Paul now calls on them to look back at their experience. In the Old Testament God calls on the Israelites to look back on what has happened. Our experiences matter, and so does interpreting them correctly. They had received the Spirit because of their faith, not because they observed the Law.
Note how the Holy Spirit is crucial. He is crucial to our being able to live the Christian life, but He is also central to Paul's argument. In the Old Testament the Spirit was promised (Jer 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26,27; Joel 2:28); one of the key features of Jesus in the eyes of John the Baptist was that He would baptise with the Spirit; Jesus said it was vital that He return to the Father so that the Holy Spirit could be sent; and in Acts 2:33 Peter speaks of the promised Holy Spirit.
Paul then turns the Judaisers argument back on them by pointing to Abraham as the supreme example of the man of faith. Abraham was counted as righteous because of his faith. The gospel is not an alternative or a replacement for the Old Testament, but the fulfilment of it. Abraham was the one through whom God intended to bless all nations, and he was counted as righteous because of his faith. Abraham believed that God could do this through him, even though at the time he was without children, so God counted him in. The same applies to us. Now Abraham believed that God could do a very concrete thing in his life, give him numerous descendants. Likewise, we are to believe a very concrete thing, namely that through Christ we are forgiven, and that through the Spirit we are given new life.
Note how the Holy Spirit is crucial. He is crucial to our being able to live the Christian life, but He is also central to Paul's argument. In the Old Testament the Spirit was promised (Jer 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26,27; Joel 2:28); one of the key features of Jesus in the eyes of John the Baptist was that He would baptise with the Spirit; Jesus said it was vital that He return to the Father so that the Holy Spirit could be sent; and in Acts 2:33 Peter speaks of the promised Holy Spirit.
Paul then turns the Judaisers argument back on them by pointing to Abraham as the supreme example of the man of faith. Abraham was counted as righteous because of his faith. The gospel is not an alternative or a replacement for the Old Testament, but the fulfilment of it. Abraham was the one through whom God intended to bless all nations, and he was counted as righteous because of his faith. Abraham believed that God could do this through him, even though at the time he was without children, so God counted him in. The same applies to us. Now Abraham believed that God could do a very concrete thing in his life, give him numerous descendants. Likewise, we are to believe a very concrete thing, namely that through Christ we are forgiven, and that through the Spirit we are given new life.
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