- There is a question inherent in Reformed soteriology: if justification is by faith alone, why can we not have assurance of justification apart from holiness? Doesn’t this make our justification in part dependent on good works? The antinomians answer it by saying that we don’t need personal holiness. Another answer to the question is that we are assured of justification in the way of holiness, not because of holiness. Some want to say that good works contribute to assurance, or that good works are an instrument through which believers obtain some aspects of salvation. The first answer is heresy, the second inadequate, and the third a dangerous error.
- Leaving faith out of the discussion of this question will inevitably lead to error.
- The commandments are the way of life: “Do this and you will live” (Lk 10:28). Or, to put it another way, the commandments define the sphere of life. Step outside that sphere, and you will die. We did trespass outside the sphere of life and died. Christ’s work is not only to remove the guilt of that trespass, so that we have the right to live again, but also to restore us to the sphere of life, to bring us back into obedience to the commandments, to sanctify us. So the law tells us where life is found—in obedience—but has no power to restore us to life. The commandment is weak through the flesh (Rom. 8:3). The commandment can only revive sin, so that we die (Rom. 7:9).
- How are we sanctified? By faith in Christ. Work out your own salvation (Phil. 2:12–13) means believe in Christ, seek his power in putting off the old man and putting on the new man. That’s why Paul adds, “for it is God who works in you.”
- Faith always says, “I can’t do it. God can. Turn me and I shall be turned” (Jer. 31:18).
- It’s in walking by faith in the sphere of life that we have assurance of justification and life. And, of course, when we step outside the sphere of life (an act of unbelief) we lose that assurance, or whatever assurance we have is presumption. That’s why James says that faith without works is dead.
- It’s a serious practical mistake to seek assurance by doing good works. The purpose of doing good works is to glorify God, express our thankfulness, and let our light shine before men, so that they may glorify our Father in heaven. Why would they glorify our Father in heaven because of our good works? Because we always do them by faith. As Peter said about healing the lame man: “Why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? … His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (Acts 3:12, 16).
- We should not do good works to obtain something. Notice how the Heidelberg Catechism puts it in Q&A 87. “Why must we do good works? That we may be assured of our faith by the fruits thereof.” It does not say simply that we must do good works to have assurance, but that assurance comes in part by observing good works in ourselves as the fruit of justifying faith. We do not do the good works to obtain assurance but observe the good works after the fact and see them as confirmation that we have a living faith in Christ.
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