Assigned selections from book I and book III of John Calvin’s The Institutes of the Christian Religion emphasize the role of internal self in discovering revelation of God and living a Christian life. Calvin proposes two purposes of knowledge of God include arousal to worship the true God and to encourage individuals to the hope of the future life (1.5.10). Calvin primarily addresses the individual Christian in his work versus other Reformation theologians who are interested more organizational reform. Calvin’s address to the individual seems to reflect Calvin’s pastoral concern for theological certitude by offering a theology with life governing principles rather than specific ritual rules.
Book I, chapters one through six describe the relationship between humanity and knowledge of God. Calvin offers in 1.1.1 that an awareness of spiritual self-poverty is necessary to discern and seek God. However, it is impossible to fully know the self without knowledge of God (1.1.2). Calvin writes two metaphors in 1.1.2 to help illuminate his perspective:
Just so, an eye to which nothing is show but black objects judges something dirty white or even rather darkly mottled to be whiteness itself…when we look up to the sun and gaze straight at it, that power of sight which was particularly strong on earth is at once blunted and confused by a great brilliance, and thus we are compelled to admit that our keenness in looking upon things earthly is sheer dullness when it comes to the sun.
In other words, Calvin suggests without the truly righteous standard of God a single person cannot distinguish between evil and good. Knowledge of God is required before an accurate knowledge of self is possible. Piety is the essence of what it means to know God (1.2.1). Piety is the reverence joined with love of God stemming from a human acknowledgement that humanity owes everything to God (1.2.1). Piety will also be the key to true religion as Calvin defines, “…faith so joined with an earnest fear of God that this fear also embraces willing reverence, and carries legitimate worship as is prescribed in the law” (1.2.3).
If knowledge of the self arouses a person to seek God, but knowledge of God is necessary in order to know the self, then what is the initial spark to this intimate relationship between Creator and creature? Calvin relies slightly on natural theology. God has implanted a seed in the human being which at least provides unconscious awareness of God as Creator (1.3.1). The existence of religions in every culture is proof of this instinct toward the Divine (1.3.2). Awareness and worship of God is what sets humanity apart from the rest of creation (1.3.3). To deny humans possess such instinct would insult humanity and humanity’s intentional Creator. But, some do deny this knowledge through vanity, pride, and malice (1.4.1).
Calvin resumes his discussion for evidence of God in creation in chapter five. Calvin uses several Psalms to describe how God is expressed “in visible splendor of his apparel, ever since in the creation of the universe he brought forth those insignia whereby he shows his glory to us, whenever and wherever we cast our gaze” (1.5.1). God is so apparent in the universe around humanity that even “the most common, untutored” can perceive divine wisdom in the natural world (1.5.2). The obviousness of God’s existence through the created world supports Calvin’s later insistence that no single person is excused from failing to seek God (1.5.15).
Calvin uses natural theology as a “lamplight” dimly illuminating a very dark path. A more specific witness or special revelation is necessary to guide a person to God (1.5.14). This witness is the Word of God—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—recorded in the biblical texts (1.6.1). Certainty about God comes from the biblical text (1.6.2). Calvin asserts, “…the human mind because of its feebleness can in no way attain God unless it is aided and assisted by his Sacred Word all mortals [before and during the life of Christ] except the Jews had to stagger about in vanity and error” (1.6.4).
Once the individual attains real knowledge of God through the Word, receives mediated grace by the Son and Spirit, the individual can be concerned with living the Christian life. Calvin describes this in book III. The “sum of the Christian life” (3.7) is denial of the self, which includes bearing one’s cross. Self-denial is supported by Calvin’s Christian philosophy in 3.7.1
We are not our own: let not our reason nor our will, therefore, sway our plans and deeds. We are not our own: let us therefore not set it as our goal to seek what is expedient for us according to the flesh. We are not our own: in so far as we can, let us therefore forget ourselves and all that is ours. Conversely, we are God’s: let us therefore live for him and die for him. We are God’s: let his wisdom and will therefore rule all our actions. We are God’s: let all the parts of our life accordingly strive toward him as our only lawful goal (Rom. 14.8; cf. 1 Cor 6.19)
Self-denial is only possible when humans suspend human logic and yield to the Holy Spirit who also contains Christ who is reigning in a Christian (3.7.1). Christ’s spiritual obedience to do the Father’s will and look to the Father in all Christ’s suffering is the template of Christian self-denial. Christians can only trust in the will of God and trust only in blessings from God in self-denial (3.7.9). When Christians renounce a selfish focus, righteousness is sought which leads to binding godliness and holiness from God (3.7.3). Until real righteousness is obtained, Christians can only travel as faithful pilgrims in this world looking toward God in the heavenly kingdom (3.7.3). Calvin later summarizes self-denial for complete dependence on God as the only way Christians can avoid seeking through “evil arts” temporal things which really do not profit anyone (3.7.9). Complete dependence of God helps Christians face adversarial challenges in this life (3.7.10).
Although self-denial is primarily spiritual and individual in early sections, Calvin addresses the repercussions of self-denial in human relationships in 3.7.4-7. A humble heart disciplined in revering God’s grace receives benefits for the sake of supporting the common good of the church (3.7.5). The church in faithful stewardship practices love of neighbor through its resources and loving the image of God in all people (3.7.6). In the same way God gives abundantly in grace, so the church should give abundantly to those in need, according to its resources. This is a duty of love (3.7.7).
In these sections, John Calvin attends to primary areas of anxiety for most church-goers. His systematic and logical arguments show how individuals can productively focus individual energy on worshipping the Creator God and live the Christian ethic of bearing one’s cross in order to follow Christ’s example. Philosophical questions about what God is or legalistic questions about ritual performances only obstruct faithful Christian living. Calvin shifts attention to knowledge of God’s character and ethical living so the common person can live a pious life. Piety, as stated earlier, is the key component for Calvin’s idea of true religion so it is understandable why his theology pastorally shepherds church-goers to theological principles that will equip them for pious living.*This was a short paper written on short selections from John Calvin's the Institutes of the Christian Religion. There is more to Calvin than predestination and depravity of humanity.
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