Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion

As you can see on the right hand sidebar under "Books I'm Reading," I am currently making my way through the massive, and massively influential, Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin.

At first I was pretty intimidated to start the Institutes because it's almost 2000 pages in two thick volumes, but I was captured by the thought that if I was going to be identified as a "calvinist" (I don't call myself that, but many would think I am) I need to know what he said.

A funny fact about the Institutes is Calvin wrote it for "a person who has not much practice in [Holy Scripture]" to give them "some guidance and direction" (I:6). In other words, Calvin saw the Institutes as an intro to theology textbook! Oh, how times have changed in the church!

Well, my fears were NOT confirmed. I've loved it. I've read some 50 or 60 pages in the past two days. I almost can't put it down. It's not difficult at all. He's very engaging, while his grasp and explanation of Scripture is refreshing.

I wanted to quote just a few gems here for your enjoyment:

"...it is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God's face, and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself. For we always seem to ourselves righteous and upright and wise and holy...unless by clear proofs we stand convinced of our own unrighteousness, foulness, folly, and impurity" (I:37).

And (see if you think Calvin is a Christian Hedonist here)...

"...until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by his fatherly care, that he is the Author of their every good, that they should seek nothing beyond him--they will never yield him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him" (I:41).

And...

"...wherever you cast your eyes, there is no spot in the universe wherein you cannot discern at least some sparks of his glory" (I:52).

And boy did this cut me when I read...

"For nothing is more preposterous than to enjoy the very remarkable gifts that attest the divine nature within us, yet to overlook the Author who gives them to us at our asking" (I:59).

And I loved this, praying "God give me the eyes to see this"...

"In short, there is nothing that [God] does not temper in the best way" (I:61).

And finally...

"For as rashness and superficiality are joined to ignorance and darkness, scarcely a single person has ever been found who did not fashion for himself an idol or specter in place of God. Surely, just as waters boil up from a vast, full spring, so does an immense crowd of gods flow forth from the human mind..." (I:65).

So far, I absolutely loved Calvin's examination and condemnation of the unbeliever's heart (I:43-69). It was masterful, and very helpful for evangelism!

I hope you liked these quotes. I'll try to put more as I read on.