Calvin’s Institutes: The way off teachings Pt 2. More types of sin than one?

The focus in today’s summary is on Calvin’s polemic against the Roman Catholic doctrine of sin, sin’s penalty, and guilt.

1. The Roman Catholics further confuse repentance and consequently true salvation by their compartmentalizing sins in either the venial category or mortal category. There are more types of sin than one.

2. Mortal sins are deadly sins from which there is no forgiveness. Venial sins “can be purged by easier remedies by the Lord’s Prayer, by the sprinkling of holy water, by the absolution afforded by the Mass” (Pg., 654).

3. Of course scripture is very plain in saying that all sins are deadly, yet for those who are imputed with Christ’s righteousness, sins kill them no longer. Calvin wrote “that the sins of believers are venial, not because they do not deserve death, but because by God’s mercy ‘there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’” (Rom. 8:1) (Pg., 654).

4. Roman Catholic theology also “fashions a distinction between penalty and guilt” (Pg., 655). Guilt, they say is remitted by God’s mercy. Penalty is that remaining thing which must be paid for according to the demands of God’s justice; even after God has remitted the guilt.

5. Calvin exposed the fallacy of this distinction when he said, “They admit that forgiveness of guilt is freely available, yet repeatedly teach men to deserve it through prayers and tears, and all sorts of other preparations. And yet all we are taught in Scripture concerning forgiveness of sins directly opposes this distinction” (Pg., 655).

6. Complete forgiveness both of the guilt and penalty of sin is given to the sinner redeemed by the gospel of Christ. (Jer. 31:31,34; Ezek. 18:24,21-22,27; Isa. 38:17; 44:22; Micah 7:19; Ps. 32:1-2; Isa. 1:18)

7. But doesn’t it seem that God punishes the saints and therefore these same saints must suffer the penalty for their sin and must pay for that sin by acts of penance?

8. Calvin helps us here. There are two types of judgements which God executes.

a. Judgements of vengeance. “God should be understood as taking vengeance upon his enemies; so that he exercises his wrath against them, he confounds them, he scatters them, he brings them to nought” (Pg., 659).

b. Judgements of chastisement. Here God “is not so harsh as to be angry nor does he take vengeance so as to blast with destruction. Consequently, it is not, properly speaking, punishment or vengeance, but correction and admonition. The one is the act of a judge; the other, of a father” (Pg., 659). (Job 5:17; Prov. 3:11-12; Heb. 12:5-6; Ps. 118:18; 119:71; Jer. 10:24-25; Ps. 6:1,2; 38:2; 37:2)

9. The wicked receive just punishment from God for their iniquity, but those who are his adopted children “are afflicted by the hand of the heavenly Father, this is not a penalty to confound us, but only a chastisement to instruct us” (Pg., 662). In chastising us God does not urge to make our satisfaction before Him!

Calvin’s Institutes: The way off teachings Pt1. Repentance in Roman Catholic doctrine

The summaries for Book 3, chapter 4 now begin. Calvin is in refutation mode here. He aims his language at the Roman Catholic Church, or to put it another way, the medieval scholastic doctrines of repentance, confession, and satisfaction.
Calvin’s polemics are still applicable today. Though the Roman Catholic Church made sweeping changes at Vatican II she still did not embrace the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone. For this reason she still believes and practices the medieval doctrines of repentance, confession, and satisfaction or purgatory. Therefore, Calvin’s refutions are still needed and helpful.

1. Calvin explains that the Roman Catholic Church divides repentance into three parts.

a. Contrition.
b. Confession.
c. Satisfaction.
These parts, the Roman Catholic Church asserts, are necessary to attain salvation. Calvin’s overall message is that this error should be repented of.

2. Let’s focus on contrition first. They demand contrition to be just and full. Who can do this? It will either be pretended contrition, or the person will become desperate and hate the name and truth of God, because they cannot give what they are asked to give – perfect contrition.

This is not the gospel. The gospel teaches “that the sinner does not dwell upon his own compunction or tears, but fixes both eyes upon the Lord’s mercy alone” (Pg., 626). Perfect contrition is not redemption, Jesus Christ is. And all who call upon his name in with the grace repentance and faith will be saved.

3. Let’s focus on confession next. The Roman Catholic Church demands it to occur in the confessional to be heard and absolved by a human priest! They base this practice on pure allegorical interpretation, not on the specific command of Christ.

4. God’s people have an High Priest who is eternal and perfect. They do not have a mere man for a priest. Hence, confession of sin is truly done when that confession is made to Jesus Christ. Calvin writes, “it is the Lord who forgives, forgets, and wipes out, sins, let us confess our sins to him in order to obtain pardon” (Pg., 634).

5. The Roman Catholics claim integrity for their confessional system, from the Word of Christ in reference to the power of the keys in binding and loosening. Does this refer to priests having the power and knowledge to forgive or to retain forgiveness? No.

6. The third focus is satisfaction. What does the Roman Catholic Church believe about this? With satisfaction they mean that though a person is contrite, and has made confession to the priest certain specified works must be performed in order to satisfy God for particular sins.

7. Calvin describes their position this way: “We indeed obtain pardon for our transgressions from God’s kindness, but only through the intervening merit of works, by which the offence of our sins may be paid for, in order that due satisfaction may be made to God’s justice” (Pg., 651)

8. In Jesus Christ sinners are freely given the remission of sins. (Isa. 52:3; Rom. 3:24-25; 5:8; Col. 2:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5; Acts 10:43) Christ is the sinner’s satisfaction. By the merit and work of Christ alone is God satisfied, not by our merit or work. God has made Christ a “perpetual advocate in order that by his intercession he may always restore us to the Father’s favour; an everlasting propitiation by which sins may be expiated” (Pg., 652). (1 John 2:1-2,12; 1:29)

Calvin’s Institutes: Repentance, Pt.5. Repentance and reprobation.

The majesty of God is a reoccurring phrase in Calvin’s Institutes. By it he means to describe the super abounding grace and gifts of God, and honest awesome authority of God. In his discussion on repentance this concept of God’s majesty is not lost. Repentance comes to mankind in their sinfulness from his grace and command.

However, what about those not chosen by God? Calvin calls them the reprobate. Calvin’s whole discussion on election and predestination in connection with those who will and will not be saved comes in full later on in chapters 21 to 24, but he brings it up here in connection to repentance and the unpardonable sin.

It would be good to understand what Calvin means by the reprobate. They are the non-elect, those whom God does not chose to give his saving grace to, those whom God passes by in mercy but visits in just judgement. To Calvin all mankind, the elect and reprobate deserve God’s justice; not his gift of repentance. The reprobates are not treated unfairly because they are given their justice. The elect are not treated fairly either because they should deserve justice, but are given grace.

1. The repentance which brings forgiveness and eternal life is a grace, a gift of God. (Acts 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:10; 2 Tim 2:25-26; Ps. 80:3,17,19; Jer. 31:18; Acts 5:31)

2. Yes, God commands all to repent but the gift of repentance is given only to the elect. The hard hearted will not turn to God that they might be saved. (Isa. 63:17; Heb. 6:4-6)

3. However, those whom God has predestined will turn from their sin unto God, due to God graciously turning them. Calvin writes, “For obviously God, renewing those he wills not to perish, shows the sign of his fatherly favour and, so to speak, draws them to himself with the rays of his calm and joyous countenance” (Pg., 616). It is this connection of repentance as a gift of God to the elect, that Calvin discusses the unpardonable sin.

4. Can we pardon the unpardonable sin as though it were nothing? What is it, if anything? Augustine says it is “persistent stubbornness even to death, with distrust of pardon” (Pg., 617). Others have said it consists in envy, which is coveting the grace bestowed upon his brother. This was Bede’s understanding.

5. Calvin proclaims it to be a striving against the illumination of the Holy Spirit. He says, “they sin against the Holy Spirit who, with evil intention, resist God’s truth, although by its brightness they are so touched that they cannot claim ignorance. Such resistance alone constitutes this sin” (Pg., 617).

6. This striving and resistance is practiced universally by the reprobate. They sinfully, blindly and hatefully resist God and His Son. (1 John 2:19; Heb. 6:6, 10:26)

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).

Calvin’s Institutes: Repentance, Pt.3. Elements in repentance

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 without repentance from idolatry or any other sin.

Calvin described biblical repentance in a very tangible way. Here is the summary for today.

1. Those that turn from their sin to God mortify their flesh, and are alive to the things of God, yet traces of sinful corruption still remain. Calvin said, “There remains in a regenerate man a smouldering cinder of evil” (Pg., 602).

2. Some have called this remaining corruption weakness rather than sinfulness because the corrupt inclinations in believers are not sinful in themselves, until the will yields to them.

3. This is wrong. Calvin explains that even these corrupt inclinations in the Christian are sinful. “We label sin that very depravity which begets in us desires of this sort. We accordingly teach that in the saints, until they are divested of mortal bodies, there is always sin; for in their flesh there resides that depravity of inordinate desiring which contends against righteousness” (Pg., 603).

4. This does not mean God’s people remain under the dominion of sin. They do not. [Rom. 6; Eph. 5:26-27] God has promised to give delivering grace to free his adopted children from sin’s reign. “Sin does remain, but no longer reigns,” Professor John Murray said. [Rom. 6:6; 8:2; 7:6]

5. Not only are we freed from the reign of sin, but we are also freed from its awful guilt, because Christ was our substitute. [Eph. 5:26-27; Rom. 8:1]

6. In 2 Cor. 7:11 Paul gives seven elements involved in repentance. “They are earnestness or carefulness, excuse, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and avenging” (Pg., 607). Calvin explained them in these ways…

- By carefulness is meant a sorrow over sin, which brings self dissatisfaction and a diligent fight against sin.

- By excuse or “clearing of yourselves” (KJV) is meant “purification, which relies more on asking pardon than on confidence in one’s own cause” (Pg., 608).

- By fear it is meant that trembling which occurs in the mind when one truly understands the severity of his sin before the holy God, and the just severity of God’s wrath toward that sin.

- By longing and zeal, it is meant a desire and readiness to obey God; to plunge into God’s mercy.

- By avenging it is meant a sort of self attack on sin. We declare war on our remaining corruption desiring to avenge it by good works and love to God. However, we must beware and not slip into despair during the process.

Calvin’s Institutes: Repentance, Pt.2. Life and death

After a couple of days off, my summary of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion continues. I am on Book 3, chapter 3.


1. To Biblically define repentance, we must distinguish it from faith. Faith and repentance are two different things. They are inseparable yet distinct truths. [Acts 20:21]


2. On the basis of the Hebrew and Greek etymology of the word Calvin defines biblical repentance as “the true turning of our life to God, a turning that arises from a pure and earnest fear of him; and it consists in the mortification of our flesh and of the old man, and in the vivification of the Spirit” (Pg., 587).


Let’s look at this definition point by point.


3. First, the meaning of “turning of our life to God.” By this is meant a transformation, both of the outward life and inward soul. The soul by the gift and power of repentance must be turned to God, first. When the old man is put off and renewed, then the renewed mind, the repentant man will “bring forth the fruits of works in harmony with its renewal” (Pg., 598). [Ezek. 18:31; Deut. 6:5; 10:12; 30:2,6,10; Jer. 24:7; Deut. 10:16; Jer 4]


4. Secondly, the meaning, “turning that arises from a pure and earnest fear of him.” By this is meant that “before the mind of the sinner inclines to repentance, it must be aroused by thinking upon divine judgement” (Pg., 599).
The Bible frequently discusses God’s judgement when sinners are admonished to repent, and the Bible declares God to be the judge. [Jer. 4:4; Acts 17:30-31; Deut. 29:19 ff; 2 Cor. 7:10]

Why? Calvin explains. “For if we were not sharply pricked, the slothfulness of our flesh could not be corrected. Indeed, these prickings would not have sufficed against its dullness and blockishness had God not penetrated more deeply in unsheathing his rods....Therefore, the depravity of our nature compels God to use severity in threatening us” (Pg., 599).


5. Third, the meaning of “mortification of our flesh, vivification of the Spirit.” Both of these are component parts of biblical repentance.
“mortification of our flesh.” By this we simply mean we must continually turn from and deny our remaining sin. Though we are renewed in Jesus Christ, we still struggle with remaining sin. Actually the struggle comes preceisely because of the new birth. [Ps. 36:8,3,27; Isa. 1:16-17; Gal 5]
“vivification of the Spirit.” By this we simply mean we are made alive to turn to God and his righteousness. Calvin writes, “That comes to pass when the Spirit of God so imbues our souls, steeped in his holiness, with both new thoughts and feelings, that they can be rightly considered new” (Pg., 600).


6. The great work of repentance in all its parts happens to us by participation in Christ. The true child of God participates in both his death (mortification) and resurrection (vivification). [Rom. 6:6; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:23,24; Col. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:4]

Calvin’s Institutes: Repentance, Pt.1. Gospel repentance.

In the summaries so far we have not come specifically to the doctrine of justification, so why did Calvin put repentance here after faith? A thorough explanation of justification does not come until chapter 11. It comes only after he has discussed, 1) the fruit of repentance, 2) the error of the Roman Catholic doctrine of confession, indulgences and purgatory in relation to repentance, 3) the Christian life of self-denial, 5) the Christian’s future life with God, and 4) how we must use this present life for holiness. Wow, all this before justification by faith.

Why? McNeill in his note on page 593 asks, “Why this surprising order?” Well, as he explains what holiness and the Christian life consists of we realize that our only hope of salvation is Jesus Christ. “For when this topic (repentance and holiness of life) is rightly understood it will better appear how man is justified by faith alone, and simple pardon; nevertheless actual holiness of life, so to speak, is not separated from free imputation of righteousness” (Pg., 593).


At first I thought we turn the order around today, but then I realized we don’t. Rather, we leave out one or the other. We either preach a holiness without the gospel, or we preach a gospel without holiness.


Let’s begin with Calvin on repentance in Chapter 3, Book 3. Again I will make a number of entries here.


1. Faith and repentance go together like husband and wife because both are in the gospel. [Lk. 24:47; Acts 5:31] True faith is accompanied by repentance and repentance, as saving grace, is executed due to the presence of faith.


2. Calvin writes, "Now it ought to be a fact beyond controversy that repentance not only constantly follows faith, but is also born of faith. ...surely no one can embrace the grace of the gospel without betaking himself from the errors of his past life into the right way, and applying his whole effort to the practice of repentance" (Pg., 593).


3. Before Calvin dives into the definition and movement of repentance, he makes some important particulars concerning repentance.


4. First the origin of repentance. Understanding it to be a saving grace springing up from faith, one concludes that, "a man cannot apply himself seriously to repentance without knowing himself to belong to God. But no one is truly persuaded that he belongs to God unless he has first recognized God=s grace" (Pg., 594). This work the Spirit must do, and it comes when he reveals Jesus Christ as the answer for man’s sin.


5. Second, repentance and mortification. By mortification, we mean a sorrow in the soul and mind, which has resulted from a true awareness and knowledge of sin. This knowledge and sorrow over sin brings with it a hate for sin, displeasure of self, and confusion of the miserable state of the sinner.


6. Third, repentance and vivification. By vivification is meant the comfort which comes from faith. "That is, when a man is laid low by the consciousness of sin and stricken by the fear of God, and afterward looks to the goodness of God 'to his mercy, grace, salvation, which is through Christ' he raises himself up, he takes heart, he recovers courage, and as it were, returns from death to life" (Pg., 595).


7. Fourthly, we must understand the term "repentance of the law." By this Calvin refers to the convicting work of God's law. That is, the sinner gets caught by his sin, feels the wickedness of his sin, and realizes its reigning power; all because the law reveals it to him.


8. Fifth, the term "repentance of the gospel." Those who have been wounded and destroyed of self righteousness by the law, through the "repentance unto the gospel" turns, grasps, and rests upon Christ alone to heal his wounds, comfort his fear, and be the haven of his misery” (Pg., 596).


9. "We see ‘gospel repentance’ in all those who, made sore by the sting of sin but aroused and refreshed by trust in God's mercy, have turned to the Lord" (Pg., 596). [2 Kings 20:2; Isa. 38:2; Jonah 3:5,9; 2 Sam. 24:10; 12:13,16; Acts 2:37, Matt. 26:75; Luke 22:62]