CP230611Catechesis Notes for the Week — Abraham believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness—The righteousness of God is the death of Jesus that covers our sin with God’s forgiveness. The righteousness of God in Christ’s death was witnessed throughout the Old Testament Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets. “Abraham believed in the Lord, and [the Lord] accounted it [faith in the promise of salvation] to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Out of this faith in the promise of salvation, Abraham declared to Isaac, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). Out of this faith Moses preached to the children of Israel, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today” (Exodus 14:13). By the promise of the Gospel they were called to faith in the righteousness of Christ centuries before His death. Christ is the Lamb of God which God Himself provided for our salvation. Christ accomplished everything that was necessary for our salvation in His death upon the cross. God set forth Jesus as the propitiation for our sin—the true “mercy seat” or “place of forgiveness”—through His blood. This is why Jesus speaks to us of His blood in the Sacrament of the Altar, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” For the sake of Christ’s righteousness and in the forbearance of God, the Lord passed over the sins of the people of old that He might “be just” or “perform His righteousness” in the death of His Son, as He had promised in the Scriptures, and justify all sinners through faith in Him. The Word of God calls us to faith in Christ Jesus by whom we are justified or declared righteous as a free gift of God’s grace. Christ is the content of justifying faith. He is presented to us in the Word. God is just or righteous in Christ, because Christ has made full atonement for our sin in His death and has redeemed us from sin through the shedding of His blood. God is just or righteous in declaring us righteous for Jesus’ sake. The righteousness of God is received as a free gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus and all that He has done for us. The object of saving or justifying faith is always and only Christ Jesus who suffered and died for us. Faith believes that Jesus is the righteousness of God and it is this righteousness alone that saves us from all sin and reconciles us to God. – Excerpted from Lutheran Catechesis: Catechist Edition, p. 106e.