Genesis 15:6 English Standard Version (ESV) And he[Abram] believed the Lord, and he [God] counted it to him[Abram] as righteousness.

The first usage of any word in the bible is very revealing as to its meaning. This word will be used over and over again in the bible and its use will complicate our understanding of it. Let us begin with the basics and roll back our understanding to this first use.

Abram believed the Lord. One cannot believe another without having heard a word. Let us not separate the meaning without the provision of content, a word must be given before it can be believed.

Now God has put Abram’s belief on Abram account as righteousness. If we look to Eaton’s Bible definitions, Easton gives no definition of righteousness and says “See Justification”.

Other dictionaries and commentaries complicate righteousness by combining many of its uses rather than dealing with its basic meaning. It is noteworthy here to understand that the issue of righteousness is deemed by God to exist without Abram actually doing anything except believing what he is told.

The fact that God views righteousness as an accounting practice aligns itself perfectly with justification because of justifications primary definition. God keeps a record of all the things we say, do and think, it is a ledger, an accounting ledger. This ties in perfectly with Christ paying our debt by His sacrifice and resurrection. What we owe in the ledger has been turned from red to black.

The first thing we should recognize is that the ledger is in God’s hands in the eternal and there is nothing we can do to write into the ledger because it is not how we view things, it is how God sees things.

Romans 10:3 English Standard Version (ESV) For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Philippians 3:9 English Standard Version (ESV) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith

Faith is the link. One might even say it is the ink God uses in His ledger. Without it, nothing changes.

Matthew 16:21-23 English Standard Version

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

In modern vernacular Peter’s words might have been written “Don’t tell me that!” The reason this alternative language is offered is because Peter had no idea of the outcome for history that would impact the world for thousands of years, eternal impact.

Jesus knew what was being said would be recorded and repeated over and over again for our benefit. Peter was only dealing with his emotions in the moment with no thought of anyone else. When we do that a rebuke can often follow.

It is far easier for us to read the gospels and ponder the impact and see how history played out and rest assured that what Christ did was the will of God for us in all future generations.

The question is still in effect, what is Jesus saying that we don’t want to hear?

We still have the same problem Peter had at that moment thousands of years ago. “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

None of us know what Christ is doing in another person’s life. Those are personal conversations, personal commands, personal obstacles and personal choices that have to be made based on God’s will and not our own.

In an article written years ago the advice was given, “Make it personal.”

Perhaps a good word to follow is “Get it right.”