Connect Genesis 15:6 with Romans 4:3. How does Paul interpret Abraham's faith? Setting the Scene - Genesis 15 finds Abram still childless, yet God promises descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). - In response, “Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Genesis 15:6 — The Original Moment of Faith - Abram’s “believed” is a decisive, heart-level trust in God’s promise, not a general belief in God’s existence. - “Credited” (Hebrew ḥāšab) is an accounting term: God places righteousness into Abram’s account. - Nothing in the context shows Abram performing a work to earn this standing; the credit is solely by grace. Paul’s Use of Genesis 15:6 in Romans 4:3 - Paul quotes verbatim: “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’” (Romans 4:3). - By asking “What does the Scripture say?” Paul treats Genesis as final authority for doctrine, grounding his argument on its literal wording. Key Observations on Paul’s Interpretation • Faith versus works – Romans 4:2 contrasts boasting in works with receiving righteousness by faith; Abraham cannot boast. – Verse 4 underscores that wages are owed to the worker; righteousness is not a wage but a gift. • Timing of justification – Genesis 15:6 occurs before circumcision (Genesis 17) and centuries before the Law at Sinai, proving God justifies apart from ritual or legal obedience (Romans 4:9–11). • Nature of faith – Paul defines faith as “being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised” (Romans 4:21). – This trust rests on God’s power to “call into being what does not yet exist” (Romans 4:17), paralleling the barren womb and the future resurrection of Christ (Romans 4:24–25). • Universal application – Because Abraham was counted righteous before circumcision, he becomes “the father of all who believe” (Romans 4:11), whether Jew or Gentile. • Consistency with the rest of Scripture – Galatians 3:6 cites the same verse to show that “those who have faith are sons of Abraham.” – Ephesians 2:8–9 echoes the principle: salvation is “by grace…through faith…not by works.” Implications for Us Today - Salvation rests on trusting God’s promise fulfilled in Christ, not on personal merit. - Faith is counted as righteousness because it unites the believer to the Righteous One (Philippians 3:9). - Abraham’s story calls believers to a lifestyle of confident trust, knowing God keeps every promise (2 Corinthians 1:20). |
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