We looked, in the last few verses, at how strong Abraham's faith was. His trust in God did not waiver based on his earthly situation, he was fully convinced of God's faithfulness to His promise.
That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."
We can see from this verse that Abraham was counted righteous because of His faith in God. Was Abraham the only one that this applied to? NO, as we see in the next line:
But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also.
We can all enjoy the same gift of God, righteousness counted to us, as it was to Abraham.
I think it would be beneficial to spend some time answering the following question:
What is righteousness?
In the Greek, it comes from the root word for justified, meaning equitable (in character or act); by implication innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively): - just, meet, right
The English dictionary defines 'righteousness' as:
1. characterized by uprightness or morality: a righteous observance of the law.
2. morally right or justifiable: righteous indignation.
3. acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous: a righteous and godly person.
4. Slang. absolutely genuine or wonderful: some righteous playing by a jazz great.
The Greek word lays down a very high standard...innocent and holy. We can see from the English definitions that we have many applications of the word that indicate a higher standard as well. Yet, I think it is easy to gloss over the true definition of the word righteous - from God's perspective.
One commentary explained it like this: righteousness is the state or condition of perfectly conforming to God's perfect law and holy character.
We can see, from God's perspective (unblemished by sin), that true righteousness is perfection. True righteousness is the absence of sin. True righteousness is 100% pure goodness, as God sees goodness!
The problem...
Since true righteousness is perfection in every way, we know we can never obtain it as fallen creatures in the flesh. Yet, in order to be in a relationship with a perfect God, one has to be truly righteous - since God cannot have anything less in His presence. This creates a problem...and God gives us the solution!
We cannot earn or obtain righteousness, so God "counts us" as righteous, in order that we may enter into a relationship with Him!
Being counted as righteous means that God does hold our sin against us...in other words we are 100% forgiven. We are sinful creatures, but positionally God sees us as perfect - we are white as snow, unblemished before Him.
This is a free gift, that we cannot earn - that we could never earn if we tried (we should not try). This gift is free to us, but the cost was extremely high. It required the life of a perfect Lamb, that could impute, or give His righteousness and forgiveness to us. Our Father, being perfectly loving and merciful, provided that Lamb, and Jesus perfectly, lovingly, and mercifully laid down His life - paying the high price - for our sins! So that this last verse may be true:
It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord
Those who believe, who have faith in the God who raised Christ our Lord from the dead, will be "counted as righteous" before Him - able to enter into a relationship with Him - with a regenerated heart, restored and truly, eternally alive!
What are your thoughts on being counted as righteous?
Father, thank You so much for this expensive gift that You offer freely to us! We cannot completely grasp the true cost, nor can we grasp just how completely dead we were without it - so we ask that You continually help us appreciate it more every day, so that our walk with You would continually glorify You. In Your Son's Name, Amen!
It makes sense in Christianity's system that righteousness is the absence of sin. Sin is always treated like a thing of real substance and righteousness its absence, truly nothing in itself, like darkness or empty space: these are perfect in the absence of light and matter. Sin is so powerful than your only hope is the legal fiction imputed by joining your ranks; sin can infect everything and anything while righteousness cannot exist in its presence; sin must be made in sn eternal monument composed of human souls being tortured for eternity while righteousness settles into an endless church service in heaven; sin shines forth into the righteousness, which is why one sin makes everyone sinners, but no righteous act can save.
ReplyDelete