Was Abraham a morally superior or especially holy man when God counted him righteous?
No. Scripture presents Abraham as very ordinary, not morally superior or especially holy. He was not better morally or in any other way than anyone else, and later failed like others. He simply believed God, and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness, not works.
Les explains that Abraham was the great man of faith, but not because he was morally better or especially holy. He was very ordinary and later had failures like anyone else. Abraham did not work, repent, get baptized, join something, or grovel; he simply believed God. If he had been justified by works, he could have gloried and become proud. Instead, his believing was accounted unto him as righteousness, and by that faith he pleased God, so God called him a righteous man.