Lent day 20 - credit

Barely had a moment to think today but finally I cleared my brain for ten seconds to ask God what He wanted to say for the blog today and He said  ' credit'

Romans 4

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[d] 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

That word ' credit'  is  funny one isnt it?  It has to do both with matters of finance and also matters of reputation.   If your account is in credit you have more than you need.  You have enough.  It's a good thing.   If your children are well behaved and pleasant people might say they are a 'credit to you'.   If you  have credit with someone else it means they trust you to take goods now but pay for them later.   And if someone credits you with something they confer reputation on you for having done something good.   Even if they havent actually done it.   You can take the credit for something you dont actually deserve credit for!   Which is sort of what Abraham was up to in the above passage.

Abraham wasn't righteous - nobody since Adam had been righteous because of sin and the fall.   Abraham was a sinner like you and me.  Jesus had not yet died to atone for his sins and therefore there was no way that Abraham could really be righteous.  The best he could do was make animal sacrifices to cover over his sins.      Abraham didnt have the right currency at that time.   He had faith in spades but  he didnt have righteousness so he wasnt able to pay anything into God's bank account called ' righteousness'.  ( or ' right relationship with God' )   But God looks at Abraham's utter and steadfast belief and He decides to confer on Abraham all the benefits of righteousness.   He takes the currency Abraham does have - faith - and accepts it as a payment into the account called ' righteousness'.  So Abraham is now in credit in his righteousness account. 

Generations before Jesus died to make a way for man to be in a right relationship with God, Abraham's great faith put credit into his account such that he was able to be called ' a friend of God'.  And as Paul points out , what was available to Abraham under the old covenant is available to us, and so much more , under the new.

When you accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Lord God credited your account with all the righteousness - right relationship with God - that Jesus has.  You might not feel like it, but the truth is that you are wealthy beyond all imaginings because your faith in Jesus has filled your account to overflowing with everything you need to live a life in relationship with the Father.

Cool eh?