What Was Imputed To Abraham?

WHAT WAS IMPUTED TO ABRAHAM?

(Genesis 15:6), “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3), “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” SPECIFICALLY, what WAS “counted” to Abraham? i.e. What is the IT? According to the fourth chapter of Romans, SOMETHING was counted (or reckoned, or imputed) to Abraham. But, what?

Whatever IT was, it was not something Abraham did. It was not ANYTHING found IN Abraham, (not even his inward grace of faith). i.e. God justified Abraham (declared him Righteous) based on what He “counted” (imputed) to him. And, Abraham was NOT Justified by HIS “works”. Romans 4:2, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.”

Whatever IT was, IT was imputed to Abraham BEFORE he was circumcised. Romans 4:10, “How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.”

Whatever IT was, IT is imputed to others also. Romans 4:23-24, “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;” i.e. Whoever (in any generation) believes on the same God and Lord that Abraham believed in, God has “counted” to THEM (exactly) what He “counted” to Abraham.

And, considering the reverse of the foregoing statement, whatever IT is that is “imputed” to “us also” (and by which a Just God and Savior declares “US” Righteous), THAT is what was “counted” to Abraham (and by which God declared HIM Righteous).

I.e. God has imputed His Righteousness to those who believe in a Just God and Savior in ANY generation, (whether Abraham BEFORE the Cross or Paul, the Apostle, AFTER the Cross). They are Justified before God based on the Righteousness Christ “brought in” by His obedience unto death. They are (forever) declared Righteous by God because God has “counted” (reckoned/imputed) to them the Righteousness Christ worked out at the Cross.

David, the Psalmist, declared those sinners “blessed” (and tells us SPECIFICALLY what God “counted” to Abraham). Romans 4:6, “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works..”

So, WHAT was imputed to Abraham? The ONE Righteousness God (Himself) provided and has ALWAYS owned as His (“God’s Righteousness”); the ONE Righteousness Christ “brought in” by His obedience unto death; the ONE Righteousness by which God Justifies (declares Righteous), otherwise, ungodly sinners in every generation.

- by Mark Pannell

 

IMHO the following is what was imputed to Abraham and also to righteous Lot.

so also the Christ did not glorify himself to become chief priest, but He who spake unto him: 'My Son thou art, I to-day have begotten thee;' as also in another place He saith, 'Thou art a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;' who in the days of his flesh both prayers and supplications unto Him who was able to save him from death -- with strong crying and tears -- having offered up, and having been heard in respect to that which he feared, through being a Son, did learn by the things which he suffered -- the obedience, Hebrews 5:5-8

The obedience of what? ----- Where does imputation of righteousness originate?

Gal 2:16 having known also that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, if not through the faith of Jesus Christ, also we in Christ Jesus did believe, that we might be declared righteous by the faith of Christ, and not by works of law, wherefore declared righteous by works of law shall be no flesh.'

The Son learned the obedience of faith. Even the son of Abraham. In thy seed all the nations will be blessed.

Abraham was imputed righteous through the obedience of faith of his seed, the one who became obedient unto death even the death of the cross. Poured out the soul of the flesh in the blood Lev 17:11 unto death.

Phil 3:9 YLT not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith of Christ -- the righteousness that is of God by the faith,

 

BTW

and there was a certain poor man, by name Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores, Lazarus ='s Eliezer Abraham's servant.
'And it came to pass, that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the messengers to the bosom of [the] Abraham -- and the rich man also died, and was buried;

IMHO being in the bosom of the Abraham ='s of the faith of Abraham. Eliezer/Lazarus was imputed with the righteousness of God through the faith of Christ also. He will be in the first resurrection at Christ's appearing.