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Romans 5:6 – Irreverent and Undeserving

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:6

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Truth to Learn

God did it all for us in spite of the fact that we didn’t deserve it.

Behind the Words

The word translated “without strength” is the Greek word asthenēs, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of sthenos, meaning “strength,” Hence, asthenēs means “without strength, powerless, or without ability.”

This word “ungodly” is from asebēs. This is made up of a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of sebomai, meaning “to revere or worship.” So, we see that asebēs means, “without reverence, or one who does not worship.”

Word Order – In Greek, word order is used for emphasis. A word-order literal translation of this verse is “for Christ, we being without ability, in due time for the irreverent died.” The emphasis of this verse is on Christ.

Meaning Explained

In Romans chapter four Paul showed us that it is not through works that we are justified before God, rather it is through faith. Because we believe the promise of God, He chose to declare us righteous (even though we aren’t righteous, He chose to declare us so). Paul ended the last chapter with the statement that Christ was delivered on account of our offenses and He was raised again to provide for our justification. In the first five verses of this chapter, we learned that there are a number of benefits to this justification by faith.

He now goes back to the subject of Christ’s death so that we can understand better why Christ died for us. He sets this up by pointing out that we couldn’t do it ourselves. Because of our own lack of righteousness (remember, there is none righteous, not even one) we were without strength. Because of our sinfulness we were unable to stand in the presence of a sinless God, and we did not possess the ability to make ourselves righteous. As a result, because God is a righteous God and must punish the guilty sinner (that means you and me), we would have stood condemned in His presence unless someone who is righteous was willing to pay our penalty for us.

Which is exactly what Paul says happened. The last half of this verse says that Christ (the sinless, righteous one) died for the ungodly. We were irreverent sinners who would stand condemned before God when Christ gave Himself for us.

It’s easy to imagine a wealthy benefactor giving money to a poor child who does nice things for others in spite of his or her own poverty. However, it’s hard to imagine that this same wealthy benefactor would give money to an obnoxious, mean, spiteful young child no matter how poor. What Paul is saying in this and the following verses is that in spite of our being obnoxious, mean, and spiteful (a.k.a. sinful) and without the ability to change ourselves, Jesus the Christ (the anointed one) died for us so that we can stand as sinless and righteous before our Holy God.

Application

It’s easy to get cavalier about our salvation until we realize how much God did for us, how ungodly we are without Him, how powerless we are to save ourselves, and how undeserving we are. In spite of all this, while we were ungodly and unable to do anything about it, Christ died for us. Hallelujah!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Romans 5:5 – Unimaginable Love

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:5

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Truth to Learn

God has abundantly shown His love for us.

Behind the Words

The word translated “disappoint” is kataischunō, which is a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” but often denoting “badness” and a form of aischuno, which means “to cause shame.” Hence the word means “abundant shame, extreme dishonor, or utter disgrace.”

“Poured out” is from the Greek word ekcheō, which is a compound word made up of ek, meaning “out” or “out of” and the verb cheō, meaning “to pour.” Hence, this word means “to pour out.”

The words “was given” are from the verb didōmi, which means “to give of one’s own accord.” It’s not just a passive handing over of something, but an action that is voluntarily initiated through the giver’s own good will.

Meaning Explained

We have been learning from Paul some of the wonderful benefits of salvation by faith: peace, access to God’s grace, patience in trials, assurance of God’s trustworthiness, and confident expectation. He now tells us that this hope (confident expectation) does not make us ashamed. Paul says that because we have this confident expectation, God will surely fulfill His promises to us; we will not be “embarrassingly ashamed” with regard to our faith and our God.

Some day everyone will stand before the Creator of the universe. Those who have rejected Christ, who have not believed the promises of God, and have not humbled themselves before Him to receive his gracious gift of salvation, will stand before the Judge of the Universe. They will be ashamed of what they have done and of what they have believed. Then they will be cast into the lake of fire where they will experience eternal torment! We who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, however, will stand before Him and we will receive rewards for all that we have done in His behalf. We will not be ashamed. We will then be ushered into heaven to be eternally in His presence and to experience the wonders He has created for us!

And Paul says the reason that we will not be ashamed is because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts. This is not the love that we have for God, rather it is the love that God has for us. Do you see? God did not simply give us a sip or a taste of his love; He poured it out in abundance directly from His heart to ours. And He has done this through the Holy Spirit whom he has given to us as a guarantee and a seal of our salvation, never to be taken away. Both the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul describe this love God has for us:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us … (Ephesians 2:4)

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

Without this unimaginable love we are lost forever.

Application

Let us give our praise to God for the great love with which He loves us even though we are so unlovely!+

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 5:4 – Rejoice in Hope

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:4

and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Truth to Learn

Difficulties should give us hope and assurance of our salvation.

Behind the Words

“Character” is translated from the Greek word dokimē, which is derived from the verb dokimadzō, meaning “to test for the purpose of finding good.” It is the word used of testing gold to ascertain its value. Hence, dokimē refers to the quality that a person has after they have been tested and proven to be good or worthy. In that sense it means “proof of genuineness, trustworthiness or character (as it is translated here).”

This word “hope” is from a Greek word that we have looked at recently. It is the word elpida, which is a form of elpis, meaning “the desire of obtaining something good with the full expectation of obtaining it.” It is the type of hope that Christians have of being resurrected to eternal life. We certainly desire it and we have full expectation that it will happen because God has promised it to us.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been describing for us the effects of the justification we have through grace. One effect is that we have peace with God. Another is that we have access into grace, that is the throne of grace and the eternal effects of grace by which we have access to the mercy and presence of God. Also, because of our justification by grace, we rejoice in tribulation, which produces patience in us.

Paul now tells us that the patience we develop in times of tribulation, as it gets reinforced over and over again, produces character. Patiently enduring tribulation is a proof to us that the righteousness that God has bestowed on us is genuine.

This character, or proof of genuineness, then creates hope in us. Hence, the patient enduring of tribulation produces a proof of the genuineness of our faith (our righteousness) and knowing that this is genuine, we have a confident expectation that what God has promised He will certainly do.

If you think about it, believing His promise is what we did initially that resulted in God declaring us righteous. So, patiently enduring tribulation strengthens our faith. That’s why we can rejoice in tribulation! It is through tribulation and trials that our faith grows and we are being made more Christ-like.

In a sense, the trials that continually come our way are a confirmation that our salvation is real. And, as we encounter trials, we turn to our Heavenly Father for strength and wisdom, thus drawing us closer to Him. God does not isolate His children from difficulties; He graciously allows trials to help us grow.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us that God will continue His work on us until the day He comes back:

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6)

Application

The next time you go through a difficult situation (perhaps it’s right now), be patient. Give thanks to God that He loves you and wants you to grow stronger, becoming more like Christ. And, when these trials come, rejoice!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 5:3 – Joyful Tribulation

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:3

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;

Truth to Learn

We also rejoice in difficult times because these are the times when we learn to endure hardship.

Behind the Words

The Greek word that is translated “glory” in the current verse is the word kauchomai, which means “to boast (either in a good or a bad sense)” or “to rejoice.” However, in the previous verse the word translated “glory” is a different Greek word. It is the word doxes, which primarily means “thought or opinion, especially favorable human opinion,” and thus in a secondary sense “reputation, praise or honor.” But the word in the previous verse that is translated “rejoice” is kauchomai. Therefore, to be consistent in our translation, we see that the word “glory” in the current verse should probably be translated “rejoice.”

“Tribulations” is translated from thlipsis, which is derived from the verb thlibō, meaning “to crush, compress, or squeeze.” Hence, we can see that thlipsis refers to “pressure, affliction, distress, or tribulation.”

The word translated “perseverance” is hupomonē, which is made up of hupo (or hypo), meaning “under or beneath” and a form of menō, which means “to stay or to remain.” It is a picture of a beast of burden who, when loaded with a heavy burden, remains under the load. That is, he perseveres under the load with patience.

Meaning Explained

Paul now tells us that not only do we rejoice in our confident expectation of standing in the glory of God one day, but we also glory or rejoice in afflictions.

So, what Paul is saying in this verse is that we rejoice in tribulation, distress, or affliction. But that doesn’t make sense, does it? When we are in the midst of tribulation, do we feel like rejoicing? No! But Paul says that we should. Why? Because when we are undergoing trials and tribulations and we realize that Jesus went through even greater trials and tribulation (leading up to and while on the cross), we can identify with Him and gain some comfort in the fact that He knows what we are going through. This, then, helps us endure the tribulation, and by enduring it we learn patience.

Patience is one of those things that everyone wants to have without having to earn it. Unfortunately, though, patience can only be learned and fully developed under trying circumstances, and even then only by trusting in God to carry us through. James teaches us a very similar thing regarding trials which test our faith:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (James 1:2-3)

The word translated “patience” in James is the same word as the one translated “perseverance” in today’s verse.

Application

Beware of asking God for patience unless you’re really serious. God may very well give it to you by taking you through trying or distressing situations through which you will develop patience if you remain under the load.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 5:2 – Glorious Access

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:2

through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Truth to Learn

We have access to God’s grace and look forward to being in His presence.

Behind the Words

The word translated “access” is prosagōgē, which is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and a form of agō, which means “to lead, to bring, or to come.” Hence, prosagōgē means “bring near or access.” The concept of access has two aspects to it. The first is the ability to get somewhere or to have something and the other is the authority or right to get somewhere or to have something. This Greek word means both, but the emphasis is on the latter, the authority.

“Have” is translated from the Greek word echo, which means “to have, as if to hold in one’s hand.” In other words, the access we just described is something which we possess. This possession is even more significant because echo is expressed in the perfect tense. This particular tense has no direct equivalent in English. It signifies a completed past action with a resultant ongoing state of being, the primary emphasis being on the ongoing state of being. In other words, this privilege of access is something we now possess as a result of something already completed. We no longer have to do anything to gain it or to continue to possess it. It is ours to keep!

The word “hope” is translated from elpis, which we have looked at before. It means “hope, with confident expectation of receiving that which is hoped for.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse we noted that one result of our being justified by grace is that we are at peace with God. If you haven’t thought much about that since reading the previous verse, think about it now. You have a relationship of peace with the God of all creation and the Judge of the world. That is a marvelous thing! That peace is through Jesus Christ who is now our Lord, that is to say, our master, our owner. We belong to Him because He has paid for us with His blood.

Most people in the world today very much value freedom and don’t like to think about being owned by anyone or anything. We want to be our own lord and we don’t want to bow to anyone else. God’s lordship over us, however, has some wonderful benefits, one of which is identified in the current verse. Because Jesus Christ is our Lord, this verse says that we “have access by faith into this grace …”

We now have access to God’s grace bestowed upon us: this free gift of salvation. And, although we didn’t (and still don’t) deserve it, salvation is freely given to us. It is ours to keep. As a result we rejoice! That’s what Paul says. We rejoice in the hope (remember that means confident expectation) of the glory of God. We rejoice because we are confident that we will be bathed in God’s glory as a result of our being in His presence, knowing that He is our Lord, not our Judge!

Application

Let us rejoice! Not only do we no longer fear the wrath of a righteous God, we actually look forward to being in His presence as our Lord! How great is God’s grace through which righteousness is imputed to us when we believe His promise!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 5:1 – Peace Through Faith

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:1

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

Salvation by faith produces peace with God.

Behind the Words

“We have” is from the Greek verb echō, meaning “to hold” or “to possess.” However, there is a variation in the form of this verb depending on which Greek manuscripts are used. Some texts have this in the indicative mood indicating it as a present fact (“we have” as it is translated here). Other texts have this verb expressed in either the subjunctive mood (“we may have” or “we should have”) or the imperative mood (“let us have” as a command). The difference in the readings is only the difference between an omicron (short o) and an omega (long ō). In spite of these differences, the reading of “we have peace” is justified by the fact that the parallel verbs (“we have” and “we rejoice”) in the following verse are both in the indicative mood.

The word translated “peace” is eirēnē, which does, in fact, mean “peace.” However, this is not so much an expression of contentment, satisfaction, and quiet, as it is “a state of reconciliation with God.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous chapters the Apostle Paul has shown:

1) That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;

2) That this applies to both Jews and Gentiles;

3) That there was no way to obtain righteousness (become justified) but by pardon, not by personal merit, but by grace, through faith;

4) That this was also the manner in which Abraham and David were accepted before God.

He will now show us a couple of the effects, or fruits, of this justification that we have. The first is, because we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God. About this peace, Matthew Henry in his Commentary on the Whole Bible said,

It is sin that breeds the quarrel between us and God, creates not only a strangeness, but an enmity; the holy righteous God cannot in honour be at peace with a sinner while he continues under the guilt of sin. Justification takes away the guilt, and so makes way for peace. And such are the benignity and good-will of God to man that, immediately upon the removing of that obstacle, the peace is made. By faith we lay hold of God’s arm and of his strength, and so are at peace …

Those who try to work for their salvation can never have peace because they never know whether they have done enough (which they never can) and so are always worried about it. In contrast to that, Paul says that because our salvation is given to us as a result of our faith by a loving God who will never take it away, we have peace and assurance.

Next, Paul will show us what else we have as a result of our justification by grace.

Application

Do you have peace with God? Can you stand in His presence assured that He is at peace with you? You can have this peace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 4:25 – Resurrection Justification

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:25

who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

Truth to Learn

Salvation is only through faith in the sacrificial death and bodily resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

Behind the Words

“Delivered” is translated from paradidōmi, which is made up of para, meaning “beside, to the side of, or over to” and didōmi, meaning “to give.” Hence, it means “to give over to” or “to surrender to.”

The word “offenses” is from paraptōma, which is derived from parapiptō, meaning “to fall by the side” or “to slip-up.”

“Justification” is from the word dikaiōsis, from the verb dikaioō, which means “to justify” or “to declare righteous.”

Meaning Explained

Abraham believed that God would raise up a son from the deadness of his own body and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Abraham also believed that God would raise Isaac again from the dead after he was to offer him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (see Genesis 22:1-19). In the same way we are to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that he will raise us from the dead unto eternal life. Though it is different subject matter in each case, it is still faith that God responds to with His declaration of righteousness.

We are not to believe in just anything. It’s not just blind faith in “a deity” or simply believing that there is a God. In order for us to be declared righteous by God, we have to believe in what He tells us about ourselves and about Jesus. We are sinners, and we deserve the punishment of Hell for our sins; therefore, we need salvation that we can’t provide for ourselves. The worst part of the punishment of Hell is not the torment of the fire; rather, it is the separation from God, the inability to fellowship with Him, the fact that He has sentenced us to a place of loneliness and emptiness. That’s the real agony Hell induces.

As Paul states in this verse, Jesus was delivered because of our offenses. Jesus took on our offenses and suffered our punishment for us. We must believe this. While Jesus was hanging on the cross, there was darkness for three hours. Toward the end of this time of darkness, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Why? It was during these three hours that Jesus was separated from God the Father for the only time ever. It was during this time that Jesus suffered the loneliness of Hell for us. It was during this time that He suffered in our place and paid the penalty for our sins!

Paul then states that He was raised for our justification. We are justified because Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God. This is according to His promise just as Isaac was raised from the deadness of Abraham and of Sarah’s womb, and Isaac would have been raised from the dead if Abraham had been allowed to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah. Because we believe in the resurrection of Christ and believe God’s promise that He will raise us up to eternal life, He has imputed righteousness to us and has given us the seal of the Holy Spirit to keep until He fulfills His promise.

Application

Paul has been teaching us that eternally secure salvation is by the grace of God through faith and faith alone. Hallelujah!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 4:24 – Imputed Permanently

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:24

but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

Truth to Learn

Righteousness is imputed to everyone who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Behind the Words

“From” is the translation of ek, which means “out” or “out of.”

The word translated “the dead” is nekros, which is derived from nekus, meaning “a corpse.” Hence, nekros means “a dead one.” It is expressed here in the plural. Therefore Paul is saying that Jesus was raised out of (from) the dead ones.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Paul told us that Moses’ writing about Abraham’s believing faith, and his subsequently being declared righteous by God, was not done for Abraham’s sake alone. It was also written for those of us who have also believed God’s promise and have been declared righteous because of our faith.

Having taken each of these verses and having slowly dissected them one at a time as we have, we may also have lost a little of the impact that this verse would have had on the predominantly Jewish Christians in Rome. You see, Paul has been very carefully showing these believers in the Law that it is not obedience to the Law or their being Jewish that has saved them. Rather, it is their faith. He has just proved to them that they did not earn their salvation in any way. Instead, he has shown them that their salvation, that is, their righteousness, came about only because God chose to declare them righteous when they believed in the resurrection of Jesus. This verse and the following verse are the ones that complete the irrefutable argument that Paul has been delivering. This salvation is completely God’s doing!

Also, according to Ephesians 1:13,14 Paul told the believers at Ephesus that upon believing (and being declared righteous by God) we were sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation. Here’s what it says:

“… hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance …”

This is a significant point. Think about it. If God is the one who declared us righteous and as a result sealed us with the Holy Spirit who has been given to us as an earnest (a guarantee), then we can never lose our salvation because He can never take the Holy Spirit back from us. It’s like earnest money you put down when you offer to purchase a house; if you decide to remove your purchase offer, you don’t get your earnest money back because that was your guarantee. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that God will complete our salvation as He promised. Even if He were to take back your righteousness (which He won’t), He couldn’t take back His Holy Spirit; that’s your guarantee! This means no matter what you do you can’t lose your salvation.

Application

If you are a born again Christian then you have been declared righteous by God. You didn’t do anything to earn it in the first place, and you can’t lose it no matter what you do!

That’s security! And it’s eternal!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 4:23 – Old Truths for Us

Posted on January 24, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:23

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,

Truth to Learn

The Old Testament declares important truths for Christians.

Behind the Words

In Greek there are two different words translated “not.” One is ou and the other is mē. The second of these, mē, indicates a conditional negation or when denial is a matter of thought, not fact. The word ou, on the other hand, indicates absolute negation as a matter of fact. In the current verse, the word “not” is translated from the Greek word ou. Hence, it is a matter of fact, not opinion, that “it was not written for his sake alone.”

Meaning Explained

Since the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the predominantly Jewish Christians in Rome, they certainly were familiar with their ancestor, the patriarch Abraham. Paul has been demonstrating in a series of logical arguments that justification (God’s declaration of our righteousness) does not come from obeying a series of laws or church ordinances. Rather, justification comes of God’s free will (not our free will) to those who believe the promise(s) made by God as recorded in the Bible.

In Abraham’s case God promised that he would be the father of many nations and that he would have descendents as the sand of the sea or as the stars of the heaven, and Abraham believed God. As we have seen in the past few verses, this belief occurred even when Abraham was past child producing years, and he held firm to this belief for more than 20 years even as his body was getting older and less able to produce children.

Moses documented all of this in the book of Genesis, chronicling the life of Abraham in chapters 12 through 25. The specific reference in the current verse is to Genesis 15:5,6 where it says:

And He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.” And he believed in Jehovah. And He counted it to him for righteousness.

What Paul now tells us in the current verse is that Moses’ documentation of this event absolutely was not for Abraham’s sake alone (the fact that Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith). In fact, it was not written for Abraham’s sake at all, given the fact that Abraham had been dead more than 300 years when Moses wrote it. When this was written about Abraham, it clearly elevated Abraham in the eyes of all who read about this, more so than if it had simply been handed down as an oral tradition. So, in a sense, it may have had some benefit to Abraham but more so to his descendents who now had “bragging rights” about their ancestor.

Paul’s point, however, is that there is another (more important) reason that this was written about, and he will state that in the next verse.

Application

The things written in the Old Testament were not written just for the Jews. These things were also written for Christians who are the spiritual descendents of Abraham.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 4:22 – Unearned Credit

Posted on January 21, 2010 by Will

Romans 4:22

And therefore “It was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Truth to Learn

Salvation is a gift which is credited to our account when we believe God’s message in the Bible.

Behind the Words

The word translated “therefore” is dio. This is made up of dia, meaning “through, either positionally or instrumentally” and the personal pronoun hos, meaning “who, which, or what.” Hence, dio literally means “through which.” It can be translated as “therefore, wherefore, or consequently.”

“Accounted” is a word that we looked at back in verse three of this chapter. It is the word logidzomai, which means “to count out as one would count out money when payment is being made” or “the crediting to someone’s account based on the payment made.” The Hebrew word used in Genesis 15:6, which this verse quotes, is khashab, meaning “to think, to reckon, to regard, to consider, or to be accounted.” Therefore, based on the Hebrew word it is translating, logidzomai means “to put to one’s account” or “to credit to someone.” One way to think of this is that it is something which God marks in His record book.

Meaning Explained

Remember the therefore rule? Whenever you see a “therefore” or a “wherefore,” you need to see what it’s there for. In this case “therefore” is in reference to the fact that Abraham was fully persuaded. That is, his faith was strong and unwavering. He completely believed God. And, because Abraham had a firm conviction that God would do what He promised He would do (make Abraham’s descendents as numerous as the stars of the heavens and make Abraham the father of many nations), God credited that faith to him as righteousness. That is, it was marked in God’s record book next to Abraham’s name giving him credit for being righteous. He didn’t earn it; it was simply credited to him as a gift.

This is the crux of what we call salvation. God tells us that we are sinners condemned to suffer eternally in Hell. He tells us that we need salvation and that the only way for us to obtain salvation is to accept the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross in payment for our sins. So, first a person has to believe that he or she is a sinner. Next, we have to believe that we are going to be judged for our sins and that the punishment for our sins is eternity in hell. But how do we know these things? We know them because that’s what God tells us in the Bible. If we don’t believe the Bible is God’s word, then we don’t believe what God tells us in the Bible and there’s no reason to believe in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

However, if we believe that we are sinners who are going to hell, then we must believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. How do we know that He is the Son of God who died on the cross to pay for our sins? We know this because God tells us in His message to mankind, the Bible. When we believe that we are sinners and that Jesus’ blood was shed on the cross as payment for our sins, as a result of our faith, God credits righteousness to our account.

Application

We don’t earn salvation by believing; God simply gives us credit for it when we believe His message. That is, He credits us with righteousness. He doesn’t owe it to us. It’s His gift to us. That’s grace!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –