Have you ever noticed that God does not hold the great men of Scripture up to us because of their personal goodness?

 Almost invariably their records are marred by failure and sin, but God would have us to look at their faith, to see… what their faith did for them.

Even those who lived relatively good lives are not held up to us for their personal worth, because God knows their imperfections and failings. Thus Paul has us consider Abraham’s rote to righteousness.

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory– but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it (his faith) was ‘counted’ unto him for righteousness.” (Rom. 4:2-3)

And verse 6 goes on to reveal David’s route to righteousness before God.

“Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth (counts) righteousness WITHOUT works.” (Rom 4:6)

God’s way of men being “counted” righteous based upon a man’s faith in God is the only way a man can be deemed righteous before God. This is God’s way He knows because no human can live a life good enough to make him acceptable to God… and this is because with God only perfection is good enough. Recall that the one sin of Adam spoiled the earth.

We know that only Jesus Christ is such a perfect man. Man’s hopeless and helpless condition why in grace God gave His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. At the cross Jesus Christ paid sin’s penalty for all of us. Because of the all-sufficient payment of Christ in our behalf, God can now be “just, and the Justifier” of those who place their faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26).

The famous eleventh chapter of Paul’s letter to the Hebrews bears out the fact that salvation, or acceptance with God, is obtained, not by human effort, but “by faith” alone. This great chapter on the heroes in God’s ‘Hall of Fame,’ begins with the words: “For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good report,” and then goes on: “By faith Abel …,” “By faith Enoch…,” “By faith Noah…,” “By faith Abraham…,” etc., and closes with the declaration:

“…these all…obtained a good report through faith…”