Lord’s Day 33
Q90. What is the coming to life of the new self?
It is wholehearted joy in God through Christ and a delight to do every kind of good as God wants us to.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Psalm 51:8, 12
“Make me to hear joy and gladness; the bones thou hast broken may rejoice. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me free spirit.”
Isaiah 57:15
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name Holy; I dwell in the high and holy , with him also of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Romans 5:1
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 14:17
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 6:10–11
“For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Galatians 2:20
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Modernized Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
This question, which concerns the motivating reasons for good works, is placed before the question about conversion, not because good works come before conversion, but because this ordering creates a more compelling connection with what has already been said. Human reason draws the following conclusion from the doctrine of free satisfaction: the person for whom another has already paid the debt is not required to pay it himself. Christ has paid that debt for us. Therefore, we have no need to perform good works. Our reply is that this conclusion goes beyond what the premises actually support. What legitimately follows is simply this: we ourselves are not required to make satisfaction, which we freely grant on two counts.
1. With respect to God's justice, which does not demand a double payment.
2. With respect to our salvation, which would be no salvation at all if it depended on our own payment. Even so, we remain bound to render obedience and perform good works, for the reasons the Catechism identifies and explains: