01/30/S – Righteousness and Deliverance by Faith

NT: “What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about — but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:1-5‬ ‭CSB)

While Abraham is the biological forefather of the Jewish race, he is the spiritual father of all who place their faith in Christ. In Genesis 15 we find the story of God making a covenant with Abram. Earlier in Genesis, God had promised to make Abram a father of many nations and through his descendants, all of the world would be blessed. Several years had passed and Abram had no children of his own. He was beginning to fear that God’s promise would not come to pass. God spoke to him in that moment and reassured Abram that the deal was still on… that God hadn’t forgotten His promise… that Abram would have a biological heir and his descendants would be as vast and numerous as the stars in the sky. At that word of reassurance from God, Abram believed (became established, trusted and stood firm in faith) the Lord and God credited (imputed, accounted, reckoned) it to Abram as righteousness. Abraham didn’t do anything to earn righteousness. He steadfastly believed God, and God gave him righteousness. There are two main systems that we can live in. One is the system of works where we earn things by the sweat of our brow, and things are owed to us. The other is the system of grace where things are given to us. Most of the world and world religious systems function in and on the system of works. The main problem with that system is that all people are born into immense debt that must be paid off before anything can be earned. If you think the national debt is bad – it is nothing compared to the debt of sin. God’s economy is an economy of grace through faith. We believe God… we believe His Word and his words… we trust His ways… we honor His will – and when we do that, He gives us (or graces us) what we need. We have the choice of what system we will live and function in. I choose to be given righteousness through steadfast faith in Christ.

Psalms: “But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because he has treated me generously.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭CSB)

In the beginning of Psalm 13, David said, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me?” As David considered his situation – whatever it was – he felt like he had been abandoned by God and was consumed with anxiety. But David was not a man who walked merely by the things he saw or allowed himself to be lead by his feelings. David was a man of faith. Eventhough it seemed like God had forgotten about him, David believed God’s word over what he could see and feel. God’s word said that God was faithful to His people and His promises – so instead of allowing his circumstances and feelings guide his path, he looked up to God and who he knew God to be by faith. Because David knew God’s checed (zealous mercy and faithful covenantal love), he knew that God would generously grace him with deliverance. In times when we feel abandoned and alone, when our thoughts are full of anxiety… what do we know about God? Even beyond that, what does God’s word say about God? Instead of trusting in what we see and feel, if we will lay our lives down in worship to God and trust Him, He will renew our thoughts and grace us with deliverance.