Nor could they (or we!) "see God's" action when He counts us "righteous." There's nothing really to see any how (at least in this world).
Abraham was "accounted righteous" by God long before he ever acted upon his willingness to sacrifice his son.
The only verb that describes Abraham's actions in
Genesis 15:6 is "believed." God's immediate response to that "action" is to count Abraham "righteous."
We are told to emulate this act of believing and to expect the exact same response from God (
Galatians 3:6-14).
Whatever else that may happen in our lives will also require faith; however to be "justified" - that is, to have our sins forgiven and to be declared "righteous" in God's own eyes requires only faith in the provision that Jesus Christ has made for those sins at Calvary.
I take it for what it says, and I think that certainly includes what you've mentioned, but the connection between
Genesis 15:6;
Romans 4 and
Galatians 3:6-14; can't be left out.
God accounts us righteous because of our belief in the saving power of the cross.
Yes, those Scriptures tell us what Jesus freely and willingly did for us. However, the word "free" also comes before us in
Romans 5:15-19.
You keep going back to the requirement for the Christian believer to be obedient to God's commands, and you'll get no argument from me about that. However, this thread is about how "The Cross and the Cross Alone Can Save..."
What obedience is required for salvation? For our salvation?
Romans 5:19 - "...
by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
Whose obedience is in mind here? Yours? Mine? No!
We are all made righteous by the obedience of a single individual. It was His obedience and His obedience alone that saves us.
We are saved by "the obedience of one!"
Romans 11:5-6 clearly demands us to accept that this free gift comes without any "works" on our part.
Paul seems to be telling us, "
it's one or the other" in
Romans 11:5-6. It's either "grace" or it's "works." For whatever reason, he seems to come down rather heavily on the "grace" side of things.
Have a great day tomorrow, or "today" if that's when you see this. But then again, still have a great tomorrow whenever that gets here.
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