Transformative Faith: Insights from John Calvin on Sanctification

"Such nominal Christians demonstrate their knowledge of Christ to be false and offensive no matter how eloquently or loudly they talk about the gospel. For true doctrine is not a matter of the tongue, but of life. Neither is Christian doctrine grasped only by the intellect and memory, as truth is grasped in other fields of study. Rather, doctrine is rightly received when it takes possession of the entire soul and finds a dwelling place and shelter in the most intimate affections of the heart." [00:07:09]

"But in order for doctrine to be fruitful to us, it must overflow into our hearts and spread into our daily routines and truly transform us within. Do you hear that? You know, too often, too often I hear the charge that Calvinists, that Reformed people like us, are cold and dead and hardhearted, that we don't have a soft heart for God, that doctrine is something austere, it's something simply objective, it doesn't penetrate our hearts and our lives." [00:08:00]

"Doctrine rightly understood, is doctrine applied. Doctrine rightly understood is doctrine lived out in all of life, and it penetrates the very soul. And Calvin was concerned about this. Later on he writes, now on page 16 for those of you following along, as he drives and challenges and convicts. He comes to the end of this chapter and he says: 'Don't despair.'" [00:09:35]

"Of course, none of us is capable of running swiftly on the right course, while we remain in the earthly confinement of our bodies. Indeed, most of us are so oppressed with weakness that we make little progress, staggering, limping, and crawling on the ground. But let us move forward according to the measure of our resources and pursue the path we have begun to walk." [00:10:07]

"None of us will move forward with so little success that we will not make some progress in the way. Therefore, let us keep trying so that we might continually make some gains in the way of the Lord, and neither let us despair over how small our successes are, for however much our successes fall short of our desire, our efforts aren't in vain when we are farther along today than yesterday." [00:10:30]

"This self-mortification, therefore, will only take place in us when we fulfill the sum of love's requirements. And we fulfill these requirements not when we merely perform all the external duties of love, even if we don't overlook any of them, but when we do so from a sincere affection of love." [00:12:38]

"Well, the reality of it is that duty and delight are not enemies. They complement one another. They are not at odds with one another. And we don't want to make the mistake of being mutually exclusive, particularly when it comes to our theology, because the Bible gives us both motives, both duty and delight. That we do what we are called to do and we strive after holiness." [00:14:06]

"Calvin would say, 'Away with all those Christians who think that living the Christian life and pursuing holiness is all about pretending how happy you are all the time.' And putting a mask of superficiality on whenever you walk through the doors of the church, because you want to convey to everyone how great you're doing, and no one ever sees you groan and weep." [00:17:27]

"The church is a place where we can take off our masks. The church is a place we can come and say, 'I am a sinful person, I need help, I need a Savior.' In fact it's the only thing in the whole world, the only organization that in order to get into it, you have to admit you're a sinner. So, why are we so afraid of admitting that we struggle with sin?" [00:18:10]

"One of the great problems in the church today is that too many Christians have a misappropriate eschatology. They want heaven now, and we all want heaven now, but they try to create that heaven for themselves on earth when in reality God will always, always disappoint you when you try to create heaven on earth." [00:20:21]

"Consequently, the one who directs himself toward the goal of observing God's calling will have a life well composed, free from rash impulses. You won't attempt more than His calling warrants. He will understand that he shouldn't overstep his boundaries. He who lives in obscurity will live an ordinary life without complaint, so that he won't be found guilty of deserting his divinely appointed post." [00:21:36]

"For every work performed in obedience to one's calling, no matter how ordinary and common, is radiant, most valuable, in the eyes of our Lord. Calvin challenges and rebukes and convicts and then constantly follows it up saying, 'Don't despair.' Whatever your station in life, whatever your plot, wherever you are, however ordinary, whatever we do in all the common things, in all the little things as we strive and as we are pursuing the Lord and pursuing holiness, as we are pursuing to give God glory with our lives." [00:22:34]