Faithful on Fridays Blog

The Apostle Paul wrote that we walk by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7) meaning that steps are needed in our relationship with God. Each time Abraham took a step of faith God gave him another one, one foot in front of the other: faith footsteps. Abraham received three words from God when we find him in Gen. 15 where God revealed a powerful fourth: 

… “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Genesis 15:5-6 NLT

We find that phrase used in the New Testament as well (Rom. 4:3), consequently, we should know what counted means. It’s like your credit card bill; you have charges every month and if you don’t pay them you are penalized. In God’s system we were charged with a sin nature (due to Adam) recorded on our bill, therefore, we have no ability on our own to believe, seek, or do good: none is righteous, no, not one (Rom. 3:10b). Sounds grim, doesn’t it? 

That was Paul’s point. Abraham received faith from God and his credit card bill was cleared of the charges. What a great revelation! All the sin charged to his bill was now paid by his faith, he was justified: just-if-I’d never sinned. As New Testament believers we know we are justified through our faith in what Jesus did on our behalf.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

We are now the promised descendants, heirs of the same faith that Abraham had; now that’s good news. We don’t work for our faith but our works are a by-product of faith as James writes:

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” James 2:18 NLT

Abraham had a relationship with God, in fact, he’s called a friend of God. When we take that first step of faith we are also considered God’s friends. We begin to live God’s kind of life of faith, zoe, taking one step at a time. 

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. Romans 4:13 ESV

If you are a believer in Jesus then your charges are paid for and your account is cleared; learn to listen to God, sharing the faith of Abraham, and respond to His word. You are His heir and the world’s ownership is guaranteed to you through His grace in Christ (Rom. 4:11-16). What’s your next step?