Page 43 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_01_MacArthur_Bible_Jan.qxd 8/8/03 14:22 Page 24

JANUARY 9
and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He Father knows that you need all these things.
not much more clothe you, O you of little 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His
faith? righteousness, and all these things shall be
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What added to you. Therefore do not worry about
34
shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its
32
‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these own things. Sufficient for the day is its own
things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly trouble.
DAY 8:What does Abraham’s faith teach us about justification?
In Genesis 15:6, we are told that when Abraham “believed” in the Lord, it was “accounted” to
him for “righteousness.” The apostle Paul quoted these words as an illustration of faith over and
against works (Rom. 4:3,9,22; Gal. 3:6). Abraham was regenerated by faith, and so are we!
This quotation is one of the clearest statements in all Scripture about justification. Abraham’s
faith is not a meritorious work. It is never the ground of justification—it is simply the channel
through which it is received and it,too,is a gift.His faith was “accounted”or “imputed”to him,which
is a term used in both financial and legal settings.It means to take something that belongs to some-
one and credit to another’s account. It is a one-sided transaction—Abraham did nothing to accu-
mulate it: God simply credited it to him. In this case, God took His own righteousness and credited
it to Abraham as if it were actually his.This God did because Abraham believed in Him.
The “righteousness” imputed to Abraham is unique: 1) God is its source (Is. 45:8); 2) it fulfills
both the penalty and precept of God’s law. Christ’s death as a substitute pays the penalty exacted
on those who failed to keep God’s law,and His perfect obedience to every requirement of God’s law
fulfills God’s demand for comprehensive righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24; see Heb. 9:28); and
3) because God’s righteousness is eternal (Ps. 119:142; Is. 51:8; Dan. 9:24), the one who receives it
from Him enjoys it forever.

January 9 generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be
God to you and your descendants after you.
Also I give to you and your descendants after
8
you the land in which you are a stranger, all
Genesis 17:1–18:33 the land of Canaan, as an everlasting posses-
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, sion; and I will be their God.”
17 the LORD appeared to Abram and said to 9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you
him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and shall keep My covenant, you and your descen-
2
be blameless. And I will make My covenant dants after you throughout their generations.
between Me and you, and will multiply you 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep,
3
exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, between Me and you and your descendants
4
and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, after you: Every male child among you shall
11
behold, My covenant is with you, and you be circumcised; and you shall be circum-
5
shall be a father of many nations. No longer cised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall
shall your name be called Abram, but your be a sign of the covenant between Me and
12
name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a you. He who is eight days old among you
6
father of many nations. I will make you shall be circumcised, every male child in your
exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of generations, he who is born in your house or
7
you, and kings shall come from you. And I bought with money from any foreigner who is
13
will establish My covenant between Me and not your descendant. He who is born in your
you and your descendants after you in their house and he who is bought with your money
must be circumcised, and My covenant shall
be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
And the uncircumcised male child, who is
14
17:5 your name shall be Abraham. The not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin,
name meaning “father of many nations” that person shall be cut off from his people; he
reflected Abraham’s new relationship to God has broken My covenant.”
as well as his new identity based on God’s 15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai
promise of seed. your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai,
but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless
16
24