“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform
And therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness”
Romans 4:20-22 (KJV)
The first thing we note is that Abraham did not waver at all concerning God’s promises for him. James 1:6-8 explains that anyone who wavers is not walking in faith and as a result, such person cannot (that is, totally unable to) receive anything from God. Abraham refused to waver. Instead, he grew stronger as a result of his being empowered by faith. And how did Abraham get empowered by faith? He gave praise to God!!! Abraham arrived to a point where he was established and firmly rooted in his faith in God. He abounded and multiplied in that faith as a result of thanksgiving to God. Never underestimate the power of thanksgiving and praise, they go a long way in helping you release your faith in God (Colossians 2:7).
Romans 4:21 then makes us understand that Abraham was fully confident and assured that the same God who had promised him was also able and mighty enough to keep the Word that had been promised…
Now, check out verse 22 of Romans 4,
“And therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness”
It was this particular verse that completely blew me away.
Due to the fact that Abraham believed that God was able to do what He had promised, God declared Abraham to be a righteous man!!!
This is a very, very profound truth that is about to be shared. If you can just grasp it now, this truth has the potential to change how you view God’s righteousness. This is a verse that shows God’s grace at its best.
It’s amazing how people can easily believe that God spoke the entire world into existence.
It’s amazing how people believe that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
As believers, we find it easy to believe that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1).
Infact, we find it relatively easier to believe that God’s Word “became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
Yet, when it comes to righteousness by faith, we find ourselves at our wit’s end.
See, Abraham only believed God’s Word that he would inherit the world,
“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 (Romans 4:13)”.
All Abraham did was to believe Go
d’s Word and God looked at Abraham and said, “YOU ARE A RIGHTEOUS MAN!!!”
Do you know what I consider to be the most amazing thing about this truth?
It is the promise itself!
See, the promise that God gave Abraham wasn’t that he would be saved or won’t go to hell! Let’s check the story together in Genesis 15:1-6,
After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your Shield, your abundant compensation, and your reward shall be exceedingly great.
And Abram said, Lord God, what can You give me, since I am going on [from this world] childless and he who shall be the owner and heir of my house is this [steward] Eliezer of Damascus?
And Abram continued, Look, You have given me no child; and [a servant] born in my house is my heir.
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, This man shall not be your heir, but he who shall come from your own body shall be your heir.
And He brought him outside [his tent into the starlight] and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars–if you are able to number them. Then He said to him, So shall your descendants be.
And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God).
It was on this note that Abraham was put in right standing with God as a man who had righteousness imputed into his account.
Friend, if God could do this mighty for a man who believed God’s promise for a son, why do you still find it difficult to relate with the truth that God’s grace has saved you and you have received God’s righteousness by faith?
