Hearing + belief (faith) + obedience = blessing/righteousness

If there is true belief, obedience will follow. Because Abram believed God, Abram obeyed God and God counted that as righteousness to Abram. God spoke through Moses and told the Hebrews what they needed to do to be “saved” from the wrath of God in the form of the “destroyer”. First they had to believe Moses’ words were from God (not ask Moses into their heart) and believe those words were true. By believing in Moses they believed in God, because God had sent him. By acting on those words and applying the blood to the door, they were protecting themselves from the wrath of God that would be poured out. Salvation in once sense came when they acted in obedience, because God’s word in the prophetic tense is sure and never fails; they were “marked” for salvation. But they were not technically “saved” until they were “passed over” and all others were not. In the same way, how can someone who says they “sh’ma”, continue in their own direction? If there is true belief, obedience and action will follow. It is not about works, it is always God who does the “saving”, we just have to obey His words and be a participant in them. God told Abram “follow me”. Abram did it not know what was ahead, nor did God come to Abram as if God needed something. To follow God, Abram had to be “set-apart” from his family. Our journeys in following the God of Israel will look different. What God asks of each of us will also vary. Listening and subsequent obedience is the key, and that results in blessing. No action upon hearing is proof of no belief (no ears) (i.e. if the tree is not bearing any fruit, what does that tell you?).