Our works don’t justify us or get us in better standing because they’re a baseline. We see in verse four they’re “not counted as a gift but as his due.” And we can’t possibly attain that. So just like today, as it was back then, belief is what is counted to us as righteousness. Abraham’s righteousness was counted to him when? When He BELIEVED God. And in that we are forgiven for all the falling short we do. Our good deeds don’t get us there, they’re the expectation we fell short of. “Blessed are those (us) whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Praise God
