And he [Abraham] believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
[Genesis 15:6]
Chapter 4 of the Book of Romans is dedicated to Justification by Faith, using the case of Abraham as the locus classicus. How did Abraham become righteous? Just by believing God, when all the evidence in the natural was to the contrary. It wasn’t because of any works that Abraham did.
One day, some Jews had a discourse with Jesus. They asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him [Jesus] whom He [God] sent.” (John 6:28&29, E.S). This righteousness doesn’t depend on whether we’ve done good or bad; otherwise, it ceases to be imputed. Though we must not stretch the scriptures too far and begin to live recklessly, we must still carry with us the consciousness that we’re the righteous children of the Kingdom because we’re God’s own chosen people. We didn’t choose Him; He chose us and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. So long as we don’t realise who we are in Christ, the enemy would like to keep us oppressed. We refuse to be oppressed.
I used to teach and lay hands on people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. One day, someone asked me “Will God give sinners like me also the Holy Spirit?” I was surprised by the statement and explained to the person that the person’s righteousness doesn’t depend good deeds, so the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for everyone. I supported my statement with so many Scriptures, both from the Old and New Testament but the person never got over his/her shortcomings. No wonder the person never received. For some others it took less than two (2) minutes for them to get baptized and soaked in the Holy Spirit because they believed in the imputed righteousness.
Let’s go through all the days of our lives fully persuaded that we’re righteous in Him and all the accusing voices and harassments of the enemy will cease in the Name of Jesus. Amen
