The way of salvation is clarified for us in Genesis 15. At the very beginning of the chapter, God's word comes to Abram, and tells Abram not to fear, because God is Abram's shield and very great reward. It is God's word that removes Abram's fear and ours, and it does this through God's sovereign mercy, through victory over sin, through correcting our interpretation of our circumstances, and through confirmation to our senses. Through it all we see the supremacy of God's word for our salvation.

While salvation from sin is accomplished by God, it does not result in the objects of God's mercy being passive but active. In salvation God resurrects deadened sinners by illuminating their minds, enlivening their will and stirring their affections so they actively particpate with God in God fufilling his promise to bring his kingdom. We see this active participation in Abram's by his submitting his reasoning to God's word and to the historical process of learning from God's word.