John Calvin Commentary Acts 15:11

"But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they." — Acts 15:11 (ASV)

By the grace of Jesus Christ. Peter compares these two together as contrary one to the other: to have hope in the grace of Christ, and to be under the yoke of the law. This comparison greatly sets out the justification of Christ, inasmuch as we gather from this that those are justified by faith who, being free and released from the yoke of the law, seek salvation in the grace of Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, I said before that the yoke of the law is made of two cords. The former is, “He which doth these things shall live in them;” the other is, “Cursed is every one which doth not continue in all the commandments.”

Let us return to the contrary element. If we cannot otherwise attain salvation by the grace of Christ unless the yoke of the law is taken away, it follows that salvation is not placed in keeping the law, nor are those who believe in Christ subject to the curse of the law.

For if one could be saved through grace who is still entangled in the yoke of the law, then Peter’s reasoning, which is drawn from opposites, would be foolish; thus: We hope for salvation by the grace of Christ; therefore, we are not under the yoke of the law. Unless there were a disagreement between the grace of Christ and the yoke of the law, Peter would deceive us.

Therefore, those must necessarily depart from the righteousness of the law, whoever desires to find life in Christ; for this contrariety does not pertain to doctrine, but to the cause of justification.

By this is also refuted the conjecture of those who say that we are justified by the grace of Christ because He regenerates us by His Spirit and gives us strength to fulfill the law. Those who imagine this, though they seem to ease the yoke of the law a little, yet they keep souls bound with its cords.

For this promise shall always stand in force, “He which shall do these things shall live in them;” on the other side, “The curse shall come upon all which shall not absolutely fulfill the law.” Therefore, we must define the grace of Christ (on which the hope of salvation leans) far differently than they dream: namely, that it is free reconciliation obtained by the sacrifice of His death; or, which is the same thing, free forgiveness of sins, which, by pacifying and appeasing God, makes Him, from an enemy or severe judge who cannot be pleased or entreated, a merciful Father.

I confess, indeed, that we are regenerated into newness of life by the grace of Christ; but when we are concerned with assurance of salvation, then we must call to mind the free adoption alone, which is joined with the purging [expiation] and forgiveness of sins. For, if works are admitted, that they may make us righteous in part only, the yoke of the law will not be broken, and so Peter’s contrariety [antithesis] will fall to the ground, or else be dissolved.

Even as they. Peter testifies in this place, that though the servitude of the law were laid upon the fathers concerning external observance, yet their consciences were free and released. By this is removed that absurdity, which might otherwise have troubled godly minds considerably.

For, since the covenant of life is eternal, and the same which God made with His servants from the beginning until the end of the world, it would be an absurd and intolerable thing that any other way to obtain salvation should be taught today than that which the fathers had in past times.

Therefore, Peter affirms that we agree very well with the fathers, because they no less than we placed hope of salvation in the grace of Christ; and so, reconciling the law and the gospel together concerning the goal of the doctrine, he takes from the Jews the stumbling-block which they fashioned for themselves by reason of the discord.

By this it appears that the law was not given to the fathers so that they might by it purchase salvation, nor were the ceremonies added so that, by observing them, they might attain to righteousness; but this was the only end of the whole law, that, casting from themselves all confidence they might place in works, they might place all their hope in the grace of Christ.

By this is also refuted the foolish notion of those who think that the people of old, because they were content with earthly goods, gave no thought to the heavenly life. But Peter makes the fathers partners with us of the same faith and makes salvation common to both; and yet there are some who delight in that brain-sick fellow, Servetus, with his so filthy sacrileges.

Furthermore, we must note that Peter teaches that the faith of the fathers [ancients] was always grounded in Christ, since they could neither find life anywhere else, nor was there any other way for people to come to God. Therefore, this passage agrees with that saying of the apostle:

“Christ yesterday, and today, and for ever,”
(Hebrews 13:8).