Here is today’s summary.
1. Justification is by faith alone, only! Sinners are not justified by faith and works, but only by faith alone. Justification must be either by one of the other. If we are justified by works then it is not by faith. If by faith alone, then it is not by works. (Phil. 3:8-9)
2. If we achieve our own righteousness by our own works, then we must do away with God’s gift of grace in Christ because it will be of no value to us…we don’t need grace. So if God does not put us right by Christ then boasting in who we are is not excluded but rather encouraged.
3. This is completely against God’s grace. We receive righteousness from God by grace through faith alone. (Rom.3:25-27; 4:2-4; Gal 2:21) Calvin says, “Righteousness according to grace is owed to faith. Therefore it does not arise from the merit of works. Farewell, then, to the dream of those who think up a righteousness flowing together out of faith and works” (Pg., 744).
4. This grace of justification which we receive by faith alone is God freely imputing to us the righteousness of Christ. It is not an infusion of Christ’s righteousness to us, thus enabling us to co-operate with God in salvation.
5. The Bible witnesses that God the Father first purposes to embrace the sinner whom he has elected in Christ his Son. The Father then draws that sinner to his Son by the Spirit’s power giving him a sense of God’s goodness and his own sinfulness, thus despairing of his own goodness flees to Christ. “This is the experience of faith through which the sinner comes into possession of his salvation when from the teaching of the gospel he acknowledges that he has been reconciled to God: that with Christ’s righteousness interceding and forgiveness of sins accomplished he is justified” (Pg., 746).
6. Is there such a thing as law righteousness? Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that the law of God is God and true and would give life if it could. However, it cannot because of human sin. That leads to the no! No, because law righteousness does not and cannot save the sinner because he cannot attain to law righteousness. We must know the distinction between the righteousness of the law and gospel; and the differences between the promises of the law and gospel.
The righteousness (being put right) that comes by the law attributes being put right to works. The promises of the law depend upon human obedience. It is different with the gospel. Being put right by the gospel means God himself puts us right by giving us the righteousness of Christ, apart form the help of works. The promises of the gospel are free and freeing, and dependent solely upon God’s mercy.
7. It is obvious from Scripture that the law is different from faith. (Rom. 10:5-6; Gal. 3:18; Hab. 2:4; Gal 3:11-12) Why? Because, works are mandatory for law righteousness, but faith righteousness demands no works, it is all of grace. Calvin writes, “Now the gospel differs from the law in that it does not link righteousness to works but lodges if solely in God’s mercy” (Pg., 748).
8. But the question arises, “What about good works?” More on that latter in Calvin, but at this juncture it should be understood that, “Moral works are also excluded from the power of justifying. Why, ‘since through the law comes the knowledge of sin’ [Rom 3:20], therefore not righteousness. Because the law does not make conscience certain, it cannot confer righteousness either. Because faith is imputed as righteousness, righteousness is therefore no the reward of works but is given unearned [Rom. 4:4-5]. Because we are justified by faith our boasting is cut off [Rom 3:27] and ‘if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.’ [Gal 3:21-22]” (Pg., 749).
9. One last thing but the most important thing is this, by faith alone means, by Jesus Christ alone!.
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