Day 16: Genesis 12-15

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2012%20-%2015&version=NIV

“ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. “ Genesis 15:6

Chapters 12 through 15 in the book of Genesis begin to detail God’s work not through individuals, but through a people that He would make for Himself. That being the nation of Israel. However, we can already see the genesis, if you will, of the Gospel being world wide and being available to all that God has chosen in every race and nation.

In Genesis 12:1-3, God tells Abram of His covenant he is making with him. It is known as the Abrahamic Covenant. In this covenant, God promises Abram land, seed, and blessing. In this covenant the Gospel is beginning to be displayed as Paul writes :

“The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. “ Galatians 3:8-9

So, even at the beginning of the Bible the Gospel can be seen. You may say, but Jesus has not come yet? How were they saved in the Old Testament?

Genesis 15:6 tells us how: “ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. “

The Old Testament saints were saved the same way we were saved. By placing their faith in the Messiah. They looked forward to the Messiah and what He would do for them, whereas we look back and see what He did for us.

This righteousness we have in Christ is so very important. Paul writes in Romans 4:3-5

“3What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 4Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."

At the fall Adam’s sins were imputed or reckoned to us, Jesus came and our sins were imputed to Him, and because of the work Jesus did on the cross for us, His righteousness was imputed to us.

Genesis chapter 15 is such an important chapter of the Bible. Today, read Romans 4 and Genesis 15 to see how they relate.

And give thanks that:

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

This post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer