Wil Reinowski
I am a bit surprised that Lane’s guide to the Institutes glazes
over Book 3 Chapter 15, and while it may be true that this does not contain
information central to Calvin’s theology this chapter is worth some discussion.
In section 2, Calvin
notes that the word “merit” is not Biblically-based. Here, we have another of
Calvin’s contradictions. Calvin does find that the term was used in ancient church
writings, that God assigns some value to our works, but we should never see our
works as a type of Divine currency.
Section 3 is a discussion of grace. Calvin asserts that
nothing that we do is meritorious enough to receive the gift of grace that God
gives, and yet God bestows grace on us. Calvin says in the first sentence of
this section, “Scripture shows what all our works deserve when it states that they
cannot bear God’s gaze because they are full of uncleanness.” Humans cannot
perfectly follow the law, but God bestows his good works on us anyway and calls
them “ours.”
