EVEN a cursory look at Scripture will tell us that of the four instances that Scripture says Abraham was justified, two of these were clearly because of Abraham’s obedience. John Salza walks us through Scripture:
Gen. 12:1-4 – Abram is initially justified here by his faith in God. Here’s Gen 12: 1-3 “Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing."
Heb. 11:8-10 confirms Abraham's justification occurred in Gen 12, before Gen. 15:6 by referring to Gen. 12. Here’s Heb 11:8 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go.”
Abraham's justification increased over time because justification is not a one-time event, but an on-going process of growing in holiness.
Gen. 14:19, 22-23 - Abram is also justified here, by being blessed by the priest-king Melchizedek. Melchizedek calls Abram “blessed” and Abram gives him a tenth of everything.
Gen. 15:6 – Abram is further justified here, as God promises him that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars.
Because the Scripture says, “He believed the Lord, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness,” some say this was Abram’s initial justification, and cite Rom 4:2 to prove Abram was justified by his faith. Yes, but while it is true that Abram was justified by his faith, he was justified 25 years earlier in Gen. 12:1-4, as Heb. 11:8-10 proves.
Gen. 22:1-18 – Abraham is further justified here, this time by works, when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. James 2:21 proves this: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?”
James then confirms this by writing, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (James2:23).
God says in Matthew 19:17: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” God, however, says in Rom 3:28: “For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.”
So we ask: Which is it: “Believe, and you shall be saved,” or “Keep the commandments, and you shall be saved”? Which is it: faith or obedience?
The answer: BOTH are correct, “faith” being one and the same as “believe,” and “believing” nothing more than “OBEYING.”
What is “faith”?
According to Cardinal Newman, “faith” is “to feel in good earnest that we are creatures of God.” “Faith” is “a practical perception of the unseen world; it is to understand that this world is not enough for our happiness, to look beyond it on toward God, to realize His presence, to wait upon Him, to endeavor to learn and to do His will, and to seek our good from Him. It is not a mere temporary strong act or impetuous feeling of the mind, an impression or a view coming upon it.”
Cardinal Newman adds that to have faith in God is “to surrender one’s-self to God, humbly to put one’s interests, or to wish to be allowed to put them into His hands.”
What is obedience?
It is, according to Cardinal Newman, “the obvious mode, suggested by nature, of a creature’s conducting himself in God’s sight, who fears Him as his Maker, and knows that, as a sinner, he has especial cause for fearing him.
“Under such circumstances he ‘will do what he can’ to please Him. He will look every way to see how it is possible to approve himself to Him, and will rejoice to find any service which may stand as a sort of proof that He is in earnest.
“And he will find nothing better as an offering, or as an evidence, than obedience to that Holy Law, which conscience tells him has been given us by God Himself; that is, he will be diligent in doing all his duty as far as he knows it and can do it.”
Conclusion: “Faith” and “Obedience” are the same.
“For by obedience is meant obedience, not to the world, but to God—and habitually to obey God, is to be constant in looking on to God—and to look on to Almighty God, is to have faith; so that to ‘live by faith,’ or ‘walk by faith, (according to the Scripture phrases), that is, to have a habit of faith, and to be obedient, are one and the same general character of mind; - viewed as sitting at Jesus’ feet, it is called faith; viewed as running to do His will, it is called obedience.”