We’ve been looking at Paul’s letter to the Roman church.  He’s been using Abraham as the example of how we’re to look to God in faith.  We’re to fully trust in His power to accomplish anything that He speaks to us.

Abraham heard from God and believed what he was told.  We’re shown the result of this type of faith.

This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:22

It was because of his faith that God inventoried righteousness into Abraham’s heavenly account.  That was great for Abraham, but what does that mean for us?

The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Romans 4:23-24

So, when Scripture talks about the Lord crediting Abraham with righteousness, it’s for our benefit.  It’s so that we can understand the process.  God wants to put His righteousness in our accounts as well.

The good news is that having this righteousness in my account is not based upon how good I am.  It’s not how well I read the Bible or pray.  It’s solely based upon my trust in the One who raised Christ from the dead.

Anything else is worthless legalism.  There’s nothing I can do to earn this great blessing.  Paul makes this clear by explaining the process to us.

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Romans 4:25

Two things are happening in this verse to win our accounting of righteousness.  The first, being that Jesus was delivered over.

That literally means the He was surrendered.  The word, “death”, is not in this verse.  Actually, He surrendered himself to more than just death.

He surrendered himself to being born as one of us.  He lived a life as one of us, feeling the same pains, hunger, frustrations, and everything else that life on this planet throws at you.

Why did the Lord do this?  Paul tells us that it was for our sins that He surrendered himself.  The word Paul uses for sin is not the normal one.  This one means a side-slip – it could be something that’s either intentional or unintentional.

It was my sin that brought Him here.  Because of my mistakes, the Lord lived a human life and died a cruel death on the cross.

But, Praise God, that wasn’t the end of it.  He didn’t stay dead.  He was raised back to life again for our justification.

That’s a big word.  Many people don’t understand all of its implications.  Justification means that because of what Jesus Christ did, I’m now declared “Not Guilty.”  And that’s even before I go to trial!

In God’s eyes, because I’m now found in Christ, I’m innocent of all wrongdoing.  Is that fair?  Absolutely not!  But God found a way to save me (and you) through the surrendering of Jesus Christ to all that He went through.

Don’t let it be in vain.  Trust the Lord for the righteousness that only He can give you.

Question: How has the work of Christ changed your life?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi