What Does Christ Merit?

The merits of Christ play a prominent role in Protestant soteriology. William Perkins captures the basic argument: God accepts the elect and rewards them at the last day “not because works can merit: but by reason of God’s favor, who thus accepts works, and in respect of the merit of Christ’s righteousness, imputed to the elect” (quoted in John Fesko, Beyond Calvin, 266).

But what is the New Testament basis for this formulation? Jesus’ obedience reverses the disobedience of Adam, and through that one act of righteousness there is “justification of life to all men” (Romans 5:21-21). But Paul says nothing in that passage that connects obedience to “worth.” 

The New Testament also speaks of the merit or worthiness (axios) of Jesus, but this in the context of Jesus earning the right to receive and open the sealed book (Revelation 5:2, 4, 9, 12). He is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, blessing, and these He surely shares with His people (Revelation 5:12). But He does not share or impute His worthiness; He shares the blessings that He received through His worth/merit.

For medieval Catholics, merit comes from grace-assisted works; for Protestants, all merit is Christ’s, imputed to sinners. But the context of merit-talk remains the same. “Merit” in Protestant, as in medieval theology has to do with the sinner’s acceptance before God. And in both cases, it appears, the context of merit-talk is different from that of the New Testament.