Chapter 4: The Salvation of Man

As we have indicated, the Article attempts to strike a mean between extremes. On the one hand, the Roman Church seems to over‑estimate the importance of Good Works, as a means of earning justification, increase of grace, eternal life, and even an increase of glory.^[1] Against this view, the Article declares that Good Works which follow after justification cannot earn justification for us.^[2] Note the distinction between ‘Works’ (Article XIII) and ‘Good Works’. The Article follows Augustine's dictum: ‘Good Works go not before in him which shall afterward be justified; but Good Works do follow after when a man is first justified’.^[3] Our Lord emphasized that ‘the branch cannot bear fruit of itself’,^[4] and St. Paul was insistent that works cannot merit justification.^[5]

At the other extreme, certain Protestants have so underestimated the importance of Good Works as to encourage ‘solifidianism’^[6] and ‘antinomianism’.^[7] The former places so much emphasis on salvation ‘by faith only’ as to suggest that Good Works are not only unnecessary but positively evil; the latter encourages lawlessness by saying that because a Christian is ‘under grace’ and not ‘under Law’, he is therefore under no obligation to observe even the moral law. The Article emphasizes the importance of Good Works as ‘pleasing and acceptable to God’,^[8] and the necessary fruits of a true and lively faith. Our Lord held before us the ideal of perfect holiness,^[9] and taught us to regard Good Works as so certainly the product of a living faith,^[10] that we shall be judged according to our works at the end of life.^[11] St. Paul held the same view, declaring, ‘We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.’^[12] The New Testament writers repeatedly emphasize the importance of a practical holiness of life, which may be seen by our good works.^[13] The faithfulness and good works of God's servants forwards His purpose for mankind.^[14] Confession of Christ is meaningless without obedience to His precepts and example;^[15] and keeping His words, as distinct from hearing them and acknowledging their truth, makes all the difference between building on a rock and building on sand.^[16]

^[1]The council of Trent affirmed: ‘Whosoever shall affirm that the good works of a justified man are in such sense the gifts of God, that they are not also his worthy merits, or that he being justified by his good works, which are wrought by him through the grace of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ, of whom he is a lively member, does not really deserve increase of grace, eternal life, the enjoyment of that eternal life if he dies in a state of grace, and even an increase of glory, let him be accursed’, cited in Griffith Thomas, The Principles of Theology, p. 206.

^[2]Cf. Article XIII. The Article is emphasizing the imperfection of our good works. The phrase was taken from the Wütemberg Confession: ‘For all the good works that we do are imperfect, neither can they bear the severity of the divine judgement.’

^[3]From St. Augustine’s ‘De Fide et Operibus; cited in Homily ‘Of Fasting.’

^[4]Jn. 15:4 (R. V.).

^[5]Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; Ephes. 2:8 f.; Tit. 3:5.

^[6]Latin, ‘sola fide’, ‘by faith only’.

^[7]Greek, ‘anti-nomos (law)’.

^[8]Phil. 4:8; 1 Pet. 2:5.

^[9]Mtt. 5:48 (R. V.).

^[10]Mtt. 7:16 f.; Lk. 6:43.

^[11]Mtt. 16:27.

^[12]2 Cor. 5:10: Rom 2:6.

^[13]Rom. 6:22 (R. V.); Eph. 2:10; Tit. 2:7, 14; Jas. 2:17 f, 26; 1 Jn. 2:5 (R. V.).

^[14]1 Cor. 12:26 ff.; Jas. 5:16.

^[15]Lk. 6:46; Jn. 13:15.

^[16]Mtt. 7:24-27.


	The Salvation of Man
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Title Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Site Search: powered by FreeFind Copyright & Credit	As we have indicated, the Article attempts to strike a mean between extremes. On the one hand, the Roman Church seems to over‑estimate the importance of Good Works, as a means of earning justification, increase of grace, eternal life, and even an increase of glory.^[1] Against this view, the Article declares that Good Works which follow after justification cannot earn justification for us.^[2] Note the distinction between ‘Works’ (Article XIII) and ‘Good Works’. The Article follows Augustine's dictum: ‘Good Works go not before in him which shall afterward be justified; but Good Works do follow after when a man is first justified’.^[3] Our Lord emphasized that ‘the branch cannot bear fruit of itself’,^[4] and St. Paul was insistent that works cannot merit justification.^[5] At the other extreme, certain Protestants have so underestimated the importance of Good Works as to encourage ‘solifidianism’^[6] and ‘antinomianism’.^[7] The former places so much emphasis on salvation ‘by faith only’ as to suggest that Good Works are not only unnecessary but positively evil; the latter encourages lawlessness by saying that because a Christian is ‘under grace’ and not ‘under Law’, he is therefore under no obligation to observe even the moral law. The Article emphasizes the importance of Good Works as ‘pleasing and acceptable to God’,^[8] and the necessary fruits of a true and lively faith. Our Lord held before us the ideal of perfect holiness,^[9] and taught us to regard Good Works as so certainly the product of a living faith,^[10] that we shall be judged according to our works at the end of life.^[11] St. Paul held the same view, declaring, ‘We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.’^[12] The New Testament writers repeatedly emphasize the importance of a practical holiness of life, which may be seen by our good works.^[13] The faithfulness and good works of God's servants forwards His purpose for mankind.^[14] Confession of Christ is meaningless without obedience to His precepts and example;^[15] and keeping His words, as distinct from hearing them and acknowledging their truth, makes all the difference between building on a rock and building on sand.^[16] ^[1]The council of Trent affirmed: ‘Whosoever shall affirm that the good works of a justified man are in such sense the gifts of God, that they are not also his worthy merits, or that he being justified by his good works, which are wrought by him through the grace of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ, of whom he is a lively member, does not really deserve increase of grace, eternal life, the enjoyment of that eternal life if he dies in a state of grace, and even an increase of glory, let him be accursed’, cited in Griffith Thomas, The Principles of Theology, p. 206. ^[2]Cf. Article XIII. The Article is emphasizing the imperfection of our good works. The phrase was taken from the Wütemberg Confession: ‘For all the good works that we do are imperfect, neither can they bear the severity of the divine judgement.’ ^[3]From St. Augustine’s ‘De Fide et Operibus; cited in Homily ‘Of Fasting.’ ^[4]Jn. 15:4 (R. V.). ^[5]Acts 13:39; Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; Ephes. 2:8 f.; Tit. 3:5. ^[6]Latin, ‘sola fide’, ‘by faith only’. ^[7]Greek, ‘anti-nomos (law)’. ^[8]Phil. 4:8; 1 Pet. 2:5. ^[9]Mtt. 5:48 (R. V.). ^[10]Mtt. 7:16 f.; Lk. 6:43. ^[11]Mtt. 16:27. ^[12]2 Cor. 5:10: Rom 2:6. ^[13]Rom. 6:22 (R. V.); Eph. 2:10; Tit. 2:7, 14; Jas. 2:17 f, 26; 1 Jn. 2:5 (R. V.). ^[14]1 Cor. 12:26 ff.; Jas. 5:16. ^[15]Lk. 6:46; Jn. 13:15. ^[16]Mtt. 7:24-27.
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