But the righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 38. But my [8] just man, he that liveth according to the doctrine I have taught, liveth by faith, which is the groundwork and foundation of a good life.—But if he withdraw himself, and fall from this faith of Christ, he shall not please my soul. It is a Hebrew way of speaking, and as it were in the person of God. Witham.—Luther and Calvin teach that faith alone is sufficient for justification, and they define this faith to be an assured confidence that their sins are forgiven them wholly by Christ’s passion. No text, however, in Scripture teaches that a man is justified by faith only. In Romans, (2) Luther makes Saint Paul say that a man is justified by faith only, without the works of the law: the authorized Protestant version has omitted the word only, foisted into the German translations. Solifidians vainly cite this text, as its obvious meaning is, that neither the works of the written law, done by the Jew, nor the works of the law of nature, done by the Gentile, before either of them believe in Christ, can without faith in Christ justify any one. Saving faith is a faith working through charity in Jesus Christ, a faith which includes hope, love, repentance, and the use of the sacraments. Hence Saint James (Calmet. 2) declares, that a man may have faith but not works, but that faith without works will not save him. Saint Paul teaches the same, 1 Corinthians 13:2. “If I should have all faith, so as to move mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing;” where we should observe the word all faith.