We explain justification simply as the acceptance with which God receives us into his favor as righteous men. And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. John Calvin More Quotes by John Calvin More Quotes From John Calvin No Task will be so sordid and base, provided you obey your calling in it, that it will not shine and be reckoned very precious in God's sight. John Calvin tasks shining sight Each eye can have its vision separately; but when we are looking at anything our vision, which in itself is divided, joins up and unites in order to give itself as a whole to the object that is put before it. John Calvin eye giving order Free will is an empty term. John Calvin empty free-will term Unless we ardently and prayerfully devote ourselves to Christ's righteousness we do not only faithlessly revolt from our Creator, but we also abjure him as our Savior. John Calvin savior righteousness christ Even if this earth is only a vestibule, we ought undoubtedly to make such a use of its blessing that we are assisted rather than delayed in our journey. John Calvin journey use blessing It would be the height of absurdity to label ignorance tempered by humility "faith"! (Institutio III.2.3) John Calvin ignorance humility faith It is not lawful for you to make a compromise with God: to try to fulfill part of your duties and to omit others at your own pleasure. John Calvin pleasure compromise trying The only skills I have the patience to learn are those that have no real application in life. John Calvin application skills real No one in this earthly prison of the body has sufficient strength of his own to press forward with a due degree of watchfulness, and the great majority [of Christians] are kept down with such great weakness that they stagger and halt and even creep on the ground, and so make very slight advances. John Calvin weakness body christian I don't need to compromise my principles, because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway. John Calvin compromise principles needs The denial of ourselves which Christ has so diligently commanded his disciples from the beginning will at last dominate all the desires of our heart. John Calvin lasts desire heart Scripture will ultimately suffice for a saving knowledge of God only when its certainty is founded upon the inward persuasion of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, these human testimonies which exist to confirm it will not be vain if, as secondary aids to our feebleness, they follow that chief and highest testimony. But those who wish to prove to unbelievers that Scripture is the Word of God are acting foolishly, for only by faith can this be known. John Calvin inward acting wish All our words ought to be filled with true sweetness and grace; and this will be so if we mingle the useful with the sweet. John Calvin our-words grace sweet Faith and hope...are the wings by which our souls, rising above the world, are lifted up to God. John Calvin rising soul wings When we hear any mention of our mystical union with Christ, we should remember that holiness is the channel to do it. John Calvin holiness unions remember It having been said above that God bends all the reprobate, and even Satan himself, at his will, three objections are started. First, that this happens by the permission, not by the will of God. To this objection there is a twofold reply, the one, that angels and men, good and bad, do nothing but what is appointed by God; the second, that all movements are secretly directed to their end by the hidden inspiration of God. John Calvin angel inspiration men As far as sacred Scripture is concerned, however much froward men try to gnaw at it, nevertheless it clearly is crammed with thoughts that could not be humanly conceived. Let each of the prophets be looked into: none will be found who does not far exceed human measure. Consequently, those for whom prophetic doctrine is tasteless ought to be thought of as lacking taste buds. John Calvin sacred trying men This is plainly to ascribe divinity to 'free will.' John Calvin divinity free-will The whole life of Christians ought to be an exercise of piety, since they are called to sanctification. It is the office of the law to remind them of their duty and thereby to excite them to the pursuit of holiness and integrity. But when their consciences are solicitous how God may be propitiated, what answer they shall make, and on what they shall rest their confidence, if called to his tribunal, there must then be no consideration of the requisitions of the law, but Christ alone must be proposed for righteousness, who exceeds all the perfection of the law. John Calvin christian exercise integrity Because the will renewed is the Lord's work, it is wrongly attributed to man that he obeys prevenient grace with his will as attendant. John Calvin grace lord men
