Abraham's Future

"Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness."

Counted as righteousness means original sin, or depravity, isn't true. Abraham could have righteousness because faith was a type of righteousness.

What a statement with so many possible nuances. The word "for" in Greek means toward, so that means this verse could be looking at a righteousness that is future or present. The implications are very dynamic if true.

1. Belief was accounted that day in some way.

eis = for or toward or as

Some bible translations say "as righteousness"

2. There are 3 ways to view the "for righteousness".

a) It could be righteousness is substituted for faith. Substitution.

b) It could be faith is imputed for a future righteousness. Faith righteousness for a later gift of legal righteousness.

c) It could be faith is recognized as a real type of righteousness. Faith righteousness being a condition for later promises being fulfilled.

Young's literal translation says,

Gen 15:6  And he hath believed in Jehovah, and He reckoneth it to him--righteousness.

It is God recognizing in Abraham a real righteousness and a law of faith toward his justification. He didn't give substitutionary righteousness at that moment, only the faith directive, that he would be justified by a faith doctrine. He recognized Abraham had the righteousness of his own faith.

Having real righteousness does not mean past sins are forgiven, only that righteousness is present.

Why is this important, it is because all that was necessary for God to refute the law as a means to justification was for God to verbally set the faith doctrine in promise openly, this before the law was given. By making the promise first it could not be based upon the works of the law. The by declaring Abraham righteous in some way he showed faith had its own form of righteousess, apart from law.That is Paul's point in Romans 4.

Rom 4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 

Rom 4:14  For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 

Even though Abraham had his faith recognized, the promise of being heir of the world was still unfulfilled. It was still a promise.Having faith would be a prerequisite, not a final completion.

It was in essence a faith based promise that was yet to be realized. Paul was arguing the timing of the promise and the method it would be fulfilled were before the law. He isn't even arguing the exact point of justification from Gen. 15:6, he doesn't have to. He is setting forth the promise.

Abraham was justified in Genesis 22 upon offering Isaac, Genesis 15:6 was the recognition of faith, not full justification. Both are necessary to receive the promise.

It proves justification was not by faith alone. Justification wasn't completed when faith was recognized.

Paul did not have to argue a total righteousness already fulfilled to refute the law, he only had to state the method God would choose, namely through faith, was stated beforehand. Thus he aludes to the timing and nature of the promise itself.

"Faith only" has historically looked at Paul's writing as dealing with fulfillment of justification in Gen. 15:6, Paul was dealing with the promise and when the righteousness of faith was recognized, not justification.

Rom 4:16  Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 

The promise was of faith, not at faith.

So you see, God enjoined a faith based promise that was still unfulfilled in Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 15:6.

That is the point of Paul, not that ultimate righteousness was given at the promise, but the law of faith was given.

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

consider Paul's statement

Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

This shows belief and justification are separate in time, Jesus has to justify the believer, the justification process would be for those who believe, but not at belief, it was a process after belief and through belief.

We need to realize that after the promises Abraham was not focused on working for it, he believed God had given it. It wasn't that he rejected obedience of faith, he knew his actions were based in promise.

Rom 4:4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 

Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 

It wouldn't have been counted if he was not trusting in God to fulfill it.

Even so in baptism, if you are trusting in God vs yourself, the act can result in faith being imputed.