‘For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”’ (Romans 4:3 NLT).
Paul explained that Abraham was not considered righteous by his circumcision nor his good works, but by his faith. Paul quoted Moses, who wrote of Abraham, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). So, faith has always been the only way to please God. As the book of Hebrews states, “It is impossible to please God without faith” (Heb. 11:6).
Yet faith needs an object, something in which to believe. What did Abraham believe? He believed God’s promise concerning his son, Isaac, and was willing to obey God’s command to offer his one and only son as a sacrifice, saying, “God will provide a lamb” (Gen. 22:8). And God did, rescuing Isaac from death.
Now, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world has already come to us. He is Jesus, the object of our faith, the One and Only Son of God. He is the One in whom we believe, so that God counts us as righteous because of our faith in Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that by Your grace through faith in Jesus we have been made righteous. Thank You for the Lamb of God, Jesus, which takes away our sins. Strengthen us now by Your Spirit that we might live for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.