What Does Reckoned Mean In The Bible

Complete Explanation

The term “reckoned” in the Bible translates primarily from the Hebrew word chashab and the Greek word logizomai. In both languages, its core meaning is to count, calculate, consider, or credit something to someone’s account. The word appears frequently in legal, financial, and forensic contexts, but it also carries a profound theological significance in passages dealing with faith, sin, and righteousness.

• Forensic or Legal Sense:
  In many Old Testament passages (e.g., Leviticus 7:18; Numbers 18:27), “reckoned” is used for transactions where something is credited or imputed—like a priest counting a donation as belonging to the sanctuary. This legal background carries into the New Testament, where Paul uses the term to describe how God credits righteousness to believers.
• Theological Sense: Faith Reckoned as Righteousness:
  The most famous use is in Genesis 15:6: “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (KJV). Here God reckons Abraham’s faith as the basis for declaring him righteous. In Romans 4:3, Paul quotes this verse (“Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”) to explain justification by faith apart from works.
• Imputation of Sin and Righteousness:
  In Romans 4:6–8, David speaks of the blessedness of the man unto whom God “imputeth righteousness without works” (KJV). The concept also appears in 2 Corinthians 5:19: God was in Christ “not imputing their trespasses unto them” (KJV), showing that sin is not charged against those who are in Christ.
• Human Reckoning vs. Divine Reckoning:
  The Bible also uses “reckoned” for human accounts—e.g., in Matthew 18:24, a servant is called to “reckon” with his master (settle accounts). However, the divine reckoning is uniquely generous: God counts faith as righteousness, not because faith is itself meritorious, but because of the work of Christ.

History / Background

The English word “reckoned” in the King James Version (KJV) and other translations reflects the Greek logizomai, used over 40 times in the New Testament, and the Hebrew chashab, used over 120 times in the Old Testament. Logizomai was a common term in Greek business and legal documents, meaning to calculate or credit an entry in an account ledger. The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) used logizomai to translate chashab, preserving the legal metaphor. During the Reformation, Martin Luther and John Calvin emphasized the forensic (legal) nature of justification, relying heavily on Paul’s use of „reckoned“ in Romans 4 and Galatians 3. The King James translators (1611) consistently rendered logizomai as „count,“ „reckon,“ or „impute,“ which shaped English theological vocabulary for centuries. Later translations, such as the NIV and ESV, often use „credited“ or „counted“ to convey the same idea.

Importance and Impact

The concept of being „reckoned righteous“ is foundational to Christian soteriology, particularly within Protestant traditions that emphasize justification by faith alone (sola fide). Paul’s argument in Romans 4 hinges on the meaning of „reckoned“—it shows that righteousness is a gift credited to believers, not a quality infused through works. This understanding shaped the Reformation and distinguishes Protestant teachings from those that view righteousness as an intrinsic quality earned through cooperative grace. The term also appears in debates over imputation (the reckoning of Christ’s righteousness to believers) and the non-imputation of sin. Its influence extends to systematic theology, liturgy (e.g., hymns about „free grace“), and everyday Christian language about being „counted“ as holy in God’s sight.

Why It Matters

For today’s readers, understanding „reckoned“ clarifies the biblical doctrine of how a person stands before God. Contrary to popular assumptions that being righteous means being morally perfect, the biblical concept of reckoning emphasizes a divine legal declaration based on faith. This provides assurance: salvation does not depend on one’s own performance but on God’s gracious accounting. It also illuminates passages that speak of sin being „not imputed“ (not charged) to believers, offering comfort in guilt and despair. Recognizing the term helps prevent misinterpretations that reduce faith to a work, or that conflate justification with sanctification.

Common Misconceptions