Genesis 15:6-7
And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss is that Abram's belief isn't just about trusting God will give him a son, but about trusting God's character and His promise itself. This act of complete reliance, even before the promise was fulfilled, was so profound that God didn't just acknowledge it – He counted it as righteousness, fundamentally declaring Abram "right" in His sight because of that faith.
After a significant victory rescuing his nephew Lot, Abram is assured by God that He will be his protector and reward. However, Abram still feels anxious about his future, specifically the promise of numerous descendants, as he remains childless. God responds by taking Abram outside and asking him to count the stars, declaring that his offspring will be as countless as they are, thus initiating a covenant with him.
What does it truly mean to 'believe in the Lord'? It's more than just acknowledging God's existence or power. Abram’s faith was rooted in God’s specific promises for his future.
Genesis 15:6 states, "And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." This wasn't a general belief; it was a deep trust in the specific promises God had just made. God had promised Abram a numerous offspring and a land. Abram’s faith wasn't about seeing these things happen yet, but about trusting God's character and His word that they would happen.
Think of it like this: If a friend promises to help you move, saying "I believe you" is a start. But it's when you're packing boxes, trusting they'll show up with their truck on moving day, that your belief becomes active and tangible. Abram's belief was that profound trust in God’s faithfulness, even when the circumstances seemed impossible.
This is crucial because our faith isn't meant to be passive. It's an active reliance on God's promises, especially His promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. When we trust that God has forgiven our sins and given us new life through Christ, that belief is what God counts as righteousness.
The Bible says God 'counted it to him as righteousness.' What does this mean? It reveals a profound truth about how God declares us righteous, and it has nothing to do with our own perfect performance.
The phrase 'counted it to him as righteousness' is a powerful concept. It doesn't mean Abram suddenly became perfect or performed flawlessly from that moment on. Instead, God imputed righteousness to him.
Imputation means to attribute or credit something to someone. God looked at Abram’s faith – his complete trust in God’s promise – and credited it to Abram as if it were perfect righteousness. This righteousness wasn't earned by Abram; it was a gift from God, received through faith.
This is the core of the gospel! We, like Abram, cannot perfectly keep God's law. Our works are stained with sin. But when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, God imputes His perfect righteousness to us. We are declared righteous, not because of what we've done, but because of what Christ has done and because we trust in Him.
Understand the original words
aman · Hebrew Verb
To hold as true, to trust, or to have firm confidence in. In a biblical context, it refers to a steadfast trust in God's promises, resulting in a faithful relationship with Him.
YHWH · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
The covenant name of God (Yahweh), the personal, self-existent God who reveals Himself to His people. It signifies His holiness, faithfulness, and eternal nature.
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
The state or quality of being right, just, or conformed to God's standard. Biblically, it refers to the status of a person who is declared acceptable by God, particularly through faith.
This pivotal moment reveals that righteousness, in God's eyes, isn't earned by perfect actions but is a gift received through faith in His promises, even when circumstances seem impossible.
c. 2091 BC
Abram called from Ur
God calls Abram (later Abraham) from his homeland to go to an unknown land, promising to make him a great nation and bless the world through him.
c. 2081 BC
Promise of a Son
God reiterates the promise of numerous descendants to Abram, who is already 75 years old and childless. Abram still struggles with fully trusting the promise.
c. 2081 BC
Abram's Doubt and Hagar
Abram and Sarai, impatient with God's timing, take Hagar as a concubine, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. This introduces a complication that would echo through generations.
c. 2066 BC— this verse
God Renews Covenant and Promises
God appears to Abram, reassures him of his protection ('shield' and 'exceeding great reward'), and confirms the promise of a son through Sarai and a vast inheritance. Abram still questions how he will know.
This passage directly quotes Genesis 15:6 and explains that Abraham's faith was credited as righteousness, establishing the foundational principle of justification by faith.
Galatians 3:6This verse echoes Genesis 15:6, reinforcing the idea that true children of God are recognized not by works or lineage, but by their faith, which was accounted to Abraham as righteousness.
Hebrews 11:4This verse highlights that it was through faith that Abel offered a better sacrifice, and it also mentions Abraham's faith being accounted as righteousness, showing faith as the key to pleasing God throughout Scripture.
Romans 4:22This verse explicitly states that the scripture was written for Abraham's sake, emphasizing that his belief being 'counted' for righteousness was not just for him, but a foundational example for all who believe.
gillGenesis 15:6: "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
And he believed in the Lord,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,"in the Word of the Lord;''in the essential Word of the Lord, in Christ the Lord his righteousness; he believed in the promise of God, that he should have a seed, and a very numerous one; he believed that the Messiah would spring from his seed; he believed in him as his Saviour and Redeemer; he believed in him for righteousness, and he…
calvinGenesis 15:1-21: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
Et eduxit eum foras, et dixit, Suspice nunc coelum, et numera stellas, si poteris numerare eas. Et dixit ei, Sic erit semen tuum.
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Et credidit Jehovae, et reputavit illud ei ad justitiam.
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of U…
What's easy to miss is that Abram's belief isn't just about trusting God will give him a son, but about trusting God's character and His promise itself. This act of complete reliance, even before the promise was fulfilled, was so profound that God didn't just acknowledge it – He counted it as righteousness, fundamentally declaring Abram "right" in His sight because of that faith.
After a significant victory rescuing his nephew Lot, Abram is assured by God that He will be his protector and reward. However, Abram still feels anxious about his future, specifically the promise of numerous descendants, as he remains childless. God responds by taking Abram outside and asking him to count the stars, declaring that his offspring will be as countless as they are, thus initiating a covenant with him.
After a significant victory rescuing his nephew Lot, Abram is assured by God that He will be his protector and reward. However, Abram still feels anxious about his future, specifically the promise of numerous descendants, as he remains childless. God responds by taking Abram outside and asking him to count the stars, declaring that his offspring will be as countless as they are, thus initiating a covenant with him.
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This concept is so vital that the New Testament writers repeatedly refer back to this moment in Genesis to explain how salvation works: it's God’s grace given to those who believe, not earned by those who strive.
c. 2066 BC
The Covenant Ceremony
Abram participates in a solemn covenant ceremony involving animal sacrifice, symbolizing the commitment and the future consequences for breaking it. God confirms the land grant to Abram's seed.
c. 2066 BC
Abram Believes God
In response to God's powerful affirmation and covenant, Abram puts his full trust in the LORD. God accounts this faith as righteousness, establishing a foundational principle for all who believe.
"And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”" — What's easy to miss is that Abram's belief isn't just about trusting God will give him a son, but about trusting God's character and His promise itself. This act of complete reliance, even before t…
