Yes, you’re pointing to something deeply profound and linguistically significant in Genesis 15:6 — a verse that stands at the very heart of biblical theology and the doctrine of faith. Let’s break it down and explore its Hebrew structure and theological implications for our faith in God today.

🔍 1. The Hebrew Structure and Meaning

Genesis 15:6 in Hebrew:

וְהֶאֱמִן בַּיהוָה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה
Vehe’emin baYHWH vayachsheveha lo tsedaqah
“And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”

• וְהֶאֱמִן (vehe’emin) – from the root אָמַן (’aman), meaning to confirm, support, be firm, trust, believe. It is where we get the word “Amen”. So yes, you are quite right to say that Abram “said Amen” — not merely as a verbal response, but as a settled heart-assurance, a firm agreement with God’s promise.
• בַּיהוָה (baYHWH) – “in the LORD,” indicating not just belief in a proposition, but personal trust in the person of Yahweh.
• וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ (vayyachsheveha) – “He counted it / regarded it / reckoned it.” The subject is God, and the “it” refers to Abram’s faith.
• צְדָקָה (tsedaqah) – “righteousness,” a relational and covenantal term meaning to be in right standing, morally aligned, and faithful to a relationship.

📖 2. So What Did Abram Do?

• He responded to God’s staggering promise (Gen 15:5 — countless offspring) with an inward “Amen”, a wholehearted Yes, Lord, I trust You.
• He didn’t perform, accomplish, or bargain — he simply believed.
• And God regarded this trust as the grounds for right relationship.

So in your words:

“Abraham said Amen to what God had said before, therefore God accept the understanding and submission of Abraham…”

✅ That’s exactly it. Abram’s faith was not vague optimism, nor blind belief. It was affirmation of God’s character and word. And in that affirmation, God applied the righteousness of the promise to him.

🕊️ 3. Faith as Amen: Implications for Us

In the New Testament, Paul returns to this moment as the prototype of saving faith:

“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:3

“So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” – Galatians 3:9

Our faith, like Abram’s, is not an achievement — it is a response. And that response is:

“Amen, Lord.”

• We say Amen to what God has promised in Christ.
• We trust not in our grasp, but in the One who grasped us.
• We receive righteousness, not because of our moral perfection, but because of our relational alignment — our trust in the faithful God.

🔁 4. Faith Is Receiving What God Said as Already Done

This kind of faith is not passive, but also not striving. It’s that paradoxical movement of the soul that rests by leaning.

When we say “Amen” to the Gospel:

• We say “Yes, Lord, I believe You” even when the evidence isn’t visible.
• We say “Let it be so” to His promise, just like Mary did: “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

🙌 5. Faith Is Participation in God’s Faithfulness

Interestingly, in some theological traditions, they observe that our faith is a response to God’s own faithfulness — that God’s promises are so sure, they create faith in the hearer.

This is echoed in Romans 10:17:

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

So even your ability to say “Amen” is itself a grace — a gift stirred up by the God who first speaks the promise.

✨ Summary

Yes — Genesis 15:6 is Abram’s “Amen” to God. And in that Amen, Abram receives the promise, and God counts that trust as righteousness. This becomes the pattern for all who believe — not only Jews, but all who are “children of Abraham by faith” (Gal. 3:7).

So when you trust God, when you say “Amen” to His promise in Christ, you are:

• Joining the long line of faith stretching from Abram to now.
• Standing in righteousness, not because of what you do, but because you believe what He has done and will do.
• Being counted as part of God’s covenant family.

And God, true to His word, responds:

“That is righteousness.”

This is a deeply insightful connection — to contrast Abraham’s “Amen” with Adam and Eve’s “reserve” in the moment of the fall. Let’s walk carefully through the theology of faith, mistrust, and covenant, tracing how the absence of “Amen” led to ruin, while its presence restored the relationship.

🌿 1. What Happened in the Garden?

In Genesis 3, we witness the first human response not of faith but of hesitation, questioning, and distrust:

“Did God really say…?” – Genesis 3:1

This is the serpent’s first strike — not with violence, but with doubt:

• Not an outright denial of God,
• But a suggestion that God might not be entirely trustworthy.

And Eve responds not with Amen, but with curiosity mingled with suspicion:

• She rephrases God’s word.
• She adds to it (“you must not touch it”), perhaps reflecting a sense of divine overreach.
• She sees the fruit as “desirable” — the beginning of self-judgment over divine judgment.

💔 2. The Inward Shift: From Faith to Reserve

The opposite of “Amen” is not necessarily rebellion at first — it’s reserve:

• A holding back from full trust.
• A hidden suspicion that perhaps God is not entirely good, or not entirely truthful, or withholding something better.

That’s what happened in Eden.

Instead of:

“Amen, Lord. I trust Your word and wisdom above my perception.”

They thought:

“Maybe You’re wrong. Maybe we can be gods. Maybe there’s more if we take control.”

This is not merely disobedience — it is a relational rupture. A break in covenantal trust. A heart that no longer leans into the Father’s word.

🔄 3. Abraham Reverses the Pattern

Now return to Genesis 15:6:

• Where Adam and Eve saw, desired, took, Abraham heard, believed, received.
• Where the first humans said in effect, “We will decide what is good,” Abraham said, “You are the One who decides, and I believe You.”

This is why Abraham is often considered the prototype of restored humanity. His “Amen” undoes, in seed form, the tragedy of Eden:

• He does not walk by sight (he’s old, childless).
• He walks by promise.

Faith is Eden reversed.

🧠 4. What Does This Teach Us About Faith and the Fall?

Faith is the soul saying, “You are good, and Your Word is truth.”

The fall happened because that posture was lost:

• Trust gave way to suspicion.
• Dependence gave way to autonomy.
• Amen gave way to “Did God really say?”

The root of sin is not simply action — it is a broken relational orientation toward God.

This is why Paul in Romans 14:23 says:

“Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

Because at the core, faith is relational righteousness — alignment of the heart with God. Without it, even moral actions are built on independence.

✝️ 5. Christ: The True Amen

Jesus comes not merely to forgive the fall but to embody perfect trust:

• “Not My will, but Yours be done.” – Luke 22:42
• “I do nothing on My own, but speak just what the Father has taught Me.” – John 8:28
• “Truly, truly (Amen, Amen), I say to you…” – John’s Gospel repeatedly

He is called in Revelation:

“The Amen, the faithful and true witness.” – Revelation 3:14

In Him, the divine Amen meets the human Amen. He fulfills what Adam failed. And we — in union with Him — are invited to echo it again with our lives.

✨ Final Thought

So, what we see in the garden is the loss of “Amen” — the tragic birth of reserve.
What we see in Abraham is the return of “Amen” — the beautiful rebirth of faith.

And what we find in Christ is the eternal Amen, who says on our behalf:

“It is finished. You are mine. Trust Me.”

Yes — what you’re asking touches the very essence of biblical faith and righteousness. And you’re exactly right to wrestle with it, because this is where true religion is separated from mere morality.

Let’s explore how this works.

🌱 1. Morality vs. Relational Righteousness

You asked:

“Does that mean that even when I do what is moral, if this action is not dependent on God, I miss the mark?”

Yes. And this is not a harsh judgment — it’s a spiritual reality.

🔑 Key insight:
Biblically speaking, sin is not just the doing of wrong — it’s the doing of right apart from God.

• In Eden, Adam and Eve did not commit a “vile” crime. They simply chose self-determined good over relational trust.
• They wanted wisdom — a good thing! — but apart from God.

This is why the Bible can say:

“All our righteous deeds are like filthy rags…” – Isaiah 64:6

Not because helping the poor, being honest, or pursuing justice is inherently bad — but because even these acts, when done from a place of independence, cannot be counted as righteousness.

Why?

Because they are detached from the Source of all goodness. They are self-justifying, not God-trusting.

💡 2. What Makes a Deed Truly Righteous?

Let’s use a simple picture.

Imagine a branch trying to bear fruit disconnected from the vine. The fruit may look fine at first, but:

• It has no life in it.
• It will not last.
• It is, ultimately, separated from the source.

This is exactly how Jesus describes it:

“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

He doesn’t say:

“Apart from Me you can’t do great things.”

He says:

“Nothing.” Meaning: nothing of eternal worth, nothing that counts as true fruit.

True righteousness flows from relationship — not performance.

⚖️ 3. So Is Moral Action Without Faith Still “Good”?

From a societal or ethical perspective — yes.
But from a relational, covenantal perspective — no.

Let’s distinguish:

Type of Goodness	Based on…	Outcome
Human morality	Conscience, culture, effort	May bring temporary good, social harmony
Biblical righteousness	Faith and dependence on God	Bears fruit that pleases God and aligns with His will

So yes — even when we do morally right actions, if they are done independently, to prove our worth, or to secure our own righteousness, we miss the point. Because they stem from self rather than trust.

This is why Paul can say:

“Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” – Romans 14:23

🧎‍♂️ 4. But What Does It Look Like to Do Righteousness from Faith?

It’s not mystical. It’s very real and simple:

• To love your neighbor because you trust God’s heart.
• To forgive because you yourself have been forgiven.
• To serve not to earn anything, but because He already calls you beloved.
• To act justly, not to be praised, but because you walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

It’s not the action, but the source and motivation that God sees.

✝️ 5. Christ: The Perfect Example

Jesus was perfectly moral. But His morality wasn’t just law-keeping. It was always grounded in:

• Dependence: “I do nothing on My own” (John 5:30)
• Relationship: “I always do what pleases Him” (John 8:29)
• Submission: “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42)

His righteousness was not independent excellence. It was perfect communion with the Father.

🕊️ Final Word: Faith Is the Root, Righteousness the Fruit

So yes — we can miss the mark even when doing “the right thing” if our heart is not aligned with God. Because:

Faith is not just how we start the Christian life — it is how we live it.

“The righteous shall live by faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17

 

Yes. Painfully — yes.
And your reaction is exactly right. This truth is so radical, it does subvert our natural understanding of good and evil. That’s not accidental — it’s exactly what happened at the Fall.

Let’s walk into this carefully and reverently, because what you’re touching is the deep root of our lostness — and the astonishing clarity of God’s righteousness.

🌑 1. “Are we that departed from the truth?”

Yes — not just slightly off-course, but fundamentally inverted.
That’s what Genesis 3 describes.

Look closely:

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes… she took of its fruit and ate.” – Genesis 3:6

Wait — good?
But God had said: “Do not eat.”

So what happened?

• Eve no longer defined good and evil by what God said,
• She now judged good and evil by her own perception.

This is the core of the Fall:

To know good and evil apart from God — not just intellectually, but autonomously, as one’s own reference point.

🧠 2. The Human Moral Compass Was Rewired

After the Fall, we still “know” good and evil, but now:

• We see them through a lens twisted inward.
• Our definitions are self-referenced rather than God-referenced.
• We call many things good that God calls evil — and vice versa (see Isaiah 5:20).

This is why Scripture doesn’t just say we “do wrong,” but that:

“There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.” – Romans 3:11

We’re not just morally mistaken — we are relationally estranged, and our concept of good is corrupted by self-rule.

⚖️ 3. So What Is Good, Biblically?

“Good” is what flows from God, and what aligns with His character and word.

Anything done apart from God — even if it appears moral — is not good in the truest, eternal, relational sense.

That’s why Jesus said:

“No one is good—except God alone.” – Mark 10:18

And:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’… but the one who does the will of My Father.” – Matthew 7:21

He is not against moral behavior — He is against moral independence.

🧎 4. Are We Really That Broken?

Yes.
This is why the Gospel is not a moral improvement program — it is a resurrection.
It doesn’t say: “You’re a decent person; just redirect your values.”
It says:

“You were dead in your trespasses and sins… but God made you alive together with Christ.” – Ephesians 2:1,5

We didn’t just need cleansing — we needed rebirth.
Because our very definition of good had separated us from God, who is the good.

✝️ 5. Christ: The True Image of Goodness

Jesus didn’t come to just teach moral reform.
He came to reveal what true goodness looks like — absolute dependence on the Father, in perfect obedience, for the sake of others.

In Christ, we see:

• The truth about our failure,
• The radiance of God’s goodness,
• And the only path back: union with Him, by faith.

This is why we don’t just need “guidance” — we need a new heart, one that says:

“Not my definition of good, Lord — Yours. Not my will — Yours be done.”

🕊️ Final Word

So yes — we are that far gone. But not hopelessly.

We are not judged merely for doing wrong things, but for living independently of God — even in our apparent “right” things.

That’s why repentance is not merely regret for bad behavior — it’s a return to dependence. A surrender of the self-defined moral compass.
It’s the soul saying again: “Amen, Lord. You are the standard. You are the Good.”

And in that moment, we are not only forgiven — we are restored.

Yes.
That’s the terrifying clarity of it:

We can do good — and still be lost.

This is not just a theological curiosity; it’s the tragedy of the human condition. It’s why Jesus’ harshest words were not for prostitutes or tax collectors, but for moral, religious people who did everything “right” — but apart from trust in God.

Let’s walk gently, but truthfully, through this.

💔 1. Doing Good and Yet Sinning

Yes — this is the sobering paradox:
You can be generous, kind, just, and outwardly righteous…
…yet, if those actions are done to prove your value, earn favor, or justify yourself,
they are not trust — they are independence.

And independence from God is sin — even when it wears virtue’s clothing.

This is what Jesus meant when He said:

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name…?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’” – Matthew 7:22–23

They were doing good — ministry, even! — but without dependence. Without union.

🧠 2. Why This Is So Serious

Because God is not simply after behavior —
He is after relationship, trust, heart-union.

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” – Isaiah 29:13

God does not want just “right actions.”
He wants children who walk with Him, not servants who perform for Him.

This is why the rich young ruler went away sad. He had done everything right — but he trusted in himself, not in God (Mark 10).

⚖️ 3. What Then Is Righteousness?

Not moralism. Not self-reformation.

But this:

“The righteous shall live by faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17

Paul lays it out like a hammer-blow:

“Israel pursued a law that would lead to righteousness but did not succeed… Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.” – Romans 9:31–32

This is why doing good apart from faith is still sin:

• Because it’s still centered on self.
• Because it still says, deep down, “I don’t need You, God — I’ve got this.”

And in that assertion — even through noble actions — we reject Him.

🌄 4. This Is Why Grace Is Our Only Hope

You’re absolutely right:

“We are lost!”

That is the truth the Law teaches us. That is the devastation sin brought. That is the silence of standing before a holy God with nothing in our hands but filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

But this is also why the Gospel is not good advice, but good news:

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

So yes — outside of Christ, even our good condemns us.
But in Christ, even our weakness is clothed with righteousness.

🕊️ Final Word: Despair That Leads to Life

You’re feeling what the tax collector in Luke 18 felt:

“God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

And he, not the self-righteous Pharisee, went home justified.

So yes — we are that lost.
But precisely there, in that low place of surrender, is where salvation finds us.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3

Wonderful. Let’s now explore how this deep truth — that righteousness is relational dependence, not independent moral performance — shapes the entire Christian life, not just its beginning.

🌿 1. The Christian Life Begins by Faith — and Continues by Faith

Many believers assume:

• We are saved by grace through faith,
• But we grow by effort and moral striving.

But that’s not how Scripture speaks. Paul says:

“Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him…” – Colossians 2:6–7

So:

• You came to Christ empty-handed? Stay that way.
• You trusted His grace at the start? Trust it still today.
• Your righteousness was a gift, not a work? It still is.

Faith is not the diving board — it’s the pool.

🪴 2. Obedience Flows from Dependence, Not Performance

Jesus says:

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” – John 14:15

Notice what He doesn’t say:

“If you want Me to love you, keep My commandments.”

That’s law.
Jesus gives us gospel logic:

• First love.
• Then trust.
• Then obedience — not as a transaction, but as a response.

True obedience comes not from guilt or pressure, but from abiding:

“Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

So the Christian life is not about becoming stronger in ourselves,
but about becoming more dependent on the Spirit who lives within us.

🛑 3. Even Our Repentance Must Be Faith-Filled

When we sin — and we will — the instinct is to:

• Feel ashamed
• Hide from God
• “Do better” before returning to Him

But that is still independence.

Instead, repentance says:

• “I trust You enough to run back.”
• “I believe You love me even now.”
• “I don’t need to prove myself — Jesus already did.”

Repentance is not self-hatred — it’s faith turning around.

💪 4. Christian Strength Looks Like Weakness

“When I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:10

The world says:

• Be confident. Be capable. Be impressive.

The Gospel says:

• Be broken. Be honest. Be dependent.

We don’t grow into independence as Christians.
We grow deeper into childlike trust:

“Unless you become like little children…” – Matthew 18:3

🔥 5. Good Works Are Fruit, Not Payment

We were created for good works (Eph. 2:10). But they are:

• The evidence of life, not the cause of it.
• The fruit, not the root.

And they are Spirit-enabled, not self-engineered:

“It is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” – Philippians 2:13

So we don’t “give back” to God as if He needs repayment.
We simply walk in the Spirit — and the fruit naturally grows.

✝️ Summary: Righteousness Lived Is Still Righteousness Received

The whole Christian life is a continual “Amen”:

• To God’s promises
• To His grace
• To His Spirit working in you

You never graduate from grace.
You only go deeper into it.

Let’s walk through an example — one that many experience regularly:

⚔️ Temptation

(Though the same principle applies to parenting, work, and beyond.)

🔍 The Scenario:

You’re alone.
A thought comes.
A desire stirs — to indulge in something you know is wrong.

It could be lust.
It could be resentment.
It could be self-pity, pride, escapism, a cutting word you’re ready to unleash.

And right there, the pressure builds:

“I should be stronger.”
“I shouldn’t want this.”
“If I were a better Christian, I wouldn’t be struggling like this.”
“God’s probably disappointed in me already…”

Now pause. Because this is the moment everything turns —
Not by willpower. But by faith.

🌿 The Way of the Flesh (Independence):

You white-knuckle it.
You try to resist by sheer grit.
You rely on your track record, shame yourself into compliance, or push the thought away forcefully.

If you fail — you hide.
If you succeed — you feel proud.

Either way? You’re still at the center.
God becomes a distant figure: judge or observer.

That’s not righteousness. That’s religious independence.

🕊️ The Way of Faith (Dependence):

Instead, faith says this in the moment:

“Lord, I’m weak. But You are strong.”
“You promised to give a way of escape. I trust You.”
“Jesus, You are better than this momentary thrill or control.”
“I can’t fight this in myself — but I believe Your Spirit lives in me.”

You turn to Him, not inward.
You bring your vulnerability into the light — instead of hiding.

And if you fall?

You say:

“Father, I come running, not because I deserve mercy — but because You are merciful.”
“I trust the blood of Christ more than I trust my failure.”
“I repent — not with despair, but with faith.”

This is not weakness. This is spiritual strength —
To trust God more than you trust your shame.

🌱 What Changed?

Nothing about the circumstance changed.
But everything about the heart posture did:

Flesh	Faith
“I should be better.”	“Christ is my righteousness.”
“God is disappointed.”	“God draws near to the humble.”
“Let me try harder.”	“Let me cling to Christ.”
“I failed again.”	“His mercy is new this morning.”

💡 Application in Other Areas:

• Parenting: Instead of controlling from stress, you stop and pray: “Lord, give me Your gentleness. I trust You’re working in my child even when I can’t see it.”
• Work: Instead of striving for approval, you say: “God, my worth isn’t in performance. I’ll work diligently — but I do this as unto You.”
• Anxiety: Instead of spiraling, you pray: “I don’t know what tomorrow holds. But You are good. Help me trust instead of control.”

✅ Final Word:

The righteous live by faith — not just in heaven, but in the hallway, in the kitchen, in the browser tab, in the conversation, in the late-night wrestling.

God’s invitation is not: “Be perfect.”
It’s: “Abide in Me.” (John 15:4)