4 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.” 5 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.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
What a strange idea! Abram believed God and He, (God), credited it to him as righteousness. This concept is repeated four times in the New Testament (Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6; and James 2:23). Faith in God is a trust that has full confidence in or reliance upon the truthfulness of God's Word. If we are going to discuss doubt we have to know what trust is. There is an assumption among some brands of so-called Christianity that views faith as a force that I can use to either manipulate God or bring to pass reality.
As I consider driving home from work tonight I might say something like, "Well I'm just believing God that I will arrive home safe." That is not only superstition, it is "faith-destroying." Faith is trust in the revealed will and Word of God. As I drive home I know God will never leave me or forsake me. I know that He will cause all things to work together for good. I know that nothing can happen to me apart from His sovereign will. But there is no Word promise that guarantees I will get to my residence safe. Faith is believing the promise. Any so-called faith that cannot be connected to a rightly interpreted promise of God in the Bible is a fantasy -- not faith.
Abram's faith in God's promise was rewarded. God accredited to him righteousness. "The term 'accounted' may mean 'attribute,' 'reckon,' or 'regard as,' and is almost parallel to a bookkeeping transfer of an eligible item from one column or category to another . . . The word translated 'believed' is from the Hebrew ˒aman, meaning 'to confirm' or 'to trust'” [1]
"'Righteousness' is the fundamental OT virtue characterized by a godly life lived in conformity with the law. It is the righteous who enjoy God’s favor. Here the narrator underlines the significance of faith, in that before Abram has proved himself righteous by his deeds, he is counted (that is, regarded) as righteous because of his faith." [2]
"'Righteousness' is the fundamental OT virtue characterized by a godly life lived in conformity with the law. It is the righteous who enjoy God’s favor. Here the narrator underlines the significance of faith, in that before Abram has proved himself righteous by his deeds, he is counted (that is, regarded) as righteous because of his faith." [2]
Two important points here. Faith is always the prerequisite for righteousness. And before you can "do" righteous things you must be "counted righteous." "Righteousness is “counted” or reckoned, not on the basis of our achievement, but because in faith we look to God who supplies righteousness in Christ (Rom. 4:5–9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:6)." [2]
"This verse provides the early core doctrine of justification by faith, not by works (Gal. 3:6–14) . . . Abraham’s justification by faith is a model of our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s sacrifice for sin, and God’s crediting His righteousness to us by faith (Rom. 4:22–25)."[3]
Father you have not asked us to believe in a force or a feeling. You have given us Your Word where we can place our whole-hearted trust. When You come to us and call us to believe You and to believe the One You sent, Your Son, for everyone who does, You grant freely by grace Your righteousness. The plan to save sinners has not changed in thousands of years. It is still by faith in Your promise. Grant to us who believe continued grace this day to trust Your promises. For the sake of Christ and the joy of all who trust, we ask for these mercies.
Father you have not asked us to believe in a force or a feeling. You have given us Your Word where we can place our whole-hearted trust. When You come to us and call us to believe You and to believe the One You sent, Your Son, for everyone who does, You grant freely by grace Your righteousness. The plan to save sinners has not changed in thousands of years. It is still by faith in Your promise. Grant to us who believe continued grace this day to trust Your promises. For the sake of Christ and the joy of all who trust, we ask for these mercies.
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1. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Ge 15:6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (77). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
2. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 15:6). Nashville: T. Nelson.
1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (77). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
2. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 15:6). Nashville: T. Nelson.
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