Belief and Righteousness
And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Yesterday we saw that Abraham had a decision to make—would he believe or reject the seemingly impossible promise God had made to him?
This verse reveals Abraham’s decision. He believed God.
Believing God and His promises when what He promises seems impossible is called faith. Faith is a required element of a Christian’s life.
The apostle Paul, in the New Testament, used this part of Abraham’s life as a vital lesson for Christians. Just as Abraham believed through faith, we must believe through faith. Those who demonstrate this same kind of faith are considered spiritual “sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7, 9). We are also told that Abraham’s faith made him a “friend of God” (James 2:23). Study Romans 4:3-6 and 9 to learn how Paul connected Abraham’s faith with true Christianity.
Righteousness is essentially the state of being right with God. In other words, righteousness is being in line with God by demonstrating His perfect character. That can only come by:
- Believing that God is God, and having faith that He will fulfill His promises (Hebrews 11:6).
- Repenting of the sins that separate us from His perfect character and being baptized (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38).
- Committing to live by His commandments, which define His righteousness (Psalm 119:172).
Though the Bible provides much detail about the subject of righteousness, this verse teaches us that the process of becoming a righteous person begins with one simple requirement—belief in the true God.
To learn more lessons about faithful Abraham, read our article “The Faith of Abraham.”
Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: “A Life of Blessings.”
