In "The Church's Heritage," we are highlighting theological reflections from Christian pastors and theologians that have encouraged the church throughout 2,000 years of Christian history. In this article, we are taking a section from John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion wherein Pastor Calvin reminds believers that only the righteousness of Christ has the authority to secure the believer's conscience from the terrors of the judgment of God against sin.

John Calvin:

"We explain justification simply as the acceptance with which God receives us into his favour as righteous men. And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ's righteousness" 

(Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3:11:2).

“Surely there is no one who is not sunken in infinite filth! Let even the most perfect man descend into his conscience and call his deed to account, what then will be the outcome for him? Will he sweetly rest as if all things were well composed between him and God and not, rather be torn by dire torments, since if he be judged by words, he will feel grounds for condemnation within himself?

The conscience, if it looks to God, must either have sure peace with his judgment or be besieged by the terrors of hell. Therefore we profit nothing in discussing righteousness unless we establish a righteousness so steadfast that it can support our souls in the judgment of God. When our souls possess that by which they may present themselves fearless before God's face and receive his judgment undismayed, then only may we know that we have found no counterfeit righteousness" (Institutes, 3.13.13).