Transformative Faith: Insights from John Calvin on Sanctification

 

Summary

In our time together, we explored the profound insights of John Calvin on the Christian life, particularly focusing on sanctification and the practical outworking of faith. Calvin's work, "A Little Book on the Christian Life," distills key teachings from his Institutes, emphasizing how doctrine should permeate our lives, not just our intellect. Calvin challenges us to move beyond nominal Christianity, where faith is professed but not truly possessed. He insists that true doctrine must transform our hearts and daily routines, becoming a living, breathing part of who we are.

Calvin's teachings on self-denial and cross-bearing are weighty, yet essential. He urges us to persevere through the challenges of sanctification, recognizing that our journey is often marked by staggering and limping. Yet, even small progress is significant in God's eyes. Calvin reminds us that our ultimate hope lies in the perfection we will attain in heaven, encouraging us to press on despite our struggles.

Furthermore, Calvin addresses the motivations behind our sanctification, emphasizing that both duty and delight play roles in our pursuit of holiness. He challenges the notion that Christians should always appear happy, advocating instead for authenticity in our struggles. The church should be a place where we can be honest about our sins and receive grace and support.

Finally, Calvin speaks to the use of our present life and its comforts, urging us to focus on our heavenly calling rather than seeking to create heaven on earth. He encourages us to find contentment in our God-given roles and to see even the ordinary tasks of life as valuable in God's eyes. Through all trials and annoyances, Calvin assures us that God is our guide and that our efforts, no matter how small, are radiant before Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. True Christian doctrine must transform our lives, not just our minds. Calvin emphasizes that doctrine is not merely intellectual but should overflow into our hearts and daily routines, transforming us from within. This transformation is the mark of genuine faith, moving beyond nominal Christianity to a faith that is lived out in every aspect of life. [07:48]

2. The journey of sanctification is often marked by struggle, but even small progress is significant. Calvin acknowledges that we may stagger and limp along the path of holiness, yet he encourages us to keep moving forward, trusting that our efforts are not in vain. Our ultimate hope lies in the perfection we will attain in heaven. [10:35]

3. Both duty and delight are valid motivations for pursuing holiness. Calvin argues that duty and delight are not mutually exclusive but complement each other in our pursuit of godliness. At the heart of our sanctification is a sincere love for God, which He has poured into our hearts, motivating us to obey Him. [14:10]

4. Authenticity in our struggles is vital for true Christian community. Calvin challenges the notion that Christians should always appear happy, advocating for honesty about our sins and struggles. The church should be a place where we can confess our sins and receive grace, support, and encouragement from one another. [17:30]

5. Our present life and its tasks are valuable in God's eyes. Calvin encourages us to focus on our heavenly calling and find contentment in our God-given roles. Even the ordinary tasks of life are radiant before God, and we should persevere through trials and annoyances, trusting that God is our guide. [22:34]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:18] - Introduction to Calvin's Work
- [00:49] - The Noise Around Sanctification
- [01:22] - Need for a Faithful Translation
- [02:25] - Evolution of Calvin's Institutes
- [02:59] - The Classic on Christian Piety
- [03:30] - Collaboration with Dr. Denlinger
- [04:41] - Faithful Translation Efforts
- [05:14] - Overview of Book Chapters
- [06:04] - The Challenge of Self-Denial
- [07:23] - Nominal Christianity
- [09:08] - Doctrine and Life Integration
- [10:12] - Encouragement in Sanctification
- [12:38] - Motivation for Mortification
- [14:10] - Duty and Delight in Holiness
- [16:41] - Authentic Christian Living
- [20:09] - Contempt for Present Life
- [22:34] - Value of Ordinary Tasks
- [24:33] - Assurance in God's Keeping

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Ephesians 4:22-24 - "to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
2. Romans 12:1-2 - "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
3. Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Calvin mean by "nominal Christianity," and how does he suggest it can be identified? [07:23]
2. How does Calvin describe the journey of sanctification, and what imagery does he use to convey its challenges? [10:12]
3. According to Calvin, what are the roles of duty and delight in the pursuit of holiness? [14:10]
4. How does Calvin suggest Christians should view their present life and its comforts? [20:09]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Calvin's view of sanctification challenge the idea of instant spiritual maturity? What implications does this have for personal growth? [10:12]
2. In what ways does Calvin's teaching on self-denial and cross-bearing differ from modern cultural values? [06:04]
3. How does Calvin's emphasis on authenticity in struggles reshape the understanding of Christian community? [17:30]
4. What does Calvin mean by finding contentment in God-given roles, and how does this relate to the concept of heavenly calling? [22:34]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where your faith is more nominal than transformative? How can you begin to integrate doctrine into your daily routines? [07:23]
2. Consider a recent struggle in your journey of sanctification. How can you view this struggle as part of your progress rather than a setback? [10:12]
3. How can you balance the motivations of duty and delight in your pursuit of holiness? Identify a specific area where you can apply this balance. [14:10]
4. In what ways can you be more authentic about your struggles within your church community? How can you create a space for others to do the same? [17:30]
5. Think about your current life roles. How can you find contentment and see them as valuable in God's eyes, even when they seem ordinary or challenging? [22:34]
6. Identify a specific comfort or convenience in your life that might be distracting you from your heavenly calling. What steps can you take to refocus on your spiritual journey? [20:09]
7. How can you encourage others in your community to persevere through trials and annoyances, trusting that God is their guide? [22:34]

Devotional

Day 1: Doctrine as a Living Transformation
True Christian doctrine must transform our lives, not just our minds. Calvin emphasizes that doctrine is not merely intellectual but should overflow into our hearts and daily routines, transforming us from within. This transformation is the mark of genuine faith, moving beyond nominal Christianity to a faith that is lived out in every aspect of life. [07:48]

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Hebrews 8:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways can you allow the teachings of Christ to transform your daily routines and interactions with others today?


Day 2: Perseverance in the Journey of Sanctification
The journey of sanctification is often marked by struggle, but even small progress is significant. Calvin acknowledges that we may stagger and limp along the path of holiness, yet he encourages us to keep moving forward, trusting that our efforts are not in vain. Our ultimate hope lies in the perfection we will attain in heaven. [10:35]

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." (Philippians 3:12, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your spiritual life where you feel you are struggling. How can you take a small step forward in this area today, trusting in God's grace?


Day 3: Duty and Delight in Pursuing Holiness
Both duty and delight are valid motivations for pursuing holiness. Calvin argues that duty and delight are not mutually exclusive but complement each other in our pursuit of godliness. At the heart of our sanctification is a sincere love for God, which He has poured into our hearts, motivating us to obey Him. [14:10]

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a duty you perform regularly in your spiritual life. How can you find delight in this duty, seeing it as an expression of your love for God?


Day 4: Authenticity in Christian Community
Authenticity in our struggles is vital for true Christian community. Calvin challenges the notion that Christians should always appear happy, advocating for honesty about our sins and struggles. The church should be a place where we can confess our sins and receive grace, support, and encouragement from one another. [17:30]

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a struggle or sin you have been hiding from your Christian community? How can you take a step towards authenticity and seek support from a trusted fellow believer today?


Day 5: Valuing the Ordinary in God's Eyes
Our present life and its tasks are valuable in God's eyes. Calvin encourages us to focus on our heavenly calling and find contentment in our God-given roles. Even the ordinary tasks of life are radiant before God, and we should persevere through trials and annoyances, trusting that God is our guide. [22:34]

"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." (Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an ordinary task you often overlook or find mundane. How can you approach this task today with a renewed sense of purpose, seeing it as valuable in God's eyes?

Quotes

"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]

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Transcript
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