 (KJV)

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28 And I will give him the morning star.

29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3:4-5 (KJV)

4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 3:11-13 (KJV)

11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:21-22 (KJV)

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Only overcomers will be allowed in the kingdom of Jehovah God. Jesus says that we must keep His works. Jesus also says that those who keep the commandments will have entry into paradise.

Revelation 22:14 (KJV)

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

This passage above mirrors Revelation 2:7 where it says if we overcome we will eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God. In Revelation 3:21 Jesus said that we must overcome the way He did in order to sit with Him on His throne in the millennium. If we overcome we will be given the right to judge the world.

Revelation 14:12 (KJV)

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The last verse of the three angels messages says that the saints will have the faith of Jesus. There is no way around it, without the faith of Jesus we cannot overcome which means we will be found wanting in the judgement hour. The faith of Jesus is the only way we can overcome.

The faith of Jesus that we must have is that He is truly the literal Son of God.

1 John 5:5 (KJV)

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Matthew 16:13-20 (KJV)

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

We can see from above that only those who believe in the literal Sonship of Christ will overcome and not be swallowed up by the gates of the grave.

We can't get around the simple beautiful truth that in order to have Righteousness by faith you have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Not a role playing Son of God but the real only begotten (only born, brought forth) Son of God.

Many in Christendom deny the literal Sonship of Christ thereby they disqualify themselves from Righteousness by faith.

1 John 5:9-13 (KJV)

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

How important is it to believe in the literal Sonship of Christ? We'll, it's eternal life!!! He that hath the Son hath life. There is absolutely not one scripture that even hints that Jesus Sonship is metaphorical. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God we have witness in ourselves and we acknowledge the record that God gave of his Son.

We are to believe on the name of the Son of God to have eternal life. Nowwhere in the bible does it say eternal life is in a trinity god. Rather eternal life is believing that the Father is the one true God and Jesus Christ is His Son (John 17:3).

Now back to Colossians 1:27, only by the Son of God living in us can we overcome. Without the indwelling Christ we have no hope. With Him in us we have hope to overcome the world and it's temptations. When we try to overcome by our own strength we will quickly lose hope as we cannot possibly do it. Look at what the author of Hebrews says concerning faith:

Hebrews 12:1-2 (KJV)

12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Remember, the passage above comes right after Chapter 11 which is known as the Hall of Faith. The author tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us. It requires faith to do this as noted in Chapter 11. How do we do exercise the faith to lay aside every weight and the sin so easily besets us? It's actually so simple but something most Christians struggle to do. The writer of Hebrews tells us:

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith"

When we focus on our problems and on the sins that so easily beset us then it is impossible to live a righteous life. It's only by looking to Jesus that we can overcome and run the race set before us with patience. This is where many Christians fall. When they struggle with sin instead of looking up at Christ, they focus more on the actual sin they are struggling with. By doing this, they make their sin an almost insurmountable mountain. Yet if they would put their eyes on the Son of God and His righteousness by beholding they would become righteous as well.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This scripture in 2 Corinthians is powerful and confirms what the author of Hebrews says, that only by beholding the glory of Jehovah can we be changed into the same image (likeness or resemblance). Glass means "to see reflected, to mirror oneself, behold as in a glass (Greek word Katoptrizomai).

We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ who is our Jehovah. That means that God the Father foreknew that He would call us to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. In this process He conforms us to the image of His Son as He appointed us to this transformation of character. However, it is only by looking to Jesus that we become conformed to His image meaning His resemblance and likeness. Isn't this beautiful!!! It is the Father who calls us and He also foreknew that He would call us and not only that He predestined (appointed beforehand) us to be conformed to His Son's image. This is all about having the character of Christ. Without the Son of God's character in us we cannot see the kingdom of God nor can we live a righteous life.

Romans 8:28-29 (KJV)

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Only be beholding the Son of God and the Father can we be transformed and live righteous lives. When we put our focus on anything else we will fall. Satan wants us to focus on people and problems and not to look to the author and finisher of our faith.

Romans 4:1-25 KJV

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? [2] For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. [3] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. [4] Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. [5] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [6] Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, [7] Saying , Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. [8] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. [9] Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only , or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. [10] How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. [11] And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: [12] And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. [13] For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. [14] For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: [15] Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. [16] Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, [17] (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. [18] Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. [19] And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: [20] He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [21] And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [22] And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. [23] Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; [24] But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; [25] Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Righteousness by faith is an old testament doctrine. We see here that Abraham wasn't justified by works but rather by faith (verse 3) and it was credited to him for righteousness. When we try to work for our salvation, our reward is actually debt. Why is this? Because we are trusting in our own merits rather than the merits of Christ. It is actually a slap in the face to what Christ did on the cross when we try and work for our salvation. After coming to salvation in Christ, we then labour because we have faith and are accounted righteous not because we are trying to earn it.

In verse 5, it says that those who believe on Jehovah and that He justifies the ungodly, that their faith is counted for righteousness. This is a powerful verse, it's that simple!

The greek word for believeth is "pisteuo" and means "to have faith in (in, upon or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well being to Christ): - believe, commit (to trust), put in trust with. To be persuaded of, place confidence in of the thing believed. Have confidence in a moral or religious reference.

Belief in the context of this passage isn't just a mental ascent in knowledge but rather having full confidence in the thing or person you say you believe. When we have this belief in Jehovah even without doing any works, He credits righteousness to our faith.

The greek word for counted is logizomai and means "imputed, estimate, conclude, number, reason, reckon, suppose."

Jehovah imputes righteousness to us when we have faith in Him as One who justifies the ungodly. Righteousness is reckoned to our account and nothing we did as far as works go earned it. It is a free gift. We have a clean slate without having done any works. Why is this so important to Jehovah that we have belief in Him rather than trying to earn righteousness? Because when people think they can earn righteousness, it results in a trust in the flesh and in their own goodness rather than the goodness of God.

Even keeping the commandments do not earn us righteousness. Keeping the commandments is a fruit of true righteousness. Abraham was righteous by faith however he also kept the commandments:

Genesis 26:4-5 (KJV)

4And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Do you see that because Abraham obeyed and kept the commandments of Jehovah that he was given the promise to be the Father of many nations and that his seed would be blessed. Faith came first as Abraham was deemed righteousness without works. Abraham's faith produced obedience to God's commandments. The passage below in Hebrews 11 confirms this.

Hebrews 11:8-11 (KJV)

8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God

Think of it this way,  as children of our earthly parents (in the ideal healthy family), we do not have to earn their love however that doesn't mean we don't obey their rules. Our parents love us without having done anything to earn it, yet that doesn't give us a free pass to disobey them.

Jehovah loves us without us having done anything to earn it, yet He has commandments for us to follow and when we disobey them it displeases our heavenly Father.

Verse 6-8 of Romans 4, David, a man after Jehovah's own heart spoke of righteousness by faith.

Psalm 32:1-2 (ASV)

1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.2Blessed is the man unto whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile

The hebrew word for imputeth has roughly the same meaning that it does in the greek. David says here that those who have their sins forgiven by Jehovah are reckoned and accounted righteous by Him. This is without any works of the law being done. When we come to the throne of grace to ask forgiveness of sins, it is faith that Jehovah will forgive us that accounts us forgiven and thereby righteous. Nothing we do can earn us forgiveness other than having faith that our Heavenly Father is merciful to forgive us our iniquities when we confess them.

Trying to earn forgiveness actually shows a lack of faith in God. When we try to earn forgiveness we are relying on our own merits rather than the merits of Christ. Without faith it is impossible to please God. One must believe in the mercy snd forgiveness of our Father in heaven to please Him. That's how we obtain righteousness, when we exercise faith that Jehovah is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Verse 9 of Romans 4, Paul makes it clear that the blessedness of righteousness by faith came not only upon the jews but also the gentiles. Abraham before being circumcised was reckoned righteous due to having faith. This goes to show that without having ever kept the law, when we come to faith in Christ as the Son of God we are deemed righteous by Jehovah God. The question today is, do we believe Jehovah that Jesus is His only begotten Son?  No law keeping can impute to us this righteousness. Keeping the commandments is a fruit of righteousness by faith not the other way around. Let's look at Genesis 15:6 where Abraham was deemed righteous:

Genesis 15:6 (ASV)

1After these things the word of Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.2And Abram said, O Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?3And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.4And, behold, the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying, This man shall not be thine heir; But he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.6And he believed in Jehovah; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.

The hebrew word for "believed" is "aman" (Strongs 539) and means "to render firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain, assurance, bring up, establish, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), trust, turn to the right."

The word believe in Hebrew and Greek is not simply a mental ascent in knowledge but rather a full trust in the thing or person that you say you believe in. Abraham had full trust and assurance that Jehovah would fufill exactly what He told Abraham, that his seed would be innumerable as the stars of heaven and that he would be given a heir of his own loins.

Verse 6 of Genesis 15 says that Jehovah counted Abraham's belief/faith as righteousness and imputed this righteousness to his account. Remember,  the true meaning of belief and faith is not a simple acknowledgement by word or thought but rather a long continuance of stedfast trust in the thing or person that you say you believe and have faith in.

Many today in Christendom teach a false definition of faith. This false definition of faith teaches that obedience to Jehovah's commandments isn't necessary. They use Abraham to support their lawless doctrine of pseudo faith. As noted already, Genesis 26:5 shows that Abraham kept Jehovah's commandments. Did Jehovah just leave Abraham off the hook with a faith that only required mental and verbal acknowledgement? Let's look at Genesis 17 for the answer:

Genesis 17:1-14 (ASV)

1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations.5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee.6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.9And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.11And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you.12And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed.13He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.14And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Jehovah appeared before Abraham and told him "walk before me and be thou perfect". Faith doesn't end at a mere verbal acknowledgement or mental ascent but true faith results in walking in the commandments of Jehovah God Almighty. Jehovah tells Abraham that He will make a covenant with him conditional on Abraham's obedience.

In verse 7 of Genesis 17, Jehovah tells Abraham that the covenant He is making with him is an everlasting covenant between Himself and Abraham's seed throughout the generations. As Christians, we are the seed of Abraham due to righteousness by faith. This righteousness by faith is in believing that Jehoshua is the Son of God and the Messiah of God (Galatians 3:29, 1 John 4:15, 1 John 5:5, John 3:16). Just as Abraham's faith produced obedience our faith will produce obedience. The seed that came was the Messiah Jehoshua. The Abrahamic covenant was rooted in righteousness by faith. We are now in the Jehoshuaic covenant which is also rooted in righteousness by faith. Physical circumcision was the seal of one's faith in the Abrahamic covenant. Now it is baptism that is the seal of one's faith in the Jehoshuaic covenant. However we are justified by faith prior to being baptized just as those in the Abrahamic covenant were justified by faith prior to being physically circumcised.

This covenant made be Jehovah and Abraham is a covenant of grace and righteousness by faith. This covenant is eternal and those who are Messiah's continue in this covenant of faith and grace (Galatians 3:29).

 Galatians 3:5-7 (KJV)

5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

It is those who are of righteous by faith that are Abraham's children. Those who try obtain righteousness by the law are not of faith and are not Abraham's children no matter their ethnicity. This is the problem still plagueing many of the Jews as they are trusting in their law keeping for righteousness instead of faith in the Messiah Jehoshua. All who have faith that Jehoshua is the Son of God are the children of Abraham whether they be Jew or Gentile. Those that don't are not Abraham's children whether they be Jew or Gentile.

Galatians 3:12-16 (KJV)

12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Paul says here that the law is not of faith. Keeping the law without first having fath in Jehoshua as the Son of God avails nothing. Faith must come first without reliance on keeping the law. Trying to keep the law to earn Jehovah's favor doesn't show faith but actually shows that you are relying on your own righteousness and not the righteousness of Christ. We cannot in any way being justified by keeping the law apart from faith. We can however be justified by faith without having kept the law.

Verse 13 of Galatians 3, Jehoshua has redeemed us from the curse of the law which is the instant penalty of breaking it. Jehoshua provides His blood for us so that we have forgiveness of past sins and He now makes provision for us in the most holy place for forgiveness of our future sins. Remember,  sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). Through Jehoshua we find justification from the punishment of breaking the law and  an opportunity to obtain grace.

Verse 14 of Galatians 3, the blessing given to Abraham by Jehovah (Genesis 12:3) was to come on the Gentiles through the Son of God Jehoshua so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. What is it that deems one worthy to receive the Holy Spirit? Is it law keeping? Absolutely not!! Many legalists today strive for outward piety yet demonstrate very little of the fruit of the Spirit. It is faith!! What kind of faith enables one to receive the Spirit of promise? Let's look at 1 John 4:15:

" Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God."

It's that simple, those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God by faith are qualified to receive the Holy Spirit of promise receiving the same blessing given to Abraham.

1 John 5:4-5 (KJV

4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Righteousness by faith is rooted and grounded in the belief that Jesus is the Son of God. Without faith in this divine truth one cannot be righteous by faith. The one who denies the literal Sonship of Christ is not of the seed of Abraham nor receives the blessing given to him by Jehovah nor receives the Holy Spirit of promise.