What role does obedience play in being "credited as righteousness" according to Psalm 106:31? Psalm 106:31—The Statement “‘It was credited to him as righteousness for all generations to come—forevermore.’ ” (Psalm 106:31) The Backstory: Why Phinehas Stood Out • Numbers 25:6-13 records Israel’s open immorality with the Midianites and the plague God sent. • Phinehas, a priest and grandson of Aaron, “rose up, left the assembly, took a spear in his hand…and the plague was restrained” (Numbers 25:7-8). • God immediately said, “He was zealous for My sake…so it will be to him and his descendants a covenant of a perpetual priesthood” (Numbers 25:11-13). His swift, God-honoring action is what Psalm 106:31 later celebrates. Obedience as Evidence of Genuine Faith • Scripture consistently ties righteousness to faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3). • Yet living faith always yields obedience: – James 2:21-23 shows Abraham’s faith “working with his actions.” – Hebrews 11 highlights saints whose faith was proven by what they did. Phinehas believed God’s holiness mattered, so he acted. That act revealed the faith already alive in his heart. Why “Credited” and Not “Earned”? • The verb “credited” (Hebrew ḥāšab) echoes Genesis 15:6, pointing to God’s accounting, not human earning. • God alone declares righteousness; obedience supplies the observable basis for that declaration (Romans 1:5; 16:26). • Phinehas did not purchase righteousness; rather, his obedience confirmed covenant loyalty, and God publicly stamped it “righteous.” What Obedience Looked Like for Phinehas • Swift—he “stood” and “ran” while others wept (Numbers 25:6-7). • Costly—he risked alienating tribal leaders by striking a chief’s son (25:14-15). • God-centered—his zeal was “for My sake” (25:11). Such wholehearted alignment with God’s character is the obedience Scripture consistently affirms. How This Applies Today • Saving faith still shows itself through obedience (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6). • We are credited righteous through Christ alone (2 Corinthians 5:21), yet God delights to acknowledge obedient acts as expressions of that righteousness (Philippians 2:12-13). • Like Phinehas, believers are called to act decisively against sin in their spheres—family, church, society—trusting God to handle the outcomes. Key Takeaways • Psalm 106:31 highlights obedience as the visible proof of faith that God credits as righteousness. • Obedience does not replace faith; it reveals it. • When our actions align with God’s holiness, He publicly affirms the righteousness He has already supplied in Christ. |
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