DAVID DECLARES IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS Devotion 11 of 28 THE PREEMINENCE OF BELIEVING It should be apparent from this verse that believing is a preeminent activity, in a class by itself. It is the fountain from which all valid work springs forth. Remember, he has already cited Abraham as the premier example of justification by faith. The quality that set him apart was that he believed God. In fact, everything notable that he did was because he "believed God." Apart from circumcision and the offering of Isaac, you will be hard pressed to find anything in Abraham's life that can even be called "works." What Is Believing? Believing is not something that can be done perfunctorily, mechanically, or mindlessly. By it's very nature, believing engages the essential nature of man, calling up more of his resources, and reaching deeper into his person. It will be profitable to briefly explore this pivotal word: "believe." – Tomorrow:
"But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." (Romans 4:5-8, NKJV)
" . . . but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly . . . "
Here, believing is contrasted with working. The words are clear, and cannot be controverted: "But to him who does not work but believes on Him . . . " (NIV). Whatever may be said of "works" (and the Spirit does have considerable to say about them), they are not the subject of this text. That means we are being given to see the foundation, or basis, upon which men are justified. Unlike James' discourse on justification (James 2:17-26), Paul's purpose is not to rebuke hypocrisy. Rather, He is expounding the righteousness that is announced by the Gospel (1:17).
From the viewpoint of language, believing involves the following.
1. To be convinced, or persuaded, of the reality of something.
2. To have confidence in someone or something that has been said.
3. To commit, entrust, or trust, oneself to something or someone.
That academic explanation is utterly lifeless. Without Scripture, "believing" would appear to be a mere exercise of the intellect. But nothing could be further from the truth. Men believe "with the heart," not with the mind, intellect, or brain (Rom 10:10).
Believing is the active sense of faith. Thus our text refers to the person who "believes," or IS believing, as the one who has "faith." When, therefore, we read "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1), we are brought to understand what is involved in "believing." Believing is being so convinced of the reality of what is hoped for, that no effort is spared to obtain it. It is being dominated by the persuasion of unseen realities, beginning with the Living God and Jesus Christ, and extending to the hope that is held forth in the Gospel of Christ. Believing is faith in motion.
"Believing" is not a casual word. It involves infinitely more than intellectual assent, or admitting something is true. The person who believes steps out on what is believed, thereby appropriating the promise of God.
The believing person is ALWAYS honored by God. This is evident from the promises that are made to the one who believes. In the Word of God, someone who is believing is NEVER rejected. There are those who "for a while believe" (Luke 8:13). Such forfeit the promises by ceasing to believe. But the person who "believes," or is believing, is always promised good.
1. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23).
2. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16).
3. "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).
4. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).
5. "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
6. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47).
7. "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38).
8. "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26).
9. "He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me" (John 12:44).
10. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).
11. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom 1:16).
12. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom 10:4).
13. "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded" (1 Pet 2:6)
14. "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5).
15. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son" (1 John 5:10).
The weight of these promises is exceedingly apparent. They reveal not only the necessity of believing, but the essentiality of continuing to believe, trust, and rely upon Christ Jesus.
We must not allow ourselves to think of believing in a shallow sense. If we have "believed through grace" (Acts 18:27), it cannot be a cursory activity, or a surface response. Believing has great weight in the Divine economy, as ought to be apparent from these verses. No other response is attended but such an array of Divine commitments. This is the believing that moves God to justify the ungodly!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I cry out with the father of the afflicted child, "Lord I believe, help Thou mine unbelief!" I want the promises you have made to those who believe on Your Son!