And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Abraham believed in the LORD, and God credited that faith to him as righteousness. What he believed was God's promise of a son and of blessing to all nations through his seed. He understood that promise about his seed to point to Christ, and he trusted Christ for forgiveness of sins.
That faith trusted God's word and promises even when no visible evidence of fulfillment appeared. Relying on God's word in darkness makes faith grow until it becomes triumphant, and Abraham's faith is the pattern for this, acknowledged by God as righteousness. When a person believes God's promise, that faith is counted for righteousness, and such trust honors God by drawing life from above and fixing the mind on eternal realities.
The faith so counted was not merely professed belief, which cannot justify. It was genuine faith that works through obedience and love, with works testifying to the character of the faith and making it complete. It was belief expressed in obedience that was credited by God as righteousness and made him righteous Abraham.
Although Abraham and Sarah believed God would fulfill the promise of a son, their faith was later tested by delay and by Sarah's old age. They failed to trust God's power to fulfill it through Sarah, and their attempt to secure its fulfillment through Hagar brought unhappiness.
When God required Isaac as a burnt offering, Abraham truly believed and in his heart fully made the sacrifice, and that faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. His willingness to offer Isaac made that faith real in his heart, for he believed God could raise Isaac from the dead and he trusted God through the test. His faith was perfect trust at every step, never questioning God's dealings or God's right over him, believing God sees the end from the beginning and is able to raise Isaac from the dead, a conviction he taught to Isaac.
Mere fleshly descent from Abraham does not make one his child, because lineal connection is superseded by spiritual connection. True relationship to Abraham is shown by doing his works and sharing his spirit of belief and obedience. Unbelief and persistent rejection of truth disinherit a person and prove by works that there is no real relationship to Abraham. That same faith gives strength and courage to others to believe God is their very best friend and to trust Him without questioning.
Abraham believed in the LORD, and God credited that faith to him as righteousness. What he believed was God's promise of a son and of blessing to all nations through his seed. He understood that promise about his seed to point to Christ, and he trusted Christ for forgiveness of sins.
That faith trusted God's word and promises even when no visible evidence of fulfillment appeared. Relying on God's word in darkness makes faith grow until it becomes triumphant, and Abraham's faith is the pattern for this, acknowledged by God as righteousness. When a person believes God's promise, that faith is counted for righteousness, and such trust honors God by drawing life from above and fixing the mind on eternal realities.
The faith so counted was not merely professed belief, which cannot justify. It was genuine faith that works through obedience and love, with works testifying to the character of the faith and making it complete. It was belief expressed in obedience that was credited by God as righteousness and made him righteous Abraham.
Although Abraham and Sarah believed God would fulfill the promise of a son, their faith was later tested by delay and by Sarah's old age. They failed to trust God's power to fulfill it through Sarah, and their attempt to secure its fulfillment through Hagar brought unhappiness.
When God required Isaac as a burnt offering, Abraham truly believed and in his heart fully made the sacrifice, and that faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. His willingness to offer Isaac made that faith real in his heart, for he believed God could raise Isaac from the dead and he trusted God through the test. His faith was perfect trust at every step, never questioning God's dealings or God's right over him, believing God sees the end from the beginning and is able to raise Isaac from the dead, a conviction he taught to Isaac.
Mere fleshly descent from Abraham does not make one his child, because lineal connection is superseded by spiritual connection. True relationship to Abraham is shown by doing his works and sharing his spirit of belief and obedience. Unbelief and persistent rejection of truth disinherit a person and prove by works that there is no real relationship to Abraham. That same faith gives strength and courage to others to believe God is their very best friend and to trust Him without questioning.