Podcast Summary

In this reading from John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 18, Sections 8–10, Calvin continues defending justification by faith alone against several common objections. He argues that although charity is greater than faith in certain respects, it does not therefore justify. Faith justifies not because it is a superior work, but because it is the instrument by which believers receive the mercy of God and the righteousness of Christ. Calvin then addresses Christ’s command to the rich young ruler to keep the commandments, explaining that Jesus was exposing the man's confidence in works and driving him toward the realization that he could not attain righteousness through the law. Finally, Calvin answers the claim that a good work can offset sin before God. He insists that r ...