Credited Righteousness

As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Romans 4:17

It is written in Genesis 17:4-5: “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram (exalted father); your name will be Abraham (father of many nations) for I have made you a father of many nations.”

Since Abram had not yet fathered any offspring in Ur, the name may indicate a position of authority in his place of origin. “I have made…” God is not limited by time, so whatever He has decreed is a current fact. Even though he was already old, and the promise seemed improbable if not humanly impossible, Abraham did hope (anticipate with confidence) in this promise, because he believed God. After all, why would God promise this man something He did not intend to deliver?

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6).” Romans 4:18-22

Faith = what we know about God. What Abraham knew was that God is powerful enough to do what He said He’d do. God’s timing always has purpose. If, when Abram and Saria were young and fertile, she had become pregnant, well, that’s the natural course of events. But this child was not to be by the natural course. This was the child of promise, whom only the all-powerful One could produce. This was the son through whom the many nations would come; and the most important promise of all: the line of the Savior. So the dried-up reproductive organs flowed again with life and they conceived, though their bodies were “as good as dead.”

God is in the resurrection business, and this was an early type. From spiritually dead humanity comes One Who is the giver of life.

The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:23-25

Another wonderful truth about Holy Scripture: all those historical figures had their stories of experience with God, not for themselves alone, but for us also. They were the forerunners in the faith, who set the pattern for all who would follow, believing the same God who promised and produced the marvelous blessings to them will do those things for us. And for the same reason: they and we belong to Him.

He gave His unique Son to die, paying the penalty for our sins. Then He raised His unique Son from death, making our Justification freely available through faith in His finished work.

For us the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact which we believe. For Abraham, Isaac and Jacob it was a future promise which they believed. With God, however, Who is not bound by time, the atonement of Christ was an accomplished fact from eternity past.

We were born owing a debt we could never pay. Jesus died paying a debt He did not owe. It is HIS righteousness that is credited to our accounts, who have believed in Him. We who were spiritually dead now live because of His resurrection. We live forever IN CHRIST.