Christian repentance and its life in the Christian’s life is Calvin’s subject in chapter six, Book 3 of Calvin’s Institutes. There is a lot of hope here. To Calvin the holy repentant life is possible because of the gospel.
1. What kind of life are the repentant to live? Calvin beautifully answers this question by saying that the whole object of regeneration “is to manifest in the life of believers a harmony and agreement between God’s righteousness and their obedience, and thus to confirm the adoption that they have received as sons (Gal. 4:5; cf. II Peter 1:10)” (Pg., 684).
2 God’s Scripture gives direction and content for this object. It gives us “goods and helps in order that those who heartily repent may not err in their zeal” (Pg., 684).
3. The Bible addresses two inseparable truths in connection with the Christian’s pursuit of holiness.
a. The love for righteousness
b. The commandments of God which are the Christian’s guide.
But these two truths are inseparable to the believer’s union with Christ. This union with Christ by the Spirit is actually the fountain head of Christian holiness. It is obvious that the natural man has no natural love for righteousness; hence any person who pursues holiness does so because of God’s work of grace quickening his dead heart, and shedding the love of God upon the heart of a regenerate sinner (Rom 5). Because of this grace the sinner’s life out of gratitude and love must “express the bond of their adoption” (Pg., 687).
4. Because God has revealed himself to us, and Christ has cleansed us, and grafted us into his body, and ascended into heaven to be our Mediator, and since he has made us God’s temples, and since God has promised us an incorruptible inheritance, we who are objects of these graces ought to strive, with love to live holy unto God. (Mal. 1:6; Eph. 5:1; 1 John 3:1; Heb. 10:10; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Peter 1:15,19; Eph. 5:23-33; 1 Cor. 6:15; John 15:3-6; Col. 3:1 ff; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Thess. 5:23; Phil. 1:10)
5. Christianity is a heart religion! That is, Christianity is not lived in mere words or confessions; it is lived in a life of love to God and man. As Calvin said, “We detest these trifling Sophists who are content to roll the gospel on the tips of their tongues when its efficacy ought to penetrate the inmost affections of the heart, take its seat in the soul, and affect the whole man” (Pg., 688).
6. Is this love perfect in us? No. The Christian strives, longs, works and presses on praying, “Lord I love you, help me to love you more.”
7. Can the Christian life be lived if perfection is out of reach in this life? Yes! Calvin rightly says, “The beginning of right living is spiritual, where the inner feeling of the mind is unfeignedly dedicated to God for the cultivation of holiness and righteousness” (Pg., 688).
8. In our pursuit of holiness we are weak, but God is strong. Let us not become weary in well doing, nor excuse our sins; but press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3)
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