What would Abraham have done if he earned God's favor by works?
If Abraham had earned God's favor by works, he would have become puffed up and proud. He would have boasted to those around him, saying, 'Look what I have done to inherit eternal life.' But he did not work; he simply believed God, and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness.
Les explains that if Abraham were justified by works, he could glory. If Abraham could have merited favor with God by his works, he would have naturally gotten puffed up and proud. He would have been able to tell his people around him, 'Look what I have done to inherit eternal life.' But he couldn't, because he did not work. He did nothing but believe. Scripture says Abraham believed God, and his believing was accounted unto him as righteousness. Abraham didn't repent, get baptized, join something, or grovel in the dirt; he simply believed God. Abraham wasn't morally better than anyone else; he was ordinary and had failures, yet by faith he pleased God, and God called him a righteous man. The lesson is that faith, not works, is what pleases God.
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
More Questions
If Abraham could be justified by works, what would he have been able to glory about?
If Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had ground to glory; he would have become proud and could boast about what he had done to inherit eternal life.
If Abraham were justified by works, would he have been able to glory and boast?
If Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had grounds to glory and would naturally have become proud, able to tell people, 'look what I have done to inherit eternal life.'