“Then he believed in the LORD”

| BY SEAN CAVENDER |

In the Bible, Abraham becomes a model of true, saving faith. The Scripture testifies of Abraham’s faith in Genesis 15:6, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Although this verse explicitly states Abraham’s faith in God’s promise, this is not the first expression of Abraham’s faith. Abraham began his journey of faith when God called him to leave his home (Genesis 12:4; Hebrews 11:8). 

Genesis 15:6 is an essential passage in the New Testament since it is quoted to defend justification by grace through faith. The apostle Paul quotes it a few times (Romans 4:3, 22; Galatians 3:6), as does James (James 2:23). Therefore, this verse is crucial for our understanding of salvation by God’s grace. But, what does it teach us?

1. We learn that walking by faith is a lifelong journey. Genesis 15 is not “the” single moment in Abraham’s life that he began to walk by faith. No, he had already been walking by faith since Genesis 12. Yet, Abraham’s journey was not without troubles. He lied to Pharaoh and Abimelech. He committed adultery with Hagar. Abraham supposed he might appoint Eliezer as an adopted heir. Yet God corrected Abraham’s misguided thoughts by assuring him that he would have a biological son. And Abraham believed God! When Abraham received the sign of circumcision, he acted by faith (Romans 4:11). Then the most significant test of faith that Abraham ever had was to offer the promised son as a burnt offering — and he proved his faith by his obedience (James 2:22-23). The test to leave his homeland paled in comparison with the trial to offer up his son. These different tests ought to impress upon us the growth of Abraham’s faith throughout his life.  
2. God saw Abraham’s faith and counted him as righteous. Abraham did not earn a righteous status before God. God saw his faith and graciously counted Abraham as righteous. Paul argues in Romans 4 that justification and righteousness are credited to believers by God’s forgiveness of sins (Romans 4:5-8). Abraham received a great blessing from God when He forgave Abraham of his sins and misguided efforts. And so do we! We are blessed when God does not hold our sins against us anymore and forgives us. When we believe in the saving power of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are made righteous by God’s grace (Romans 4:22-25). God forgives our sins and justifies us through the sacrifice of Jesus. 
3. We must understand faith comprehensively. While faith involves emotional trust in God’s word and acceptance of certain truths, it is never used in contrast to inactivity. The New Testament expresses the idea of faith as the “obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5; 16:26). Faith, rightly understood, is “faithfulness,” “fidelity,” or “allegiance.” Arndt and Gingrich define ‘faith’ as “the state of being someone in whom confidence can be placed, faithfulness, reliability, fidelity, commitment” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 818). Paul demonstrates that Abraham was obedient to God when he was circumcised (Romans 4:11). Furthermore, Paul admonishes us to walk “in the steps of the faith” of Abraham (Romans 4:12). James agreed with Paul when he contended that faith without works is dead (James 2:20-24). We must recognize the holistic and comprehensive nature of faith to include emotional trust, acceptance of certain truths, and obedience to God’s word. Abraham’s example demonstrates each of these things as the true expression of faith.
4. Faith is how we enter the family of God. Paul appeals to Abraham’s faith in Galatians 3:6 and how Abraham believed God’s word, citing the passage in Genesis 15. God blessed Abraham by counting Him as righteous, and so are all people who believe in God. All people who have faith are blessed with Abraham and by Abraham’s Seed, who is Christ (Galatians 3:7-9, 14, 16). We must believe that Jesus is the Seed of Abraham that would bless all nations with salvation. When we believe, we become part of the family of God (Galatians 3:26-27). God adopts us as His children (Galatians 4:5). Therefore, we must believe in God and His Son Jesus Christ to gain status in God’s family. 

The statement about Abraham’s faith in Genesis 15:6 becomes an impetus for helping us understand the nature of saving faith. We must believe in God, trust His word, and obey His commands. When we do so, we can enjoy the same blessing that Abraham enjoyed — forgiveness of sins!