Merit (Christianity)

In Christian theology, merit (Latin: meritum) is a good work done that is "seen to have a claim to a future reward from a graceful God".[1] The role of human merit in Christian life is a point of dispute between Catholics and Protestants. Merit bears resemblance to Thawab in Islam.

Within Christianity, both Catholics and Lutherans affirm that "By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works".[2] The Catholic Church further teaches that "When Catholics affirm the 'meritorious' character of good works, they wish to say that, according to the biblical witness, a reward in heaven is promised to these works. Their intention is to emphasize the responsibility of persons for their actions, not to contest the character of those works as gifts, or far less to deny that justification always remains the unmerited gift of grace".[2]

Roman Catholicism "speaks of merit in three distinct ways": condign merit (which God crowns freely),[3] congruous merit (nonobligatory reward that may result in sanctifying grace),[4] and supererogatory merit (given for doing above what a Christian is required).[5]

Reformed doctrine, on the other hand, puts more emphasis on the merit of Christ that humans receive through divine grace.[5] Protestants generally teach that merit can never be used to earn or achieve salvation: "Because Christians are justified by faith alone, their standing before God is not in any way related to personal merit. Good works and practical holiness do not provide the grounds for acceptance with God."[6] "The only merit God accepts for salvation is that of Jesus Christ; nothing man can ever do could earn God's favor or add anything to the merit of Christ."[7]

  1. ^ Harvey, Peter (2013). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press. p. 44. ISBN 9780521859424. In Christian theology, 'merit' refers to a godo deed seen to have a claim to a future reward from a graceful God, an idea that ill fits Buddhism.
  2. ^ a b "From Conflict to Communion. Lutheran Catholic Common Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017. Report of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity (2013)". Holy See. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  3. ^ Wawrykow, Joseph P. (2016). God's Grace and Human Action: 'Merit' in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas. University of Notre Dame Press. p. 89. ISBN 9780268096830. In condign merit, God's liberality, of course, is also present: God freely rewards good acts which are proportioned to God.
  4. ^ Cross, Richard (1999). Duns Scotus. Oxford University Press. p. 105. ISBN 9780195352252. Underlying it is the claim that the reward for condign merit is everlasting life, and that the reward for congruous merit is the gift of sanctifying grace ... Scotus often refers to congruous merit as no more than a disposition for the reception of a reward.
  5. ^ a b Sproul, R. C. (2011). Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. p. 205. ISBN 9781414360348.
  6. ^ "Justification by Faith". Grace to You. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  7. ^ "Roman Catholicism". Grace to You. Retrieved 2019-12-12.