- But he who is undecided, etc. He very fitly expresses in one word the character of that mind
which vacillates and is uncertain as to what ought to be done; for he who is undecided undergoes
alternate changes, and in the midst of his various deliberations is held suspended by uncertainty.
As then the main thing in a good work is the persuasion of a mind conscious of being right before
God, and as it were a calm assurance, nothing is more opposed to the acceptance of our works than
vacillation.^435 And, oh! that this truth were fixed in the minds of men, that nothing ought to be
attempted except what the mind feels assured is acceptable to God, men would not then make such
an uproar, as they often do now, nor waver, nor blindly hurry onward wherever their own imagination
may lead them. For if our way of living is to be confined to this moderation, that no one is to touch
a morsel of meat with a doubting conscience, how much greater caution is to be exercised in the
greatest things?
And whatever is not from faith, etc. The reason for this condemnation is, that every work,
however splendid and excellent in appearance, is counted as sin, except it be founded on a right
conscience; for God regards not the outward display, but the inward obedience of the heart, by this
alone is an estimate made of our works. Besides, how can that be obedience, when any one
undertakes what he is not persuaded is approved by God? Where then such a doubt exists, the
individual is justly charged with prevarication; for he proceeds in opposition to the testimony of
his, own conscience.
The word faith is to be taken here for a fixed persuasion of the mind, or, so to speak, for a firm
assurance, and not that of any kind, but what is derived from the truth of God. Hence doubt or
uncertainty vitiates all our actions, however specious they may otherwise be. Now, since a pious
mind can never acquiesce with certainty in anything but the word of God, all fictitious modes of
worship do in this case vanish away, and whatever works there may be which originate in the brains
of men; for while everything which is not from faith is condemned, rejected is whatever is not
supported and approved by God’s word. It is at the same time by no means sufficient that what we
do is approved by the word of God, except the mind, relying on this persuasion, prepares itself
cheerfully to do its work. Hence the first thing in a right conduct, in order that our minds may at
no time fluctuate, is this, that we, depending on God’s word, confidently proceed wherever it may
call us.
be a happy man, who did not condemn himself. The meaning then most suitable to the passage is this, “Happy the man! who
condemns not himself by what he approves,” that is, by eating meat to the annoyance and stumbling of the weak. — Ed.(^435) The Greek is μ , “he who discerns,” that is, a difference as to meats; so Doddridge, Macknight, and Chalmers regard
its meaning. Beza has “qui dubitat — who doubts,” and so our version. The word used by Calvin is dijudicat, which properly
means to judge between things, to discern, but according to his explanation it means to judge in two ways, to be undecided.
The verb no doubt admits of these two meanings; it is used evidently in the sense of making or putting a difference, but
only, as some say, in the active voice. There are indeed two places where it seems to have this meaning in its passive or middle
form, James 2:4, and Jude 1:22. But as Paul has before used it in this Epistle, Romans 4:20, in the sense of hesitating, staggering,
or doubting, we may reasonably suppose that it has this meaning here, and especially as in every place where he expresses the
other idea, he has employed the active form. See 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 11:29,31; etc. — Ed.