Calvin’s Institutes: Doctrine of Justification Pt 4. Jesus Gives Us His Righteousness

If you read this blog you are obviously aware that I am writing again.  I had stopped blogging near the end of 2011.  I was working on other projects.

I am continuing my summaries of Calvin’s Institutes.  This work still continues to bless the church of Jesus Christ even after all these years.  Every time I read it I learn something new or I learn something that I already know more deeply.  God the Spirit gives to the church pastors and teachers for the edifying of the body of Christ.  John Calvin was and still is one of God’s gifts to us. 

Our last entry on Calvin’s Institutes was from Book 3, chapter 11 on “Justification by Faith” (You will find it in volume 1 of the Library of Christian Classics edition.  Edited by McNeill and Battles). 

Because this chapter is so tightly packed I divided my summary into 4 parts.  Below is part 4.  Parts 1-3 are in the previous postings.  You can check them out by clicking the label “Calvin’s Institutes.”  Here is the summary.  Enjoy God!

1.         There is an axiom to know:  “The wrath of God rests upon all so long as they continue to be sinners.    Isaiah has says that sin is division between man and God, the turning of God’s face away from the sinner; and it cannot happen otherwise, seeing that it is foreign to his righteousness to have any dealings with sin.”  (Pg., 751)

2.         The only hope for the sinner is to be “restored to grace through Christ.”  (Pg., 751)

3.         We are not righteous (holy & good) in and of ourselves.  God is of course, and so is Christ because he is God.  So then how do we become holy before God?  “We are justified before God solely by the intercession (gift) of Christ’s righteousness.”  (Pg., 753)

4.         Let’s explain how we are saved and made righteous solely by Jesus Christ.  “God was in Christ reconciling the world...that the elect might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Cor. 5:19-21)  Righteousness is obtained by us “When our sins are not counted against us (Rom. 4:6-8; Ps. 32:1-2; Lk. 1:77; Acts 13:38-39), and Christ's righteousness is counted to us.  And our sins are not counted to us, and Christ's righteousness is counted to us when and only when Jesus Christ has paid for the penalty of our sin and given us His righteousness.

5.         As Calvin says, “You see that our righteousness is not in us but in Christ, that we possess it only because we are partakers in Christ; indeed, with him we possess all its riches.”  (Pg., 753)

6.         And how do we get His righteousness?  Christ shares this righteousness with the elect through imputation.  That means he gives it to us freely.  He charges to our account His righteousness.  And when we have His righteous, by his grace, we are not judged by God as a sinner, but are deemed to be His sons!  “For in such a way does the Lord Christ share his righteousness with us that, in some wonderful manner, he pours into us enough of his power to meet the judgment of God.”  (Pg., 753)

7.         This gift of salvation from God is received by us through faith alone!  Praise God that He through Christ has wrought our salvation.  We are declared righteous by faith alone, which is truly righteousness by Christ alone.  Hence foul sinners (like you and me) “Hide under the precious purity of our first-born brother, Christ, so that we may be attested righteous in God’s sight.”  (Pg., 753)

Being a Disciple of Jesus

In Mark 3:13-19 we have a summary account of Jesus calling the 12 disciples.  In verse 13 it says, “They (the 12) came to him.”  This brings out the importance and priority of Jesus Christ.  He is no mere rabbi, or even an excellent rabbi.  In Jesus' day students chose Jewish rabbis they thought to be the best teacher of God and Torah.  The rabbi’s goal was always to teach his students God and Torah. 

But it is different with Jesus. Jesus is the exclusive focus of the call to discipleship.  He is the subject and end of the call.  Not even the Torah is more important than him.  Rabbis were the means for the disciple to better understand Torah and God.  Well, Jesus is not the means, but the ultimate good – the fulfilment of God and Torah.  You cannot surpass Jesus Christ.  As a disciple of Christ we will never be greater than our Master.  It is conceivable, and it often happens that a student surpasses his teacher; but this will not happen in Christian discipleship. 

So in Christian discipleship the question is not, “What can I be on my own?” but “What can Jesus make of me, his disciple?”

What is God? Encouraging Words from Augustine

Augustine’s classic Confessions  is an absolute joy to read; and it is a joy to read because you read the words of a man who enjoys God and wants to glorify him.  To put it another way, the Confessions give as a human example of what it is to be filled with God the Spirit.

No the book is not the Bible.  But it is a testimony to a man who wants to think biblically about everything because he loves God Almighty.

Below is an excerpt from Book I. ch.4.  Taking what the Scriptures says about God and squeezing into a summary form Augustine answers the question, “What is God?  Read it.  It will encourage you, bless you, or perhaps motivate you to learn more about the true God…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

What, then, art Thou, O my God--what, I ask, but the Lord God? For who is Lord but the Lord? or who is God save our God? Most high, most excellent, most potent (powerful), most omnipotent; most piteous and most just; most hidden and most near; most beauteous and most strong, stable, yet contained of none; unchangeable, yet changing all things; never new, never old; making all things new, yet bringing old age upon the proud and they know it not; always working, yet ever at rest; gathering, yet needing nothing; sustaining, pervading, and protecting; creating, nourishing, and developing; seeking, and yet possessing all things. Thou lovest, and burnest not; art jealous, yet free from care; repentest, and hast no sorrow; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy ways, leaving unchanged Thy plans; recoverest what Thou findest, having yet never lost; art never in want, whilst Thou rejoicest in gain; never covetous, though requiring usury. That Thou mayest owe, more than enough is given to Thee; yet who hath anything that is not Thine? Thou payest debts while owing nothing; and when Thou forgivest debts, losest nothing. Yet, O my God, my life, my holy joy, what is this that I have said?”  Confessions Book I. ch.4

Long Obedience

I have been reading Al Mohler's new book on leadership, Conviction To Lead.  He has a chapter entitle Leadership That Endures.  My wife and I were so encouraged. In it Dr. Mohler's quotes Eugene Peterson on endurance.  It was very hopeful.  Here it is.

"Eugene Peterson describes Christian perseverance as “a long obedience in the same direction.” That is just about perfect. Holiness requires a long obedience in the same direction, staying on the field of battle and remaining there. The Christian life is often just a matter of simple obedience, putting one foot in front of the other and refusing to fall or falter. The difficulty for most of us is the long part. We want everything to happen now. As Peterson explains, this impulse is deadly for the Christian life: Everyone is in a hurry."

Yes, we are all in a hurry, but God is patient and perfect in his timing.  He patiently works in us by his Spirit to bring work out in us the "long" obedience of faith.  (See Romans 1:5)

Let’s Talk About Calvinism Again

“Not the free-will, Calvinist debate again.  Give it a break.”  Many times I have heard people say this with a fluster.  I still hear it at times.  The fact is these people in the church have a vested interested to keep human free will and keep God’s will contingent (dependent & grouped) around human will.  In the past a heretical system of doctrine called socinianism held to this.  So did Arminianism; actually the two errors developed somewhat together.

I want to highlight 2 things that Socinianism said…

1.         God knows things as certain only as they happen in time.

We know we had supper last night because it happened.  We do not know for sure we will have supper tonight because it has not happened yet.  This is the kind of thing Socinians foisted onto God’s person.  This is a denial of God’s omniscience.  Imagine a God who does not know what will really happen tomorrow!  Imagine God not knowing that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28 ESV). 

Much of evangelicalism is double minded on this point.  One the one hand they defend free will, and say we decide our destiny and that God cannot do anything until we let him do it.  In other words, God does not really know if we will make it in the Christian life.  But then on the other hand when tragedy strikes or a great trial comes into their lives they affirm God is in complete control.  But how can he be if he does not know for certain what you will do in the trial?!  God is as anxious as you are – maybe even more.

Socinians also said...      

    

2.         God only knows future possibilities.  He recognizes that in the future some things cannot     happened while others either may or may not happen.

They said Satan cannot win and conquer God.  Modern evangelicals say that too.  They said God cannot destroy himself.  The church today says this too.  However, whether a person is saved, or overcomes personal sin, or remains faithful to Christ and so on; well, that may or may not happen.  It all depends on man’s choice.  Many in the evangelical church say this too. 

Of course this makes man the maker of his own destiny.  God is not our Saviour by his grace alone.  Yes, he will save us, but only if we make the choice. 

So, should we stop talking about free-will and God's sovereignty?  No.  The church must listen to what she is saying about God and about humans.  Then she must read the Bible to see if what she is saying matches with God’s Word.  To assert the two things mentioned above is to believe heresy.  Scripture is very clear…God is absolutely sovereign.  He knows for certain all that will happen in this world because he has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.  Check these passages out, and then talk about them.   (Eph 1:11; Rom 11:33; Heb 6:17; Rom 9:15-18; Acts 15:18; 1 Sam 23:11-12; Matt 11:21, 23; Prov 16:4; Rom 8:30; Dan 4:34-35; Ps 136:6; Acts 17:25-26; Job 38).

The Real Champion

John Milton lived at the same time as John Bunyan.  He wrote two epic poems about the gospel.  The first one was Paradise Lost about how Satan came tempting Adam to sin and how our world plunged into evil.  The second was, Paradise Regained. It is about how Jesus the Messiah redeemed sinners and creation.  Now you might think Paradise Regained would tell the story of Christ’s cross and resurrection tomb.  It doesn’t…rather it is an account of the temptation of Christ.

        Milton's reasoning was that in this terrible contest, at the very beginning of the Lord's ministry, we discover the reality of who the winner would be; and who the loser. The battle did not end at the end of the 40 days, that would be at the cross….but after the Lord’s victory over Satan in the wilderness saving all his people and regaining the world for paradise was assured.  The real champion over Satan and sin is Jesus Christ.  Here is an excerpt from Milton…

Who e're while the happy Garden sung,

By one mans disobedience lost, now sing

Recover'd Paradise to all mankind,

By one mans firm obedience fully tri'd

Through all temptation, and the Tempter foil'd

In all his wiles, defeated and repuls't,

And Eden rais'd in the wast Wilderness.

Thou Spirit, who ledst this glorious Hermit

Into the Desert, his Victorious Field

Against the Spiritual Foe, and broughtst him thence

By proof th' undoubted Son of God, inspire,

As thou art wont, my prompted Song else mute,

And bear through highth or depth of natures bounds,

With prosperous wing full summ'd to tell of deeds

Above Heroic, though in secret done,

And unrecorded left through many an Age,

Worthy t' have not remain'd so long unsung.

-John Milton, Paradise Regained  Bk.1 Part 1.

Jesus Christ is the greater man.

Below is excerpt from John Milton's, Paradise Lost Book 1.  Notice how he highlights the "greater Man."  Out of the chaos of sin, just as out of the chaos of the darkness in Genesis 1:2 God created our beautiful word, so God recreates us through the holy gospel of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  God in Jesus became man; and he is the one greater Man who is like us but without sin who has the power to forgive sin and make us new by the power of his Holy Spirit. 

Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing, Heav'nly Muse, that, on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That shepherd who first taught the chosen seed
In the beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rose out of Chaos; or, if Sion hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Fast by the oracle of God, I thence
Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.
And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou from the first
Wast present, and, with mighty wings outspread,
Dovelike sat'st brooding on the vast abyss,
And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark
Illumine; what is low, raise and support;
That, to the height of this great argument,
I may assert Eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of God to men. 

Martin Luther on Christ as King of Kings

I was reading Martin Luther's commentary on Psalm 8:9 today. His direct and clear words on the glory and kingship of Jesus Christ is worth quoting. There is no greater God and compassionate Person than our Savior. It is my prayer that people receive him as Lord and Savior. Here are Luther's words.

A name like that (Jesus Christ) is outstanding, great, and immeasurably glorious. Who ever heard of ascribing to a man on earth a name as great and glorious as the one ascribed to this Lord and Ruler? The Roman emperor and king, the pope, and even the Turkish emperor are like the king of spades3 in comparison with this Lord and Ruler. They might have great titles, might be called high and mighty, invincible, most gracious and the like. But this King is preached in all the lands as true God and man, a powerful Lord and Ruler, to whom everything must be subjugated and subjected, heaven and earth and all that is therein, angels, men, devils, death and life, sin and righteousness.