Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
VII. But there appears to be much greater difficulty in those
places which dignify good works with the title of righteousness,
and assert that a man is justified by them. Of the former
kind there are many, where the observance of the commands
is denominated justification or righteousness. An example of
the other kind we find in Moses: “And it shall be our righteousness,
if we observe to do all these commandments.”[142]
If
it be objected that this is a legal promise, which, having an
impossible condition annexed to it, proves nothing,—there are
other passages which will not admit of a similar reply; such
as, “In case thou shalt deliver him the pledge, &c., it shall be
righteousness unto thee before the Lord.”[143]
Similar to this
is what the Psalmist says, that the zeal of Phinehas in avenging
the disgrace of Israel, “was counted unto him for righteousness.”[144]
Therefore the Pharisees of our day suppose
that these passages afford ample ground for their clamour
against us. For when we say, that if the righteousness of
faith be established, there is an end of justification by works,—they
argue, in the same manner, that if righteousness be by
works, then it is not true that we are justified by faith alone.
Though I grant that the precepts of the law are termed righteousness,
there is nothing surprising in this; for they are so in
reality. The reader, however, ought to be apprized that the
Hebrew word חקים (commandments) is not well translated by
the Greek word δικαιωματα, (righteousness.) But I readily relinquish
all controversy respecting the word. Nor do we deny
that the Divine law contains perfect righteousness. For although,
being under an obligation to fulfil all its precepts, we
should, even after a perfect obedience to it, only be unprofitable
servants,—yet, since the Lord has honoured the observance of
it with the title of righteousness, we would not detract from
what he has given. We freely acknowledge, therefore, that
the perfect obedience of the law is righteousness, and that the
observance of every particular command is a part of righteousness;
since complete righteousness consists of all the parts.
But we deny that such a kind of righteousness any where exists.
And therefore we reject the righteousness of the law;
not that it is of itself defective and mutilated, but because, on
account of the debility of our flesh,[145]
it is no where to be
found. It may be said, that the Scripture not only calls the
Divine precepts righteousnesses, but gives this appellation also to
the works of the saints. As where it relates of Zacharias and
his wife, that “they were both righteous before God, walking in
all his commandments:”[146]
certainly, when it speaks thus, it
estimates their works rather according to the nature of the law,
than according to the actual condition of the persons. Here it is
necessary to repeat the observation which I have just made,
that no rule is to be drawn from the incautiousness of the
Greek translator. But as Luke has not thought proper to alter
the common version, neither will I contend for it. Those
things which are commanded in the law, God has enjoined
upon man as necessary to righteousness; but that righteousness
we do not fulfil without observing the whole law, which is
broken by every act of transgression. Since the law, therefore,
only prescribes a righteousness, if we contemplate the
law itself, all its distinct commands are parts of righteousness;
if we consider men, by whom they are performed, they cannot
obtain the praise of righteousness from one act, while they are
transgressors in many, and while that same act is partly vicious
by reason of its imperfection.
VIII. But I proceed to the second class of texts, in which
the principal difficulty lies. Paul urges nothing more forcible
in proof of justification by faith, than what is stated respecting
Abraham—that he “believed God, and it was counted unto
him for righteousness.”[147]
Since the action of Phinehas,
therefore, is said to have been “counted unto him for righteousness,”[148]
we may also use the same argument concerning
works, which Paul insists on respecting faith. Therefore our
adversaries, as though they had established the point, determine
that we are justified neither without faith, nor by faith alone;
and that our righteousness is completed by works. Therefore
I conjure believers, if they know that the true rule of righteousness
is to be sought in the Scripture alone, to accompany me
in a serious and solemn examination how the Scripture may be
properly reconciled with itself without any sophistry. Paul,
knowing the righteousness of faith to be the refuge of those
who are destitute of any righteousness of their own, boldly
infers that all who are justified by faith, are excluded from
the righteousness of works. It being likewise evident, on the
other hand, that this is common to all believers, he with
equal confidence concludes that no man is justified by works,
but rather, on the contrary, that we are justified independently
of all works. But it is one thing to dispute concerning the
intrinsic value of works, and another, to argue respecting the
place they ought to hold after the establishment of the righteousness
of faith. If we are to determine the value of works
by their own worthiness, we say that they are unworthy to
appear in the sight of God; that there is nothing in our works
of which we can glory before God; and consequently, that
being divested of all assistance from works, we are justified by
faith alone. Now, we describe this righteousness in the following
manner: That a sinner, being admitted to communion
with Christ, is by his grace reconciled to God; while, being
purified by his blood, he obtains remission of sins, and being
clothed with his righteousness, as if it were his own, he stands
secure before the heavenly tribunal. Where remission of sins
has been previously received, the good works which succeed
are estimated far beyond their intrinsic merit; for all their
imperfections are covered by the perfection of Christ, and all
their blemishes are removed by his purity, that they may not
be scrutinized by the Divine judgment. The guilt, therefore,
of all transgressions, by which men are prevented from offering
any thing acceptable to God being obliterated, and the imperfection,
which universally deforms even the good works of believers,
being buried in oblivion, their works are accounted righteous,
or, which is the same thing, are imputed for righteousness.
