Righteousness
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That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." [Rom. 4:22]
Rom 4:20 He [Abraham] did not doubt God's promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God
Rom 4:21 and was fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do.
Rom 4:22 That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."
Rom 4:23 But it was not for him alone that it was written that "it was credited to him";
Rom 4:24 it was also for us, to whom it will be credited, who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Rom 4:25 who was handed over for our transgressions and was raised for our justification.
"SOME" say that St. Paul is suggesting, that we do not have to live out our Faith in Christ by following the lead of The Holy Spirit?
QUESTION: "Is that what St. Paul is saying here?"
Would St. Paul contradict himself and Jesus?
ANSWER: "No"!
Jesus Christ and St. Paul, speak to us throughout Scripture, telling us that we have to "LOVE" in order to get to Heaven. (Mt. 5:43, 19:17; Lk. 10:25; Gal. 5:6, 14; 1 Cor. 13:13 etc.)
What did St. Paul mean when he states; "it was credited to him as righteousness."
He is talking about "circumcision".
Not "works [acts] of Love". It makes no sense for St. Paul to tell you in Galatians that Love fulfills the law [Gal. 5:14], then elsewhere that we do not have to love. That is what Catholic apologists mean by; we have to take the whole Bible to discern what God wants for mankind. That we can not just take one verse out of context.
Romans 4:9 Does this blessedness apply only to the circumcised, or to the uncircumcised as well? Now we assert that "faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness."
Rom 4:10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was he circumcised or not? He was not circumcised, but uncircumcised.
It is clear that St. Paul was not talking about the non-Catholic "mis-interpretation" of Romans because Abraham does follow God to be "credited as righteous"!
Before God "credits" Abraham as "righteous", Abraham is commanded by God to leave the land where he has lived and enter a land filled with danger [Gen 12:1-4]. Then Abraham fights several kings and wins with God's Grace. [Gen. 14:20] He pays a "tithe" to "Melchizedek, king of Salem" [Gen 14:18].
Did Abram just "believe" as some might have us think? Or did he act on his belief?
Gen 12:1 The LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.
Gen 12:2 "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
Abram "acted" on God's command. He journeyed to a foreign land. [Gen 13:12]
Only after Abram had stepped out in Faith, following God's command and acting on God's Word did God "credit him with righteousness".
Gen 15:6 Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.