...and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. (James 2:23)
This is one of the most remarkable and significant statements in the Bible, and repeated four times (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; Jas 2:23). It refers back to Genesis 15:6 which says: “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” The Septuagint says: "And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."
It is still a very puzzling statement to many. How can it be possible that God imputes (or counts, or accounts) righteousness to the one who believes on Him? But this is fully explained in the fourth chapter of Romans. To believe God is to believe the record that He has given to us in the Bible regarding His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
This record tells us that Jesus of Nazareth is God the Word who became sinless Man to die for the sins of the whole world, and to rise again for our justification. On the cross, He paid the full penalty for all the sins of the whole world (not merely the so-called "elect"). There is now no more sacrifice for sins. Thereby He has reconciled the world to God, and God has reconciled the world to Himself.
Now all those who repent and believe on Christ are justified by grace through faith. To believe on Him is also to receive Him as Lord and Savior. To be justified is to also be deemed righteous, since God imputes the perfect righteousness of Christ to the one who believes on Him. To be justified is to also be saved by grace, and to be saved by grace is also to receive the gift of eternal life, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Did Abraham believe that Jesus would be the Lamb of God who would die for the sins of the whole world? It would seem so since he said to Isaac: My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Gen 22:8) Since it was not a lamb but a ram which Abraham offered in place of Isaac, it is clear that he was not referring to this ram, but to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29)
However the question remains ”Why does God justify the ungodly, and why does God impute righteousness to the one who believes?” And the answer lies in the fact that “There is none righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10). Which means that all are under condemnation. Therefore God offers salvation freely to all, and that salvation is in Christ Himself -- the Bread of Life and God our Savior.
But God has placed two conditions before all men. He has placed two commandments before all men. He now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) and He now commands all men to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved (Acts 16:31; 1 John 3:23). Therefore those who obey the Gospel are justified by grace through faith, apart from any good works or good deeds. Those who reject or refuse Christ and the Gospel condemn themselves and are consequently damned.
This is one of the most remarkable and significant statements in the Bible, and repeated four times (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; Jas 2:23). It refers back to Genesis 15:6 which says: “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” The Septuagint says: "And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."
It is still a very puzzling statement to many. How can it be possible that God imputes (or counts, or accounts) righteousness to the one who believes on Him? But this is fully explained in the fourth chapter of Romans. To believe God is to believe the record that He has given to us in the Bible regarding His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
This record tells us that Jesus of Nazareth is God the Word who became sinless Man to die for the sins of the whole world, and to rise again for our justification. On the cross, He paid the full penalty for all the sins of the whole world (not merely the so-called "elect"). There is now no more sacrifice for sins. Thereby He has reconciled the world to God, and God has reconciled the world to Himself.
Now all those who repent and believe on Christ are justified by grace through faith. To believe on Him is also to receive Him as Lord and Savior. To be justified is to also be deemed righteous, since God imputes the perfect righteousness of Christ to the one who believes on Him. To be justified is to also be saved by grace, and to be saved by grace is also to receive the gift of eternal life, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Did Abraham believe that Jesus would be the Lamb of God who would die for the sins of the whole world? It would seem so since he said to Isaac: My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Gen 22:8) Since it was not a lamb but a ram which Abraham offered in place of Isaac, it is clear that he was not referring to this ram, but to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29)
However the question remains ”Why does God justify the ungodly, and why does God impute righteousness to the one who believes?” And the answer lies in the fact that “There is none righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10). Which means that all are under condemnation. Therefore God offers salvation freely to all, and that salvation is in Christ Himself -- the Bread of Life and God our Savior.
But God has placed two conditions before all men. He has placed two commandments before all men. He now commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) and He now commands all men to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved (Acts 16:31; 1 John 3:23). Therefore those who obey the Gospel are justified by grace through faith, apart from any good works or good deeds. Those who reject or refuse Christ and the Gospel condemn themselves and are consequently damned.