THE PRIMARY RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH

Faith is a righteous attitude toward God, and is often referred to in the Bible as 'godliness'. A proper attitude toward God is also the foundation of all other righteousness. When our hearts are right toward God, we are 'tuned' to relate properly with our fellow man as well. The logic of this is straightforward.
Suppose a thief commits murder during a bank robbery, killing a bank employee. Do you suppose that he will be concerned about running stop signs during his getaway? Of course not. If he has committed the greater crime, he will have no regard for lesser laws. The same thing applies to mankind. If we are willing to declare war against our Creator, how can we love lesser beings who are mere creations? It is impossible to truly respect a human being if we are incapable of respect for God. The apostle Paul explained how all of man's wickedness toward our fellow man flows out of our first and greater crime of disrespect for God:

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 1:28-32

King David also recognized this connection, confessing that his adultery and murder had their roots in opposition to God:

Against You (God), You only, have I sinned and done this evil in Your sight.

Psalm 51:4

This connection, between faith in God and obedience to God's entire Law, is seen in God's two-part description of Abraham's character. First God acknowledged the righteousness of Abraham's faith, and then acknowledged Abraham's fulfillment of all of His laws:

Abraham believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:6

Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.

Genesis 26:5

The apostle Peter also pointed to the 'heart-purifying' nature of faith. In explaining to his fellow Jews why he declared the gospel of Jesus Christ to 'unclean Gentiles', Peter said...

So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them (the Gentiles) by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us (Jews); and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Acts 15:8-9

This same direct connection between faith and keeping God's commandments is also found in the book of Revelation, where true Christians are described:

And the dragon (Satan) was angry with the woman (Israel), and went to make war with the remnant of her seed (Christians), which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:17

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 14:12