Galatians 3:6
just as Abraham “Believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness”
Truth to Learn
Our righteousness is not earned, it is credited to us.
Behind the Words
The word translated “accounted” is a form of “logidzomai” which is an accounting term meaning, “to credit something to someone’s account.” In the current verse we are told that God credited righteousness to Abraham’s account. In other words, God declared Abraham righteous when he believed.
Meaning Explained
Paul has been demonstrating to the Christian believers in the churches in Galatia that salvation comes by faith and by faith alone. The false teachers who had been teaching in these churches had convinced the Galatians that they needed to observe at least some of the Law of Moses in order to make their salvation complete. Paul has just pointed out to these believers that God provided His Holy Spirit to them, just as He does with all believers in the church age, by “the hearing of faith” and not by “works of the law.”
These false teachers were using the Hebrew Scriptures (what we now call the Old Testament) to demonstrate that circumcision and works of law were necessary for salvation. They may very likely have quoted from Geneses chapter 17 to support their argument.
Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him. (Genesis 17:24-27)
In response to this Paul will now use another example from the Old Testament to show why works of the law are not necessary. Paul also uses Abraham as his example.
Then He (God) brought him (Abraham) outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He (God) said to him (Abraham), “So shall your descendants be.” And he (Abraham) believed in the LORD, and He (God) accounted it to him (Abraham) for righteousness. (Genesis 15:5, 6)
When Abraham believed God, God credited it to him for righteousness. The subtlety of argument is the fact that Abraham was declared righteous (Genesis 15:6) some 20 years or so before Abraham was circumcised (Genesis 17:24). God declared Abraham righteous (saved him) based on faith alone without any works just as He declares us righteous based on faith alone.
Application
Have you earned the right for God to declare you righteous? No! Righteousness is a gift from God credited to us because we believe, not because we earned it.
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2007 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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