Genesis 15:6

Righteousness is having a right standing before God based on living a life that is in perfect alignment with God’s holy standard or commands. Our core problem is that because of our sinfulness, no person can live a righteous life on their own in order to earn that right standing before God. We always fall short! (Romans 3:23). So, God designed a way that we can have that right standing before Him, not by earning it but by receiving it as a gift! When we stop working to earn it and simply place our trust in Jesus Christ, the One who is actually righteous (He lived a perfect & holy life) and who died for our sins, we are credited with His righteousness and thus given that right standing before God. In other words, we are justified (declared not guilty)! And once justified we are given a new power (Holy Spirit) in order to live a new life for the Lord. A life that is progressively victorious over sin and progressively in alignment with His good purposes for us. In other words, righteous! 

PASSAGE: Genesis 15:6 - "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

PAUSE: Abram models genuine faith. Faith entails trust in or confident reliance on God based upon the truthfulness of His words. This kind of faith always leads to obedience to His commands!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you so much that righteousness is not something we can earn because we would always fall short. But righteousness is credited to us when we simply place our faith in Christ!