What does "credited it to him as righteousness" reveal about God's view of faith? Setting the Scene Genesis 15:6: “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” • Abram is standing under a night sky, childless yet promised descendants “as numerous as the stars” (Genesis 15:5). • Nothing visible supports the promise; only God’s word does. • Abram responds with simple, wholehearted trust. Unpacking “Credited” • “Credited” (ḥāšab) is an accounting term—placing something into another’s ledger. • God transfers “righteousness” to Abram’s account, not because of moral perfection but because of faith. • The verb is passive for Abram; God is the active One doing the crediting. What This Tells Us About God’s View of Faith • Faith is not wishful thinking but taking God at His word, even when evidence seems absent. • God treats genuine faith as the sufficient basis for a right standing with Him. • Righteousness is a gift, not wages earned; the transaction is grace-based. – Romans 4:4-5: “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” • God delights to honor faith because it acknowledges His character—truthful, powerful, and faithful. • Faith brings glory to God by declaring that He alone is trustworthy (cf. Hebrews 11:6). Why Faith, Not Works? • Works measure human performance; faith rests in divine promise. • Works can never erase guilt (Isaiah 64:6), but faith unites the believer to God’s provision. • By anchoring righteousness in faith, God ensures that salvation remains “by grace… through faith… not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Echoes in the New Testament • Romans 4:3—Paul points back to Genesis 15:6 as the model for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. • Galatians 3:6—faith, not law-keeping, is the gateway to being “sons of Abraham.” • James 2:23—true faith shows itself in obedience, proving that credited righteousness produces transformed living. Living It Out Today • Place full confidence in Christ, the ultimate Seed promised to Abram (Galatians 3:16). • Rest in God’s declaration: righteousness credited, sins forgiven, relationship secured. • Let daily choices flow from that settled acceptance—serving, loving, obeying not to earn favor but because favor is already yours. |
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