6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
This
was the foundation of Abram’s salvation. In the great argument that Paul puts
forward in the letter to the Romans in chapter 4 he explains that faith,
belief, rather than works is the foundation of salvation. It is our belief in
God and in what He has said that is the method by which we are saved. See here,
Romans 4 through the first verse of 5.
Romans 4:1 ¶ What shall we
say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by
works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not
reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his
faith is counted for righteousness. 6
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom
God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
[Paul then uses circumcision as the example for works.
Circumcision is the physical sign that began the Jewish people which they
received in their body. They thought that identification saved them but Paul
makes it clear that it did not. It is the Jewish Christian’s belief, their
faith in Christ that saved them, thereby knocking down their sense of
superiority to Gentiles.]
9 ¶ Cometh this blessedness then upon the
circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was
reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10
How was it then
reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not
in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of
the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be
the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that
righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who
are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith
of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir
of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through
the righteousness of faith. 14 For if
they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of
none effect: 15 Because the law worketh
wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by
grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only
which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is
the father of us all,
17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father
of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the
dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he
might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So
shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak
in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was
about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what
he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed
to him for righteousness.
23 ¶ Now it was not written for his sake alone,
that it was imputed to him; 24 But for
us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus
our Lord from the
dead; 25 Who was delivered
for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
5:1 ¶
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ:
In fact, Jesus Himself said that the essence of
salvation was believing what He said about Himself.
John
3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him.
We see by the construction of this sentence in John 3 that the
colon after life shows that what comes after it defines what came before it. To
believe on Christ is to believe what He said about Himself. What was that? Here
are two examples;
John
14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John
14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been
so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath
seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Just as Paul
tells the Philippian jailer with the Holy Spirit giving us the same sentence
structure as in John 3:36.
Acts
16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Do you see how in verse 6 in Genesis 15 here that believing in
means believing what God has said? This is not about just believing there is a
God. That doesn’t save you from an eternity of agony.
James
2:19 Thou believest that there is one
God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
The foundation of our faith is believing in what Christ, as God in
the flesh, said about Himself. Abram’s belief was counted for righteousness. It
was imputed or credited to him by way of his faith.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should
boast.
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