just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's often missed is that Abraham's faith wasn't just believing in God, but believing God – meaning he trusted God's specific promise. This trust was so significant that God didn't just see it as a good deed, but as the very substance of righteousness itself, the foundation for his right standing with God.
just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is arguing that the Galatians received the Spirit through faith, not by following Jewish law. To prove this, he appeals to Abraham, the father of their faith, showing that Abraham himself was declared righteous by God because he believed God's promise, not because he kept any laws.
What does it truly mean to 'believe God'? Is it just accepting that He exists, or something more profound? Abraham’s story gives us a crucial clue.
The verse quotes Genesis 15:6, stating, 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.' The key here isn't just believing that God speaks truth, but believing God himself – specifically, believing God’s promises to him.
Embracing the Promise
Did Abraham earn his righteousness, or was it a gift? The way God 'counted' it to him changes everything.
The phrase 'counted to him as righteousness' is crucial. It points to the concept of imputation – something being credited to someone else’s account.
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A Divine Credit
Long before the Ten Commandments, Abraham was declared righteous. What does this tell us about the necessity of the Law for salvation?
This verse, and its context in Galatians, powerfully argues against the idea that adherence to the Law is necessary for justification.
A Pre-Law Righteousness
Understand the original words
pisteuō · Greek Verb
To trust in, rely upon, or cling to something or someone; in a biblical context, it is the act of placing one's complete confidence in God and His promises, especially regarding salvation through Christ.
logizomai · Greek Verb
A judicial term signifying that one has been declared righteous or acquitted of guilt before God; it is a gift of grace received through faith, not earned by human merit.
dikaiosynē · Greek Noun
The state of being right with God, conforming to His moral standards, or being declared righteous by Him; it is the status of the believer who stands justified before the divine judge.
Paul's appeal to Abraham's faith highlights that righteousness was reckoned by God long before the Mosaic Law was given, challenging the Galatians' focus on legal observance.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham's Call and Covenant
God calls Abram (later Abraham) from Ur and establishes a covenant with him, promising descendants and land, and assuring him that his descendants will be a blessing to all nations.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Abraham Believes God's Promise
In response to God's promises, Abraham exercises faith, believing what God declared. This pivotal moment is later recorded as the basis for his righteousness.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Mosaic Law
The Law of Moses is given at Mount Sinai, providing a detailed system of commandments, rituals, and sacrifices for the Israelite nation.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile
The destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple, leading to the exile of many Jews to Babylon. This event profoundly shaped Jewish identity and theology.
c. 516 BC
Return from Exile and Temple Reconstruction
Following the Persian conquest, some Jewish exiles return to Judah and begin rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.
c. 450 BC
Post-Exilic Period and Development of Judaism
The period after the exile sees a consolidation of Jewish law and tradition, with an increased emphasis on adherence to the Law.
This passage directly quotes Genesis 15:6 about Abraham's faith being counted as righteousness, reinforcing the foundational concept Paul is building upon in Galatians.
Genesis 15:6This is the original Old Testament account that Paul is referencing, showing that the principle of faith leading to righteousness predates the Law of Moses.
James 2:23James also appeals to Abraham's faith being counted as righteousness, underscoring the enduring significance of this event across different New Testament writings.
Romans 4:20-22Here, Paul further elaborates on Abraham's faith, emphasizing its strength and certainty in God's promises, which provides deeper context to what it means to 'believe God'.
jfbGalatians 3:6: "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
- The answer to the question in Ga 3:5 is here taken for granted, It was by the hearing of faith: following this up, he says, "Even as Abraham believed," &c. (Ge 15:4-6; Ro 4:3). God supplies unto you the Spirit as the result of faith, not works, just as Abraham obtained justification by faith, not by works (Ga 3:6, 8, 16; Ga 4:22, 26, 28). Where justification is, there the Spirit is, so that if the f…
vincentGalatians 3:6: "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Even as (καθὼς)The answer to the question of Galatians 3:5 is so obvious that it is not given. Paul proceeds at once to the illustration - the argument for the righteousness of faith furnished in the justification of Abraham. The spiritual gifts come through the message of faith, even as Abraham believed, etc.Believed God (ἐπιστευσεν τῷ θεῷ)See on Romans 4:5. Believed God's promise that he should…
What's often missed is that Abraham's faith wasn't just believing in God, but believing God – meaning he trusted God's specific promise. This trust was so significant that God didn't just see it as a good deed, but as the very substance of righteousness itself, the foundation for his right standing with God.
Paul is arguing that the Galatians received the Spirit through faith, not by following Jewish law. To prove this, he appeals to Abraham, the father of their faith, showing that Abraham himself was declared righteous by God because he believed God's promise, not because he kept any laws.
Paul is arguing that the Galatians received the Spirit through faith, not by following Jewish law. To prove this, he appeals to Abraham, the father of their faith, showing that Abraham himself was declared righteous by God because he believed God's promise, not because he kept any laws.
"just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?" — What's often missed is that Abraham's faith wasn't just believing in God, but believing God – meaning he trusted God's specific promise. This trust was so significant that God didn't just see it…
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Last reviewed October 2026