It is important that you read yesterday's Sunrise before you read today's. We spoke about Abraham being the Father of Faith. He is said to have fathered faith because of his glorious story on how he believed God. However, let us go deeper in our discussion.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: - Romans 5:12
The scripture above teaches that all have sinned. They have all sinned because they inherited a sinful nature from their father Adam. Note that even though Abraham was considered a friend of God, he also was born in sin.
To be born in sin means to be born with the spirit of iniquity within you. The spirit of iniquity is the spirit of satan, that produces a law in your flesh.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. - Romans 7:19-23
Here is where it strikes home. The scripture above describes the state of someone without the Holy Spirit. Satan produced a law inside their flesh so that when they want to do good, an evil, that is stronger than their will, is present with them. That evil then brings them into captivity. This was also true for Abraham.
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. - Galatians 3:6
This explains why righteousness had to accounted/reckoned to Abraham; he could not be righteous of his own self. When Abraham wanted to do good, evil was present with Him. He did by nature the lusts of the devil. This was not unique to Abraham, but to all upon the face of the world. Therefore, if God would find a righteous one, it could not be judged based on how sinless they were; He had to have another criteria to judge the righteousness of those that are without the Holy Ghost. That criteria is faith.
Faith (belief) is the criteria God chose to use to justify Abraham. That though he was a sinner, the righteousness of God would be imputed unto him because he believed, in the word of God. This is a shadow of the Church.
All were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We could not have made ourselves righteous. When we wanted to do good evil was present with us. Therefore, the salvation message states, that if we believe on Jesus we shall be saved. If we believe on Jesus, we, even as Abraham will have righteousness imputed unto and upon us.
This imputation goes further than just wearing the name righteous, but it speaks to a become righteous by the power of God. Today, when righteousness is imputed upon someone, they receive the Holy Spirit, which makes them righteous by nature. They are freed from the law of sin and death, and are able to live sinless for the rest of their lives. They become the righteousness of God manifested.
Therefore, Abraham was a type and shadow of things to come. He, being a sinner was justified by his faith in God's word, likewise we, when we believe upon the word of the Lord, shall be saved, having done no work of our own to deserve it, but it is the gift of God.
Activity: Read Romans 4 and discuss it with friends.
This series is based on the book "Discerning Faith", by Mary Banks. Get your copy on Amazon at the link below