Justification by Faith: John Calvin
In the book of Christian Institute, Calvin discusses the doctrine of Justification with conviction, care, and attention. He believed that the fundamental position of religious conviction is espoused by it. Calvin further explains that the Gospel message is about reconciling with God, but only through Christ Jesus, who receives us in favour by not imputing our sins.
Calvin further simplifies the understanding of Justification by faith by stressing some scriptures. Calvin claims Acts 13:38-39 for acquittal “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him, everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Calvin expounds and explains that Salvation is completely through the interposition of Christ, obtained by faith and not through the merit of works, that we are justified.
Karl Barth explains that the “term works mean thoughts and words and achievement of sinful man, and these works should be completely dissociated from Justification.” Faith, as obedient humility, denies the power and worth of any human actions done to attain Justification. For the Schoolmen (papists), Justification is obtained by the forgiveness of sins. But they believed that after reconciling with God, using Christ, an individual can be accepted and reckoned as righteous by his good works. However, John Calvin considers Justification not by any approval of works but by gratuitous acquittal on the part of God.
Alister E. McGrath holds that the Christian understanding should be based on three propositions: God is righteous, man is a sinner, and God justifies man. For a clearer Biblical view on Justification by faith, Martin Luther highlights Romans 3:28 (a favourite verse of mine), where Luther highlights Paul dealing with the main point of Christian doctrine Justified by faith in Christ without any works of the law. Apostle Paul cuts off all works of the law and puts stress on the fact that faith alone justifies.
Calvin also clarifies the distinction between law and the Gospel from Romans 10:5-9, in which Mosaic Law gives Justification to works, but the Gospel bestows it freely without the help of works. Calvin further quotes from what Augustine said: “Let human merits, which perished by Adam, here be silent, and let the grace of God reign by Jesus Christ.” Hence, whatever good a man sees in himself, is not of his merit, but is of God’s divine mercy. As Paul said in Corinthians - Jesus has been given to us for righteousness. We know that God hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, not according to our merit, but according to the good pleasure of his will.
Through Jesus’ crucifixion, we have redemption, protection, reconciliation, and purity despite being unclean. All things of Christ are ours. We have all things in Christ, and there is nothing in us which we can boast about.
The Papists, however, believed that the means of Justification becomes too easy when we believe in the doctrine of free remission of sins and do not merit salvation by works, as to them, this gratuitous justification makes space for men to sin more.
Calvin also explains that, when we are seriously convinced of the doctrine of Gratuitous Justification, we need to be careful, as we should not employ our little standards to measure perfection, which is to satisfy the justice of God, as righteousness is not of human but of a heavenly tribunal, and the righteousness of God is not shown completely until He is held to be righteous. To respond to this call, we must put far from us all arrogance and confidence. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Therefore, Calvin strongly says we never truly glory in Him until we have utterly discarded our glory. It must, therefore, be regarded as a universal position, that whosoever glories in himself glories against God.
Calvin also explains what kind of righteousness a man can have during the whole course of his life. Calvin answers that the God of reconciliation also dwells in us by the means of his Holy Spirit, by whose agency the lusts of our flesh are every day more and more mortified, while we are sanctified that is, consecrated to the Lord for true purity of life, our hearts being trained to the obedience of the law.
Calvin expounds that the Lord credited Abraham’s faith for righteousness (Rom 4:3), not at the time when he was still a worshiper of idols, but after he had long served God with a pure heart and performed that obedience of law which a mortal man can perform. Yet his righteousness still consisted in his faith. Hence, Calvin infers, according to the reasoning of Paul, that it was not of works. The Sophists, on the other hand, have a completely different view; they talk about the sufficiency of works for Justification.
Calvin also denies the allegation that justification by faith destroys good works. He says that we dream not of a faith that is devoid of good works, nor of a justification that can exist without them. According to Calvin, Christ “is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Christ therefore justifies no man without also sanctifying him. Calvin claims that these blessings are conjoined by a perpetual and inseparable tie, though we distinguish them separately. We understand that we cannot obtain Justification in Christ, similarly, we cannot obtain Christ without being made a partaker of his sanctification, for Christ cannot be divided.
Finally, Calvin concludes his understanding by talking about the rewards which may seem a result of keeping the law. According to the Papists and Schoolmen, faith assures the conscience while waiting to receive from God the rewards of merits and in interpreting divine grace to mean not the imputation of gratuitous righteousness, but the assistance of the Spirit in the study of holiness (Heb. 11:6). But Calvin counters this by giving an example of the psalmist loudly extolling the benefits of the law, but immediately exclaiming, “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from the secret faults” (Psalms 19:12).
Thus, we ought not to acknowledge that the favour of God is offered to us in the law, provided by our works. We can deserve it, but it never actually reaches us through any work. Calvin does admit that the work of the faithful is rewarded with the promise which God gave in his law, to the cultivation of righteousness and holiness, but, he says in these rewards, we should always attend to the cause which obtains favour for works. According to Alister E. McGrath when God crowns man’s merits, He merely crowns His gifts to man, rather than some attribute of man to divine reward based on his efforts.
