RIGHTEOUSNESS BY BELIEVING
RIGHTEOUS BY BELIEVING
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. —Genesis 15:1-6
It is true of us as well. The Lord is our “shield” and He also is our “very great reward!” He is our protector and consider all that He is and all that He has done for us, is doing for us and will do for us. Therefore we are not to be afraid! This is astounding!
Abram recognized and acknowledged God’s sovereignty and that He was the giver of gifts. The Lord told Abram that his servant Eliezer would not be his heir, “but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” Not only that but the Lord took Abram outside under the night sky and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Imagine being 99 years old, your wife is 89 and you are told, not only are you both going to have a son, but that “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Try to put yourself in Abram’s position and what would you have thought? Well, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvfMDhTyMA
“Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Here is a key statement in all of God’s Word. How does one have God’s righteousness “credited” to them? It is simply by belief in what God says. The Apostle Paul picks up this truth in Romans chapter 4.
- If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”—vs. 2-3
- However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. —v.5
- David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” —vs6-8
- Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. —vs. 9-11
- Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness. —vs. 20-22
This is such an awesome truth— we whose bank account had no righteousness in it had credited to our account God’s righteousness through believing God! “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21). And Dear Father words cannot express the deep gratitude for this grace you have extended to us. Oh that I would be faithful to You by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. So may it be!