If you’re a Christian and want to know some important aspects of the Christian life, then hearing from the Institutes of the Christian Religion is important.
I’m not aware of any modern day theologians who have put words to paper about these things as well as Calvin has. He is, undoubtedly one of God’s greatest gifts to the church for the teaching and edification of the body.
Below is a Librivox reading of chapter 7 preceded by excerpts of 4 of the 10 sections in that chapter; including a listing of the contents of sections 5 – 10 for those who aren’t sure whether they want to spend the time listening to the reading, which is 47 minutes in length.
An excerpt from section 1 of chapter 7: A Summary of the Christian Life. Of Self-denial:
On the other hand, we are God’s; let us, therefore, live and die to him (Rom 14:8). We are God’s; therefore, let his wisdom and will preside over all our actions. We are God’s; to him, then, as the only legitimate end, let every part of our life be directed. O how great the proficiency of him who, taught that he is not his own, has withdrawn the dominion and government of himself from his own reason that he may give them to God! For as the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves, so the only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom, than to follow the Lord wherever he leads. Let this, then, be the first step, to abandon ourselves, and devote the whole energy of our minds to the service of God. By service, I mean not only that which consists in verbal obedience, but that by which the mind, divested of its own carnal feelings, implicitly obeys the call of the Spirit of God. This transformation (which Paul calls the renewing of the mind, Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23), though it is the first entrance to life, was unknown to all the philosophers. They give the government of man to reason alone, thinking that she alone is to be listened to; in short, they assign to her the sole direction of the conduct. But Christian philosophy bids her give place, and yield complete submission to the Holy Spirit, so that the man himself no longer lives, but Christ lives and reigns in him (Gal 2:20).
An excerpt from section 2 of ch. 7:
For when Scripture enjoins us to lay aside private regard to ourselves, it not only divests our minds of an excessive longing for wealth, or power, or human favor, but eradicates all ambition and thirst for worldly glory, and other more secret pests. The Christian ought, indeed, to be so trained and disposed as to consider, that during his whole life he has to do with God. For this reason, as he will bring all things to the disposal and estimate of God, so he will religiously direct his whole mind to him. For he who has learned to look to God in everything he does, is at the same time diverted from all vain thoughts. This is that self-denial which Christ so strongly enforces on his disciples from the very outset (Matt 16:24), which, as soon as it takes hold of the mind, leaves no place either, first, for pride, show, and ostentation; or, secondly, for avarice, lust, luxury, effeminacy, or other vices which are engendered by self-love. On the contrary, wherever it reigns not, the foulest vices are indulged in without shame; or, if there is some appearance of virtue, it is vitiated by a depraved longing for applause. Show me, if you can, an individual who, unless he has renounced himself in obedience to the Lord’s command, is disposed to do good for its own sake. Those who have not so renounced themselves have followed virtue at least for the sake of praise.
An excerpt from section 3, ch 7:
But as nothing is more difficult than to bid adieu to the will of the flesh, subdue, no, abjure our lusts, devote ourselves to God and our brethren, and lead an angelic life amid the pollutions of the world, Paul, to set our minds free from all entanglements, recalls us to the hope of a blessed immortality, justly urging us to contend, because as Christ has once appeared as our Redeemer, so on his final advent he will give full effect to the salvation obtained by him. And in this way he dispels all the allurements which becloud our path, and prevent us from aspiring as we ought to heavenly glory; no, he tells us that we must be pilgrims in the world, that we may not fail of obtaining the heavenly inheritance.
An excerpt from section 4, ch 7:
Moreover, we see by these words that self-denial has respect partly to men and partly (more especially) to God (s. 8–10). For when Scripture enjoins us, in regard to our fellow men, to prefer them in honor to ourselves, and sincerely labor to promote their advantages (Rom 12:10; Phil 2:3), he gives us commands which our mind is utterly incapable of obeying until its natural feelings are suppressed. For so blindly do we all rush in the direction of self-love, that everyone thinks he has a good reason for exalting himself and despising all others in comparison…Hence the insolence with which each, as if exempted from the common lot, seeks to exalt himself above his neighbor, confidently and proudly despising others, or at least looking down upon them as his inferiors…For this there is no other remedy than to pluck up by the roots those most noxious pests, self-love and love of victory (philoneikia kai philautia). This the doctrine of Scripture does. For it teaches us to remember, that the endowments which God has bestowed upon us are not our own, but his free gifts, and that those who plume themselves upon them betray their ingratitude. “Who maketh thee to differ,” says Paul, “and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7). Then by a diligent examination of our faults, let us keep ourselves humble. Thus while nothing will remain to swell our pride, there will be much to subdue it.
Following are the table of contents of ch 7, sections 4 through 10 (you might guess 1-3 from the above excerpts).
Section 4. Self-denial the sum of Paul’s doctrine. Its difficulty. Qualities in us which make it difficult. Cures for these qualities. 1. Ambition to be suppressed. 2. Humility to be embraced. 3. Candor to be esteemed. 4. Mutual charity to be preserved.
Section 5. Modesty to be sincerely cultivated. 5. The advantage of our neighbor to be promoted. Here self-denial most necessary, and yet most difficult. Here a double remedy. 1. The benefits bestowed upon us are for the common benefit of the church. 2. We ought to do all we can for our neighbor. This illustrated by analogy from the members of the human body. This duty of charity founded on the divine command.
- Charity ought to have for its attendants patience and kindness. We should consider the image of God in our neighbors, and especially in those who are of the household of faith. Hence a fourfold consideration which refutes all objections. A common objection refuted.
- Christian life cannot exist without charity. Remedies for the vices opposed to charity. 1. Mercy. 2. Humility. 3. Modesty. 4. Diligence. 5. Perseverance.
- 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.
- We ought not to desire wealth or honors without the divine blessing, nor follow the arts of the wicked. We ought to cast all our care upon God, and never envy the prosperity of others.
- We ought to commit ourselves entirely to God. The necessity of this doctrine. Various uses of affliction. Heathen abuse and corruption.
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion (p. 130). Hendrickson Publishers. Kindle Edition.
I recently purchased Calvin’s Institutes on Kindle for $2.95, about a tenth of what the book or audible costs, I have the others, but wanted to be able to copy and paste sections as in this doc.
For other posts on Calvin’s Institutes, see Categories: Calvin’s Institutes.
For posts that have specific and valuable instruction for Christians about dealing with their sins, see Categories: John Owen; Jonathan Edwards; and Thomas Brooks.