Calvin’s Institutes: Two truths in justification impel us to glorify God.

In this entry I am writing on Calvin’s Institutes Book 3, chapter 13.

In justification there are two truths which bring all believers to proclaim the glory of God.  (1) God’s glory and righteousness is what is loved, not human righteousness.  (2) The justified are at peace in the presence of God. These two points are summarized below.

1.         First of all the apostle “testifies that the Lord’s purpose in bestowing righteousness upon us in Christ was to show us His own righteousness.”  (Pg., 763).  

·         Believers glory in the righteousness of God because it is the only true righteousness.  All our righteousness is in Christ.  As Bernard so beautifully writes, “The Lord’s compassion is my merit.  Obviously, I am not devoid of merit so long as he is not devoid of compassion.  But if the mercies of the Lord abound, then equally do I abound in merits.  Shall I sing my own righteous acts?  O Lord, I shall remember they righteousness only, for it is also mine.  Namely, he was made righteousness for me by God.” (Pg., 757)

·         To put it another way, God will not give his glory to any other.  (Is 48:11)  God will finally cause every sinner to recognize his own wickedness (Rom. 3:19; Ezek.20:43-44) for the express reason that nothing will be detracted from the pure glory of God.  Calvin is right when he says, “We never truly glory in him unless we have utterly put off our own glory.  On the other hand, we must hold this as a universal principle: whoever glories in himself, glories against God.”  (Pg., 764)

      

·         Calvin sums up this first point by reminding “That the praise of righteousness remain perfect and whole in the Lord’s possession, since it was to manifest his own righteousness that - as the apostle attests - he poured out his grace upon us so that he himself may be righteous, and the justifier of him who has faith in Christ.” (pg., 764) (Rom 3:26; Eph. 1:6; 2:8-9; 1 Peter 2:9)

2.         Secondly, the imputed righteousness of Christ gives peace to the soul.  If we were to look at our own righteousness we would have no peace, because we are found to have no righteousness.

·         Jesus is the King of Peace (Isa. 9:6).  Due to the provision of His righteousness, which God imputes to the elect sinner, peace comes to the heart of the believer.  How is this so?  Well, the believer has a place to rest, a surety and confidence that he possesses righteousness - not his own but Christ’s.  Hence, despair of righteousness is vanquished.

·         This justification which takes place because Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the sinner is received by faith alone.  Faith is that passive activity which brings the King of Peace to the heart.  Even this very faith is His gift of peace.

·         Calvin wrote.  “Therefore, we must come to this remedy: that believers should be convinced that their only ground of hope for the inheritance of a Heavenly Kingdom lies in the fact that, being engrafted in the body of Christ, they are freely accounted righteous.”  (Pg., 768)

Those who know God’s righteousness because God has shown it to them through Jesus Christ by the revealing and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit have joy now and will have it for all eternity.  God has been faithful to his word to bestow forgiveness and love to all his people – even though they did not deserve or earn it.  In this righteousness of God, God gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding.  Namely, that God is not longer angry with us due to our sin.  Without Christ sinners are justly under his wrath.  However, in being faithful to his promise to forgive the sin of his people he also made peace with his people.  See Romans 5.