How was Abraham justified without doing anything or meriting anything?

Les explains that Abraham is the epitome of a man of faith, who was justified by doing nothing and meriting nothing. He had been raised and was living in abject idolatry, with no knowledge of the One True God. Yet God saw in that man the potential to believe what He said, so He reached down, spoke to him, and likely appeared to him in a physical form, communicating with him more than once. Paul, by inspiration, goes back to Abraham as the perfect example of what it is to be justified—made totally righteous by faith, and faith alone, plus nothing. The promise that Abraham would be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. If those of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise of none effect, because the law worketh wrath. The commandments can only bring the wrath of God, not heaven. Grace is not license.