Five Key Words: Calvin’s Opening Sentences of Chapter 1:
- Holiness of God (used nearly synonymously with “Righteousness”),
- “Model” (of life, i.e. a framework),
- “Life” (Regeneration), that we have been given as a “God’s Work”
- Our call to being an Image of God (not to gain “Life” but a reflection of having been given an entirely new “Life”), and the meaning / significance of “Image”
- Philosophers (and who are such examples / types in our Space – Time culture)
“Imitators” (Image of God) from Ephesians 4
The context of Ephesians 4 is below:
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace….17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. … as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness….
Ephesians 4:1-24 selected verses as shown (ESV)
What is Meant by God’s Holiness?
A classic book on the Holiness of God was written by RC Sproul in 1990. I understand that he believed that to be his most-significant book. One of the great insights in that book he termed “The Trauma” of God’s Holiness. That section of his book from a public domain study guide is given below:
What Does it Mean to Be the Image of God?
The “image” / “imitators” of God is a vast subject. At the link is a brief collection of perspectives on this subject, here:
What is the Significance of “Life?”
One of the most significant facts of being “Christian,” is being alive, that is Spiritually to God. It is a restoration to life that was lost in Adam, by the Sovereign Act of Regeneration.
The Gospel of John has many particular, important references to “life:”
Derek Thomas, one of the Teaching Fellows of Ligonier, has given a particularly relevant message on “life” and it’s great significance, based upon Romans Chapter 8. A link to that message is below (if it’s still available) is here:
Verses Cited in the Little Book for Ch 1
The D&P translation cites selections from the fuller list of verse references given in Calvin’s original writing and cited in the Beveridge translation (1845). In addition, there are many other possible citations on each of the Key Words, especially the “Holiness of God.” In the below pdf is an extensive passage list of these: