I Reckon!

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Romans 4 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
…with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:20-22, NASB)


PONDERINGS:
I can still hear my Mamaw telling me, “I reckon so,” when we would talk about things of life and reach a place of agreement.  My grandmother and I were considering words and events and reasoning about their intent and purpose.  We reached a bottom line, logical conclusion and we agreed upon it. We reckoned. 

In my NASB version Paul writes a form of the word “reckon” 10 times in this chapter alone. [Note: the new NASB translation uses the word "credited," rather than "reckoned."] This word “reckon” is what Paul used to explain the righteousness God has for each one of us. No matter from whom or where we come.

Accountants reckon the books, politicians reckon rules and laws, contractors reckon building measurements, my grandmother and I reckoned our conversations, and God reckons our faith to righteousness.

The Greek word logizomai is the root for logic, to take into account, to reckon. Reckon means to count, compute, claim, reason, judge, decide, think, suppose, to take into account, to lay one’s charge, accept something as certain, place reliance, to reason to a logical conclusion. 

In Paul’s teachings he refers to God’s first covenant with Abram, soon to be named Abraham, and how the Lord God came to Abram and promised him many offspring, as many as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). It was then that Abram believed in the Lord and the reckoning happened between God and Abram. “Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).  The first covenant between God and Abram is established, “One that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying ‘To your descendants I have given this land…’”(Genesis 15:18). 

This reckoning of righteousness happened before Abraham and God made the covenant of circumcision. This was a huge stumbling for many in the early church.  How could anyone come to faith and be reckoned in righteousness unless they had taken on the Law—the sign of the covenant which was to be circumcised? The thought of the day was that to “believe” you had to be following the Law… the Jewish Law and the way to do that was receiving the sign of the old covenant. 

God made a promise to Abraham, Abraham believed in the Lord, was reckoned in his faith
as righteousness, and made his first covenant with God all before he made another covenant to receive the sign of circumcision. 

Sometimes I wonder if Paul might have felt like he was banging his head against the wall trying to get across this teaching to the Romans. God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants was not through the Law, but it was through the righteousness of faith. Verse 16 explains: 

For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only those who are of the Law, but to also to those who are of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all.

We are all offered the same grace in Christ, even those who might be deemed by mankind as unworthy of anything that could even come close to looking like grace. We are given the same offering and upon our belief, we can all be justified in our faith in Christ through the New Covenant. Anyone can claim their inheritance in the kingdom of God and be reckoned in the promise of God. 

So, justification is through faith but it is God who reckons faith as righteousness. God does this only and entirely by His grace.

In the whole reckoning of chapter 5 the very last verse brought my thoughts to whether or not I can stand before God in earnest to receive the reckoning of faith as righteousness. According to verse 25 Christ was delivered up because of our/my transgressions and was raised from the dead because of our/my justification. 

PONDERINGS FOR ACTION:

So in all of the head banging and teary eyes, it hit for the umpteenth time, I am just one… of everyone… who gets the grace of God. Can I be anything like Abraham and cling to the promise of God, not waver in unbelief, grow strong in faith, give glory to God, and be fully assured that what God has promised, He is able to perform? I have walked into belief and my faith is reckoned into righteousness. There is so much more waiting for us/me in the promise of God. Like Jennifer Wassel said in her Matthew 23 devo, “Thank you for Your promise that You WILL complete the work You began in me. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

I reckon I am justified!

PRAYER:

Lord, my inability to rely on my faith in you saddens me to my core.  Please forgive me. Please recognize my human heart and bolster me up. I want to live under Your promise and cling to Your righteousness…everyday and in all things.

WHO AM I?

I’m Gayle Norris and I am excited! As I write this devotion, the suitcases are 90% packed, the “to do” list is almost reconciled J and the excitement within me is almost uncontained. We leave for Israel in the morning! You will be reading this devotion on the day of our return.  Our trip leader John told us we were going home, home to Israel. I am so intrigued by that and by what is in store for us at home. And to walk on the land of the reckoning. More to come…