Part 6 of 7 · Without Shedding of Blood: The Old Testament Foundation
In Part 5 we heard three witnesses, Leviticus 17:11, Matthew 26:28, and Hebrews 9:22, all point to the blood as the ground of remission.
The blood of Jesus Christ is the ground of remission. Scripture is just as clear about how a sinner receives it, and God answered that question long before Moses, in the life of Abraham.
“And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6, KJV)
Abraham had no law, no tabernacle, and no baptism. He heard the promise of God and believed it, and God counted that belief to him for righteousness. Righteousness here means right standing with God. To count it means God credited it to Abraham’s account, though Abraham had not earned it.
Paul builds his argument in Romans 4 on this one verse.
“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3, KJV)
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5, KJV)
To justify is to declare a sinner righteous before God. Paul says God does this for the ungodly who believe, not for those who work to earn it.
Righteous Before the Sign
Paul then asks when Abraham received that righteousness, and his answer settles the place of an outward sign.
“How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:” (Romans 4:10-11, KJV)
God counted Abraham righteous in Genesis 15. Ishmael was born afterward, when Abraham was eighty-six, and Abraham was circumcised at ninety-nine (Genesis 16:16, 17:24). At least thirteen years passed between the day God counted Abraham righteous and the day he was circumcised. Circumcision was a sign God commanded, and it mattered, yet it came after righteousness and sealed what Abraham already had. The father of all who believe stood right with God before he received any outward sign.
Paul does not mention baptism in Romans 4. I draw that comparison myself, because both are outward signs God commanded, and Romans 4 shows how such a sign relates to righteousness. Some readers connect the two through Colossians 2:11-12, a passage other traditions read differently.
Paul then ties the righteousness of Abraham to the cross of Jesus Christ.
“Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:23-25, KJV)
Abraham’s Seed
Galatians 3 carries the same truth to Gentile believers.
“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” (Galatians 3:6-7, KJV)
Paul reminds the Galatians that they received the Spirit “by the hearing of faith,” not by the works of the law (Galatians 3:2). He then tells them who Abraham’s seed truly are.
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29, KJV)
The Lamb God Provides
Abraham also learned that this trust rests on a sacrifice God provides. On Mount Moriah, Isaac asked his father where the lamb was (Genesis 22:7). Abraham answered, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). God provided a ram, and Abraham offered it up in the stead of his son (Genesis 22:13). The father of all who believe trusted a God who provides the substitute.
From Genesis 15 through Romans 4, the account of how Abraham was counted righteous never mentions water. Abraham believed God, God counted it to him for righteousness, and every believer in Jesus Christ walks in the steps of that same trust.
Search these Scriptures for yourself: Genesis 15:1-6; Genesis 16:16; Genesis 17:24; Genesis 22:1-14; Romans 4:1-25; Galatians 3:1-9, 26-29.
Next in this series: Part 7, Where Water Baptism Belongs.
Go Deeper
- Children of Abraham: Sons of God by Faith
- Romans 6, Galatians 3, and Colossians 2: Baptized into Jesus Christ (Salvation in Jesus Christ, Part 10)
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“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (KJV)
The Gospel, Stated Plainly
Everything I teach on this site rests on one message from Scripture. Read it in God’s own words from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 1:16, and Ephesians 2:8-9.
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