Why could Abraham not boast before God?
Abraham had no grounds for boasting before God, because justification was not by works. He did not work or merit God’s favor; he simply believed God, and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness. Because righteousness came through believing rather than human effort, he had nothing of himself to glory in.
Les explains that if Abraham had been justified by works, he could have gloried, but he could not, because he did not work. Abraham did nothing but believe. He did not repent, get baptized, join something, or grovel in the dirt; he simply believed God. Scripture says Abraham believed God, and his believing was accounted unto him as righteousness. Abraham was not morally better or holier than anyone else; he was very ordinary and later had failures like anyone else. Yet by faith he pleased God, and God called him a righteous man.
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
More Questions
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.'
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.