Yes — you receive righteousness the same way Abraham did, by believing God rather than by doing works.
When Abraham believed God, his faith was counted for righteousness, with no works or religious effort added. Paul says the same is true for us when we believe the gospel that Christ died, was buried, and rose from the dead. God imputes His righteousness to the one who simply believes.
Romans 4:3 — Quotes Genesis 15:6 and directly states that Abraham's believing was counted for righteousness.
Romans 4:5 — Explains that righteousness is given to the one who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly.
Romans 4:24 — Applies Abraham's imputed righteousness to all who believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3, quoting Genesis 15:6). The righteousness was not earned; it was credited to his account simply because he believed what God had promised. Paul continues: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Romans 4:5). And this was not written for Abraham alone: "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:24-25).
Les Feldick emphasizes that Abraham did nothing except believe. The moment God saw his faith, He accounted it to Abraham as the imputed righteousness of God. Les describes this as a bookkeeping term — faith was put on Abraham's account. He repeatedly labels the principle "faith plus nothing": no works, no self-reformation, no religious merit added. Les also makes an important distinction between believing God (which is personal trust that becomes faith) and simply believing in God (which is only recognizing that God exists). He teaches that every human being has already been pardoned through Christ's work on the cross, but that pardon must be appropriated by personal faith. When we believe the gospel — that Christ died, was buried, shed His blood, and rose from the dead — God imputes His righteousness to us, just as He did with Abraham.
No. Les points out that there is no works whatsoever in believing — all God looks for is our faith. He quotes Romans 4:4-5: to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt, but to him that worketh not but believeth, his faith is counted for righteousness. Abraham did nothing but believe. Therefore righteousness is by faith, not by prior moral improvement or religious activity.
Les calls "counted" a bookkeeping term — it was put to the account of Abraham. God imputed to Abraham the very righteousness of God Himself, so that as far as God was concerned, Abraham had never sinned. It was not Abraham's own righteousness; it was the imputed righteousness of God, received entirely by faith.
Les presents the gospel as the truth that Christ died, was buried, shed His blood, and rose from the dead. When we believe that message, God imputes His righteousness to us just as He did for Abraham. The resurrection is included in the gospel we are called to believe, and it is central to the faith that is credited as righteousness.
Pardon Accomplished, Received by Faith
Les teaches that every person has already been pardoned through the cross, but the pardon must be received by faith — the same faith principle as Abraham's.
Abraham Believed God and It Was Counted
Les shows that the 'it' in Romans 4:3 refers to Abraham's believing, and by that simple belief God imputed His own righteousness to him.
Faith, Not Works, Made Abraham Righteous
Les uses Romans 4 to show Abraham was saved by faith, not by works, and that God accounted his belief as righteousness.
No Physical Works in Believing
Les clarifies that believing involves no physical work; all God looks for is our faith, exactly as He did with Abraham.
Righteousness Without Works
Les contrasts the one who works for a reward with the one who does not work but believes, and says that believer receives the imputed righteousness of God.
Faith Plus Nothing
Les says 'counted' is a bookkeeping term — Abraham's believing was put to his account for righteousness, and the whole principle is faith plus nothing.
Believing God Versus Believing in God
Les sets up the key difference between believing God (personal trust that becomes faith) and simply believing in God, and shows Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God.
Righteousness Imputed to the Believer Today
Les teaches that when we believe the gospel — Christ died, was buried, shed His blood, and rose again — God imputes His righteousness to us just as He did for Abraham.
Genesis 15:6: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
The original record of Abraham's faith being credited to him as righteousness.
Romans 4:3: For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Paul cites Genesis 15:6 to prove justification is by faith.
Romans 4:5: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Defines the one who receives righteousness: the one who stops working and believes.
Romans 4:24: But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Extends Abraham's imputed righteousness to believers today.
Romans 4:25: Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Shows the resurrection is directly connected to our justification.
No. Les teaches that Abraham did nothing to reform his life before God counted his faith as righteousness. God looks for faith, not works — there is no works whatsoever in believing.
No. Les explains that if Abraham were justified by works, he would have something to boast about, but never before God. Since righteousness is by faith, no one can glory in himself; it is all of God's grace.
Believing God is personal trust that becomes faith, like Abraham's. Believing in God is simply recognizing that He is out there, with no real acceptance of His promise. Saving faith is believing what God has actually said.
Watch the Teaching: The Truth About Grace, Faith & Abraham — Romans 4:13-25