Abraham's Conditions

Gen 17:1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Gen 17:2  And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 

This appears as if God is expecting perfection before the covenant will be completed, and he is in a faith sense. Perfect sometimes means complete. It fits into the James 2 passages very well.

Jas 2:22  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 

Abraham couldn't meet the conditions of the covenant until his faith was perfected.

Does that mean that the Genesis 15:6 righteousness was real, but not complete? Could be. It was sufficient to be called righteous, but not sufficient to meet the covenental conditions.

We must also acknowledge that the "walk before me" couldn't be completed by circumcision, it required a long-term commitment. After this he,

1. Sojourned in the land of the Philistines.

2. Went into Sarah and conceived Isaac.

3. Offered Isaac.