What characterizes gangsters is that gang members show their loyalty to one another, particularly to their leaders in whatever they’ve taken on though the things they’ve undertaken are oftentimes illegal and oftentimes brutal. Yiqi (義氣) is a character trait that a person exhibits his (especially for a male) a code of brotherhood or personal loyalty to his companions. People in our society admire a man of Yiqi because this type of person you can turn to and always keeps his promise.

As the apostle Paul mentioned how we could be counted as righteousness, he referred to Abraham, the father of faith, who was justified before God because he believed God and “it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Abraham thus received the promise of God and circumcision became a sign of the righteousness that he had by faith (v. 11). Abraham became righteous not because of his deeds that something had had done such as circumcision but because of his faith in God.

Abraham was counted as righteous—fully convinced that God is able to do what he promises—because of his faith. All of us can be like Abraham, justified before God and enjoying the blessings and promises he will pour down upon us if we believe in him. “God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead” (v. 24).

Our God is a God of Yiqi, always keeping his promise and displaying his loyalty to those who are committed to him, but he is just and no darkness and wickedness in him. He is willing and glad to come to our aid in times of trouble.