This Week #7 we will review Calvin’s Little Book, Chapter 2, Sections 7-8 on pp. 42-48 in the Denlinger and Parsons (D&P) translation.
The Beveridge (1845) translation of Calvin’s Latin original includes the following useful summary of these two sections:
7. Christian life cannot exist without charity.
Calvin, J., & Beveridge, H. (1845). Institutes of the Christian religion (Vol. 2, p. 260). Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society.
Remedies for the vices opposed to charity.
1. Mercy. 2. Humility. 3. Modesty. 4. Diligence. 5. Perseverance.
8. Self-denial, in respect of God, should lead to equanimity and tolerance.
1. We are always subject to God.
2. We should shun avarice and ambition.
3. We should expect all prosperity from the blessing of God, and entirely depend on him.
The above word “charity” used by Beveridge is the King James English for our word “love.” Today, “charity” conveys the idea of welfare payments or care. Unfortunately, “love” as we use the word today is misleading in other ways. So here is an example where we are better served by learning and using the Koine Greek word, charis, than experiencing the confusion that results from reading either of the two commonly translated English words, charity or love.
An update of Bible references cited by Calvin is below:
Does “All” Mean “All?”
Last week, we examined Gal. 6:10, which passage is repeated below. The key text in question is: “let us do good to everyone [Koine: pas, usually translated “all”] and [de, usually translated “but”] especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
As shown above, the meaning of “all” depends on the context. In Galatia, the Judaizers were troubling the new converts by requiring they first become Jewish proselytes. Paul makes clear in the Epistle that we are all one in Christ, by Christ’s regenerating work. No one has less standing regardless of their race, or whether they are slaves or free, male or female. And, so, “all” means all categories and classes of people that have come to faith in Christ. Such word is not here teaching (nor does it or other words elsewhere) a universal redemption, as some have claimed through the ages and continues to this day (as in the term “love wins” which is so applied).
What Does “Doing Good Especially” Mean if “All” is Limited?
Then, what do we do with the phrase “especially?” Last week we saw that 1 Cor 13 and other passages stressed the significance of Spiritual gifts used to build up the body of the church. So “doing good” has a particular significance in such context.
But Calvin Claims “All” is “All”
However, in Sec. 6, Calvin sees “all” as a universal reference. Calvin expands that universal interpretation in Sec. 7.
This difference in interpreting the meaning of “all” determines the boundary of our Christian duty:
- believers before and after becoming part of the local church body, or
- everyone regardless of their faith, or even interest, in Christ?
The second bullet above is Calvin’s understanding of Gal. 6:10. Supporting Calvin’s position are other Bible texts. For instance, consider the Lord’s parable responding to a “lawyer’s” (insincere) question: who is my “neighbor?” asked in the context of such duty to love (Luke 10:29ff). Any reasonable application of the Lord’s parable must lead us to understand that “all” includes any person, any circumstance, any kind of aid, and further shames the priests and levites who avoided even being near the innocent man striped and beaten by robbers.
The Good Samaritan Parable
An excellent message on this Good Samaritan parable is by the late Haddon Robinson, noted seminary professor of homiletics, available on YouTube here: Dr. Robinson’s succinct summary is this:
“My neighbor is anyone whose need I see, whose need God has put me in a position to meet–it’s as simple and difficult as that.”
Dr. Haddon Robinson
It is worth watching Dr. Robinson’s masterful homiletic on this parable. He was a wonderful teacher of teachers and preachers, and was a living example of kindness and compassion in words and manner as well as deeds.
The Sermon on the Mount
Another example passage that teaches a universal “all” is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. Ch. 5-7).
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew Ch 5 (ESV)
And, so Jesus, Calvin, and Dr. Robinson all say “all” is in such context a universal reference. I believe that makes the case and carries the day. But, it leaves us with a very difficult calling.
Is Doing Good Unbounded?
Calvin’s point, and our focus here, is that doing good necessitates in some way a spirit of self-denial. Without self-denial, such “doing” is really only on behalf of self, leading perhaps to feelings of charitable superiority.
But an important follow-up issue is what are the limits of “good” both in terms of the nature of such “good” and the extent of the “doing” of it? Calvin does not directly address this question. However it is an important idea. So I have created a separate webpage that addresses it, here:
Self-Denial, Doing Good, and Repentance
In this chapter on “self-denial” we here find this idea connected with “doing good,” discussed above, and now “repentance.” How so?
“Doing Good” is Not Possible without Self-Denial
Recall that “doing good,” i.e. the classic word “charity” (better than the modern word “love”) is about benefitting someone other than oneself. In this very particular sense, and calling, one is not “doing good” for an exchange of some kind. There may be a self-beneficial return, and there often is. But it cannot be part of one’s act itself. The “charity” must be solely, fully unidirectional, and unmerited (otherwise “charity” has another twist, namely repaying some kind of debt, doing what justice requires, or creating a debt in the receiver for which one as the giver, is actually anticipating a return as an act of “justice” for a good done).
So, for such “charity” to occur from me, it must be from a condition of self-denial. Is it no wonder that charity / doing good is so difficult and rare? It is because genuine self-denial is so contrary to our nature and lifetime of practice. Recall that Jesus said the whole of the Law can be summed up with loving God wholly–which is clearly something we understand, though do not do–AND loving one’s neighbor as one’s self–which is truly difficult to grasp for the purpose of a life of so doing because it requires self-denial.
Self-Denial Necessitates Repentance
What prompts, enables self-denial? Of course we must go back to the truth of “regeneration” discussed in the opening words of Chapter 1 of Calvin. But, practically, what has to precede within us for genuine self-denial?
Calvin
Calvin’s response is that it must lead us to repentance. Repent and repentance (the condition of being repentant) are part of foundational texts of the NT. “Repent” in its various forms in the ESV, occurs 75 times in the Bible, 53 in the NT. It occurs in each of the synoptic Gospels, and in Acts, and five different Epistles, and concludes with 10 occurrences in Revelation. The NT begins with “repent” (“Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Matt. 3:2) and ends with the final judgment of the unrepentant:
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
Revelation 16:8-11, ESV
Calvin’s Text on Repentance
In Sec 8, p. 45, the D&P translation gives us a footnote reference to Calvin’s Book 3, Chapter 3, Sec.s 2-3. (Recall that the Little Book comes from this same Book 3 of Calvin, Chapters 6 through 10). Below is that footnoted text from the Beveridge translation:
Repentance is a Consequence of Proclaimed Forgiveness
2. …. For when our Lord and John begin their preaching thus, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” (Matth. 3:2,) do they not deduce repentance as a consequence of the offer of grace and promise of salvation? The force of the words, therefore, is the same as if it were said, As the kingdom of heaven is at hand, for that reason repent. … we only wish to show that a man cannot seriously engage in repentance unless he know that he is of God. …
Then, according to the passage in the Psalms, “There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared,” (Psalm 130:4,) no man will ever reverence God who does not trust that God is propitious to him, no man will ever willingly set himself to observe the Law who is not persuaded that his services are pleasing to God. The indulgence of God in tolerating and pardoning our iniquities is a sign of paternal favour.
This is also clear from the exhortation in Hosea, “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up,” (Hos. 6:1;) the hope of pardon is employed as a stimulus to prevent us from becoming reckless in sin…. that repentance, which in every Christian man lasts as long as life,…
Calvin, J., & Beveridge, H. (1845). Institutes of the Christian religion (Vol. 2, pp. 152–154). Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society.
Repentance is: First Contrition, and Then Joy
3. Certain learned men, who lived long before the present day, and were desirous to speak simply and sincerely, according to the rule of Scripture, held that repentance consists of two parts, mortification and quickening.
By mortification they mean, grief of soul and terror, produced by a conviction of sin and a sense of the divine judgment. For when a man is brought to a true knowledge of sin, he begins truly to hate and abominate sin. He also is sincerely dissatisfied with himself, confesses that he is lost and undone, and wishes he were different from what he is. Moreover, when he is touched with some sense of the divine justice, (for the one conviction immediately follows the other,) he lies terror-struck and amazed, humbled and dejected, desponds and despairs. This, which they regarded as the first part of repentance, they usually termed contrition.
By quickening they mean, the comfort which is produced by faith, as when a man prostrated by a consciousness of sin, and smitten with the fear of God, afterwards beholding his goodness, and the mercy, grace, and salvation obtained through Christ, looks up, begins to breathe, takes courage, and passes, as it were, from death unto life.
I admit that these terms, when rightly interpreted, aptly enough express the power of repentance; only I cannot assent to their using the term quickening, for the joy which the soul feels after being calmed from perturbation and fear. It more properly means, that desire of pious and holy living which springs from the new birth; as if it were said, that the man dies to himself that he may begin to live unto God.
Calvin, J., & Beveridge, H. (1845). Institutes of the Christian religion (Vol. 2, pp. 152–154). Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society.
Repentance from What?
The idea of repentance requires a context. Calvin follows his citation of Matt. 6:10 (“…Your Will be done…”) with the following:
Our lust is furious and our greed limitless in pursuing wealth and honors, chasing after power, healping up riches, and gathering all those vain things which seem to give us grandeur and glory.
D&P, Ch. 2, Sec. 8, p. 46.
[While at the same time] On the other hand, we greatly fear and hate poverty, obscurity, and humility, and so we avoid these realities in every way.
Thus, Calvin addresses us “not to be entangled in such snares…[but] hold this course:”
First of all they [the mature Christian] must neither desire nor aspire, nor expect to prosper for any other reason than the Lord’s blessing.
D&P, Ch. 2, Sec. 8, p. 47, emphasis mine.
Therefore, let them safely and confidently cast themselves on and rest in that blessing.
We may readily assent to such admonition, yet inwardly we hold to alternatives that we believe also ‘work,’ and likely even ‘work’ better. That leads to Calvin’s second admonition:
Second, we are admittedly able to secure for ourselves, entirely apart from His blessing, something of glory and riches, just as we often see great honors and wealth piled up by ungodly men.
D&P, Ch. 2, Sec. 8, p. 47-48, emphasis mine.
Yet, whatever we obtain [by such means] will turn to evil [and, so, deep sorrow] without His blessing, since those on whom God’s curse remains do not taste even the smallest amount of true happiness.”
Happiness versus Pleasure
Some of the (many) pathways of deceit we each face is the illusion of “happiness” by the false face of “pleasure.” (An alternative word for “happiness” is “joy”). There is a recurring parallel in the Book of Proverbs on the alluring way of the adulteress:
Proverbs 2:16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, 6:24 to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. 7:5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. 23:27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. 30:20
From a word search in the Book of Proverbs using the search term “Adult-“, on the ESV translation
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”
Further, such adulteress the tongue of “smooth words” of enticement. That enticement has perpetuated more ruin than any weapon exercised in any act of hatred.
RC Sproul in his famous, and wonderful book, The Holiness of God, has an extended discussion of this happiness-pleasure distinction: chapter 8 of that book entitled “Be Holy Because I Am Holy.” There is a chain of reasoning that one’s call to be “holy” as an image-bearer of God both honors God but also brings us true joy as said in the very first Q&A of the Westminster Catechism:
Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?
Westminster Catechism, 1648
Answer: Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.
“Pleasure” as a governing rule of life is (almost invariably) the enemy of such happiness / joy. Yet, we must be careful here, as the call of God is not to the philosopher of Stoicism, against which Calvin repeatedly warns us. This distinction will be clear in Calvin’s chapters 4 and 5.
Beveridge’s Translation on These Two Final Admonitions (Calvin Ch 2, Sec. 8)
Beveridge’s translation is more formal and may provide further insight on these two key claims by Calvin and aid our extinguishing our natural “lust” and “greed” in pursuing “wealth and honors,” etc., while trying to avoid “poverty and humility” (p. 46 D&P). Given below is the Beveridge translation [which I have excerpted and edited]:
1. [The course which the mature Christian] must follow is this: they must not long for, or hope for, or think of any kind of prosperity apart from the blessing of God; on it they must cast themselves, and there safely and confidently recline.
Calvin, J., & Beveridge, H. (1845). Institutes of the Christian religion (Vol. 2, pp. 269–270). Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society.
2. [Without this blessing from God as given above] we may be able to acquire some degree of fame and opulence, (as we daily see wicked men loaded with honors and riches,) yet since those on whom the curse of God lies do not enjoy the least particle of true happiness, whatever we obtain without his blessing must turn out ill.