Scripture's Scarlet Thread

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I have been rereading volume IV.1 of Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics. At the end of §61 (“The Justification of Man”), Barth concludes with a citation from the Heidelberg Catechism. The theologian judges the Heidelberg Catechism to stand alone in capturing the “insight and confession of all the Reformation Churches of the 16th century.

Barth writes:

“The strength of the Reformation exposition of righteousness by faith alone consisted in a word in this, that it saw and made plain that the living Jesus Christ— and His righteousness as man’s righteousness— is the scarlet thread which runs through Galatians and therefore the rest of Holy Scripture.”

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And then Barth quotes from the catechism, questions and answers worth posting here:

Q. 60: How are thou righteous before God?A.

Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me, that I have grossly transgressed all the commandments of God, and kept none of them, and am still inclined to all evil; notwithstanding, God, without any merit of mine, but only of mere grace, grants and imputes to me, the perfect satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ; even so, as if I never had had, nor committed any sin: yea, as if I had fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished for me; inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart.

Q. 61: Why sayest thou, that thou art righteous by faith only?A.

Not that I am acceptable to God, on account of the worthiness of my faith; but because only the satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, is my righteousness before God; and that I cannot receive and apply the same to myself any other way than by faith only.

Q. 64: But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?A.

By no means: for it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.

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