Calvin’s Institutes: Repentance, Pt.4. True repentance moves us to action.

I continue with Calvin’s doctrine of repentance. Having established a definition of biblical repentance, Calvin now describes the fruits of repentance.

1. He writes “the fruits of repentance are the duties of piety toward God, of charity toward men, and in the whole of life, holiness and purity. Briefly, the more earnestly any man measures his life by the standard of God’s law, the surer are the signs of repentance that he shows” (Pg., 609).

I should be remembered that central to Calvin’s doctrine of the Christian life is union with Jesus Christ. The piety, charity, holiness, purity, and obedience to God’s law take place in the context of union with Jesus Christ through faith.

2. We must keep the Biblical balance before us: Outward fruits of repentance must come from the repentant heart. If outward shows of penance are mere forms of movements flowing from a heart of mere duty and fear of men; it is not repentance. Remember Esau.

Genuine repentance is a tangible repentance. It moves to action. Secondly, it is also difficult. It involves serving the Lord only. It means you make your heart steadfast toward the Lord. We cannot leave sin if we are not prepared to do the difficult - leave all false gods and serve the Lord only. We might just as well try to cure poison ivy by scratching, than try to serve the Lord faithfully when we have idols in our heart

3. God looks to the heart. The heart must be turned to God, and from this, God-ward movements (fruits of repentance) are brought about.

4. For the believer the “whole of life” consists in continual confession of sin before God, and when demanded, confession of sin before men.

5. “We must judge ourselves” (1 Cor. 11:31), meaning we must examine ourselves in order to repent from our sins.

6. Repentance and forgiveness go together. (Matt. 11:10; 3:2; 4:17; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:26, 46-47; Acts 5:30-31; 1 Cor. 1:30)

7. “Repentance is preached in the name of Christ when, through the teaching of the gospel, men hear that all their thoughts, all their inclinations, all their efforts, are corrupt and vicious. Accordingly, they must be reborn if they would enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Pg., 614).

8. “Forgiveness of sins is preached when men are taught that for them Christ became redemption, righteousness, salvation, and life (1 Cor. 1:30), by whose name they are freely accounted righteous and innocent in God’s sight” (Pg., 614).