Living Faith: Insights from Calvin's Christian Life

 

Summary

In our discussion today, we delved into the significance of John Calvin's "A Little Book on the Christian Life," exploring its relevance and impact on both new and seasoned believers. This work, a distillation of Calvin's thoughts on sanctification and Christian living, serves as a guide to understanding the complexities of living a life of faith. The motivation behind releasing a new edition was to provide a translation that remains true to Calvin's original prose, offering clarity and depth to modern readers. This book is not just a historical artifact but a living conversation with Calvin, inviting readers to engage deeply with the theological insights of our forefathers.

Calvin's work addresses the confusion surrounding sanctification, emphasizing the importance of living out one's faith authentically. He challenges the notion that doctrine is merely a matter of intellectual assent, asserting that true doctrine must be lived out in daily life. This perspective is crucial in a time when many Christians struggle with the practical application of their beliefs. Calvin's insights into the Christian life, including the struggles with pride, the role of emotions, and the importance of looking forward to the future life, provide a framework for believers to navigate their spiritual journeys.

The book also highlights the importance of humility and the dangers of pride, urging believers to rely on the Holy Spirit to combat these tendencies. Calvin's acknowledgment of the struggles and weaknesses inherent in the Christian life offers comfort and encouragement, reminding us that even great theologians faced similar challenges. His emphasis on the ordinary aspects of life being radiant in the eyes of God underscores the value of living faithfully in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Importance of Living Doctrine: Calvin emphasizes that true doctrine is not just about what we profess with our tongues but how we live it out in our daily lives. This challenges us to ensure that our beliefs are reflected in our actions, reminding us that faith without works is dead. [20:12]

2. The Struggle with Pride: Calvin acknowledges the pervasive nature of pride and the difficulty in overcoming it. He encourages believers to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal and combat pride within us, as we often lack the ability to see it ourselves. [35:10]

3. Embracing Emotions: Calvin argues against the Stoic view that emotions have no place in the Christian life. He affirms that expressing emotions like grief and sadness is part of being human and that vulnerability is a sign of spiritual maturity. [39:05]

4. The Ordinary as Radiant: Calvin teaches that every act of obedience, no matter how mundane, is valuable in God's eyes. This perspective encourages us to see the significance in our daily tasks and to live out our faith in the ordinary moments of life. [54:13]

5. Looking Forward to Eternity: Calvin stresses the importance of having a forward-looking perspective, focusing on the hope of the resurrection and eternal life. This outlook helps us to navigate the challenges of the present life with a sense of purpose and joy. [49:10]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:08] - Introduction to the Conversation
- [00:51] - Milestones and Honors
- [02:13] - Motivation for the New Edition
- [03:35] - Translation Challenges
- [05:19] - Collaboration with Latin Scholars
- [06:36] - Significance of Calvin's Work
- [07:51] - Confusion on Sanctification
- [09:40] - Doctrine of Sanctification
- [11:25] - Audience for Calvin's Book
- [13:52] - Translation Process Insights
- [18:40] - True Doctrine and Life
- [23:09] - Struggles in Christian Life
- [32:43] - Combating Pride
- [37:39] - Role of Emotions
- [42:33] - Scorn for Present Life
- [48:42] - Looking Forward to Eternity
- [54:13] - The Ordinary as Radiant
- [56:57] - Calvin and Modern Communication

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: John Calvin's "A Little Book on the Christian Life"

Bible Reading:
1. James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
2. Romans 12:3 - "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you."
3. 1 Peter 5:6-7 - "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Calvin mean when he says that true doctrine is not merely a matter of the tongue but of life? How does this relate to James 2:17? [18:40]
2. How does Calvin describe the struggle with pride, and what solution does he offer for overcoming it? [32:59]
3. According to Calvin, what role do emotions play in the Christian life, and how does this contrast with the Stoic view? [37:39]
4. How does Calvin view the ordinary aspects of life, and why does he consider them significant in the eyes of God? [54:13]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How might Calvin's emphasis on living doctrine challenge the way Christians today approach their faith and daily actions? [20:12]
2. In what ways does Calvin suggest that pride can be a hidden danger in the Christian life, and how does this align with Romans 12:3? [35:10]
3. How does Calvin's acceptance of emotions as part of the Christian experience provide a more holistic understanding of spiritual maturity? [39:05]
4. What does Calvin mean by looking forward to eternity, and how does this perspective help believers navigate present challenges? [49:10]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your daily life. Are there areas where your actions do not align with your professed beliefs? How can you work towards integrating your faith more fully into your daily actions? [20:12]
2. Pride can often be subtle and difficult to recognize. What steps can you take to invite the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of pride in your life, and how can you actively work to combat it? [35:10]
3. Consider a recent situation where you felt the need to suppress your emotions. How can you embrace vulnerability and express your emotions in a way that aligns with Calvin's teachings on spiritual maturity? [39:05]
4. Think about the ordinary tasks you perform each day. How can you begin to see these tasks as radiant and valuable in God's eyes, and what changes might this perspective bring to your daily routine? [54:13]
5. Calvin encourages believers to look forward to eternity. How can you cultivate a forward-looking perspective in your life, and what practical steps can you take to focus on the hope of the resurrection? [49:10]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle with humility. What practical steps can you take to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, as instructed in 1 Peter 5:6-7?
7. Choose one person in your life who may benefit from understanding the value of the ordinary. How can you encourage them this week to see their daily tasks as significant in God's eyes?

Devotional

Day 1: Living Doctrine in Action
True doctrine is not merely professed but lived out daily. Calvin emphasizes that the essence of true doctrine is not confined to intellectual understanding or verbal affirmation. Instead, it is demonstrated through the actions and decisions made in everyday life. This perspective challenges believers to ensure that their faith is not just a set of beliefs but a lived experience that reflects the teachings of Christ. In a world where many struggle with the practical application of their beliefs, Calvin's insights remind us that faith without works is dead. The call is to embody the teachings of Christ in every aspect of life, ensuring that our actions align with our professed beliefs. [20:12]

James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."

Reflection: Identify one belief you hold that is not currently reflected in your daily actions. What specific steps can you take today to align your actions with this belief?


Day 2: The Battle Against Pride
Pride is a subtle yet pervasive challenge that requires the Holy Spirit's guidance to overcome. Calvin acknowledges the difficulty in recognizing and combating pride, as it often blinds us to our own shortcomings. He encourages believers to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal and address pride within us, as we may not have the ability to see it ourselves. This reliance on divine assistance is crucial, as pride can hinder spiritual growth and distort our relationship with God and others. By acknowledging our dependence on the Holy Spirit, we open ourselves to transformation and humility, allowing God to work within us to overcome this pervasive sin. [35:10]

Proverbs 16:18-19 (ESV): "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where pride may have influenced your actions or decisions. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you address and overcome this pride today?


Day 3: Embracing Emotional Authenticity
Emotions are an integral part of the Christian life, and expressing them is a sign of spiritual maturity. Calvin challenges the Stoic view that emotions have no place in the life of a believer. Instead, he affirms that emotions like grief and sadness are part of being human and that expressing them is not a sign of weakness but of authenticity. Vulnerability in expressing emotions is a reflection of spiritual maturity, as it acknowledges our dependence on God and our need for His comfort and guidance. By embracing our emotions, we allow ourselves to experience the fullness of life and deepen our relationship with God and others. [39:05]

Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV): "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Reflection: Consider a recent time when you suppressed your emotions. How can you allow yourself to express these emotions authentically in prayer or with a trusted friend today?


Day 4: Finding Radiance in the Ordinary
Every act of obedience, no matter how mundane, is valuable in God's eyes. Calvin teaches that the ordinary aspects of life are radiant in the eyes of God, emphasizing the significance of living faithfully in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. This perspective encourages believers to see the value in their daily tasks and to live out their faith in the ordinary moments of life. By recognizing the divine significance in the mundane, we are reminded that our lives are a continuous act of worship, and every action can be an expression of our devotion to God. [54:13]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: Think of a routine task you often overlook as insignificant. How can you approach this task today with a renewed sense of purpose and as an act of worship?


Day 5: A Forward-Looking Perspective
Focusing on the hope of resurrection and eternal life provides purpose and joy in the present. Calvin stresses the importance of having a forward-looking perspective, which helps believers navigate the challenges of the present life with a sense of purpose and joy. By keeping our eyes on the hope of resurrection and eternal life, we are reminded that our current struggles are temporary and that a glorious future awaits us. This outlook encourages us to persevere through difficulties, knowing that our ultimate reward is with God in eternity. [49:10]

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: Reflect on a current challenge you are facing. How can focusing on the hope of eternity change your perspective and approach to this challenge today?

Quotes

True doctrine or understanding true doctrine is not just what we confess, it's not just what we say, it's how we live. It's our doctrine lived out. If we're not living out that doctrine, in one sense, we don't really understand that doctrine. [00:20:00]

Calvin helps as does Owen and Goodwin and Watson and others, they helped to give to the church a very careful wise and faithful doctrine of sanctification that holds together all the beautiful biblical tensions that exist, all the beautiful doctrinal complexities that exist in the Christian life. [00:08:38]

Calvin in this book really does help to paint a good clear picture for not only the doctrine of sanctification in general but the outworking of it in the Christian life. [00:09:40]

Calvin was a man that was wracked with trials and anxieties and burdens and fears, and he realized his own frailty. Even towards the end of his life, he was pouring out his heart, talking about his weaknesses and shortcomings as a man, as a pastor, as a leader in Geneva. [00:13:02]

Calvin is saying it's okay to cry and he's saying it's okay to bear our emotions. Away with stoicism, away with the Stoics who neither want to have relationships, nor want to have happiness, nor sadness. They don't want any of those emotions. [00:37:39]

When we offer our heart to God, we're not risking anything. When we offer our heart to God, he will not take advantage of it. We offer our heart to God, he's going to make it continue to pump with living blood and living water, that pliable, moldable heart of flesh, not a hard heart of stone. [00:41:00]

Remember this truth that no one has made much progress in the school of Christ who doesn't look forward joyfully both to his death and the day of his final resurrection. [00:49:10]

Every work performed in obedience to one's calling, no matter how ordinary and common, is radiant, most valuable in the eyes of the Lord. [00:54:13]

I think Calvin understood that struggle. I think he understood that fight. And I was talking with a friend of mine today. I pray with a good friend of mine, as you know, every week. We were praying together for years, and we talked, we counsel, we confess sins. [00:35:10]

I think the older and more mature we become in Christ, the more vulnerable we become, the more open we become to the Spirit's work in our lives and even to others' works and others' work in our lives. [00:39:05]

Calvin is saying wherever you are, whoever you are, no matter what your role is, no matter what your office is or isn't, this Christian life is for everyone. No ordinary work, no work is menial, no work is ordinary to God. [00:54:13]

Calvin was very much about that, and that line from Calvin, I think, goes against a lot of the sort of hyper-radicalized way that many have called people to live that actually winds up in a sort of self-deprecating legalism. [00:54:13]

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Transcript
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