3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
3 For what does the Scripture say?
Paul now appealed to Scripture by quoting from Genesis 15:6, a passage delivered to Abraham 2,000 years before the writing of Romans. He quoted this verse previously in Galatians 3:6.
There is a continuity between the Old and New Testaments when it comes to justification by faith. If justification is by works, then it is not a gift but something owed to the person for his or her effort. People should indeed be praised for their works; that is an appropriate payment for what they did. However, the major delusion of people is that they can do something to warrant justification before an absolute God. Nothing we do can merit God’s approval.
Faith does not make up for incomplete obedience, for it is set in stark contrast to works in passages dealing with salvation. Note verses four and following regarding this.
PRINCIPLE:
The question of belief for salvation turns on what God says in His Word.
APPLICATION:
The Bible assigns a vital role to Scripture of still speaking to people centuries after it was written. Scripture spoke in Abraham’s day and it spoke in Paul’s day. It speaks to us today. We need to read the Bible as if God is speaking personally to us.
