“Calvin’s views on work arose out of his thinking on divine callings (vocatio). In contrast to the idea that only the religious; i.e. monks, nuns, and priests had a ‘calling’ to serve God, Calvin argued all work—whether farming, shoemaking, banking, or child-rearing—represented callings from God in which one was to serve him.” - Ref21
“Thirdly, that we be prepared to receive his benefits with true gratitude of heart and thanksgiving, benefits that our prayer reminds us come from his hand” - DBTS Blog
“Calvin wrote his work to train readers in godliness, not to define Christianity as one religion by articulating a set of ethical and theological beliefs. For this reason, titling the book, Institution of Christian Religion conveys better the idea of Christian worship or godliness that Calvin intended to communicate through the title.” - Wyatt Graham
“It might seem a little silly to offer tips on how to read a book. Don’t you start reading the first page and keep going until you reach the end? Well, yes. And no! Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion requires some guidance, or else readers will get confused and lose interest in a hurry. There are several reasons why this is the case.” - Servants of Grace
“We should not, however, conclude that any old act of worship informed by faith is pleasing to God. The second ingredient — also absolutely essential — to sweet-smelling worship is careful attention to God’s own instructions regarding how he wishes to be worshiped.
John Calvin’s treatment of Psalm 145 offers some great ruminations about the attributes of God. The psalm can be broken down into three parts:
Verses 1-3 are David on his own speaking of the greatness of God celebrating God’s praise.
Verses 4-9 speak of David bringing in the people of whom he is king and bringing them to praise and prompting them to consider God’s greatness and goodness.
In this excerpt, Calvin explains the third use of the law:1
The third use of the Law (being also the principal use, and more closely connected with its proper end) has respect to believers in whose hearts the Spirit of God already flourishes and reigns. For although the Law is written and engraven on their hearts by the finger of God, that is, although they are so influenced and actuated by the Spirit, that they desire to obey God, there are two ways in which they still profit in the Law.
John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, famously set out what he saw as the three uses of the law. By the term “law,” Calvin explains, “[b]y the Law, I understand not only the Ten Commandments, which contain a complete rule of life, but the whole system of religion delivered by the hand of Moses.”1 Here, in this excerpt,2 Calvin explains the second of these:
John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, famously set out what he saw as the three uses of the law. By the term “law,” Calvin explains, “[b]y the Law, I understand not only the Ten Commandments, which contain a complete rule of life, but the whole system of religion delivered by the hand of Moses.”1 Here, in this excerpt,2 Calvin explains the first of these:
“In the second year, the young pastor pushes for the practice of church discipline—and this proves to be too much. And so the young pastor is fired, and the church is left worse off than before.” - The Story of John Calvin and Martin Bucer
