Institutes of the Christian Religion

by John Calvin

Thirdly, That there is only one method of deliverance which can rescue us from this miserable calamity, viz., when Christ the Redeemer appears, by whose hand our heavenly Father, out of his infini...

if we with true faith embrace...

True faith is embracing God mercy

Great numbers, on hearing the term, think that nothing more is meant than a certain common assent to the Gospel History;

nay, when the subject of faith is discussed in the Schools, by simply representing God as its object, they by empty speculation, as we have elsewhere said,

Faith consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge - knowledge not of God merely, but of the divine will.

faith is knowledge of the divine will

but when we recognize God as a propitious Father through the reconciliation made by Christ, and Christ as given to us for righteousness, sanctification, and life.

he intimates, that it is not enough to believe implicitly without understanding, or even inquiring. The thing requisite is an explicit recognition of the divine goodness, in which our righteousness consists.

beiving in the divine goodness that gives you righteousness

Faith consists in the knowledge of God and Christ, (John 17: 3), not in reverence for the Church.

Hence they are said to have believed only when, by the reality, they perceive the truth of what Christ had spoken; not that they then began to believe, but the seed of a hidden faith, which lay as it were dead in their hearts, then burst forth in vigor.

We may also call their faith implicit, as being properly nothing else than a preparation for faith.

The true knowledge of Christ consists in receiving him as he is offered by the Father, namely, as invested with his Gospel.

whatever be the way in which it is conveyed to us, is a kind of mirror in which

faith beholds God.

In this, therefore, whether God uses the agency of man, or works immediately by his own power, it is always by his word that he manifests himself to those whom he designs to draw to himself.

always by his wprd that God manifests himself

We now see, therefore, that faith is the knowledge of the divine will in regard to us, as ascertained from his word.

this is what faith is

Nor is it sufficient to believe that God is true, and cannot lie or deceive, unless you feel firmly persuaded that every word which proceeds from him is sacred, inviolable truth.

At the same time, we deny not that it is the office of faith to assent to the truth of God whenever, whatever, and in whatever way he speaks:

When conscience sees only wrath and indignation, how can it but tremble and be afraid?

and how can it avoid shunning the God whom ...

But faith ought to seek God, n...

It were presumptuous in us to hold that God is propitious to us, had we not his own testimony, and did he not prevent us by his invitation,

credit, the mind must be enlightened, and the heart confirmed, from some other quarter.

they show plainly that they have never thought of the special gift of the Spirit; since one of the first elements of faith is reconciliation

implied in man's drawing near to God.

is more a matter of the heart than the head, of the affection than the intellect. For this reason, it is termed "the obedience of faith,"

yet experience shows that the reprobate are sometimes affected in a way so similar to the elect, that even in their own judgment there is no difference between them.

but the Lord, the better to convict them, and leave them without excuse, instills into their minds such a sense of his goodness as can be felt without the Spirit of adoption.

We may add, that the reprobate never have any other than a confused sense of grace, laying hold of the shadow rather than the substance,

When he shows himself propitious to them, it is not as if he had truly rescued them from death, and taken them under his protection. He only gives them a manifestation of his present mercy[9]

In the elect alone he implants the living root of faith, so that they persevere even to the end. Thus

There is nothing inconsistent in this with the fact of his enlightening some with a present sense of grace, which afterwards proves evanescent.

perserverance of the sints is key

Although faith is a knowledge of the divine favor towards us, and a full persuasion of its truth, it is not strange that the sense of the divine love, which though akin to faith differs much from it, vanishes in those who are temporarily impressed.

Meanwhile, we must remember that however feeble and slender the faith of the elect may be, yet as the Spirit of God is to them a sure earnest and seal of their adoption,

Nor can it be said that the Spirit therefore deceives, because he does not quicken the seed which lies in their hearts so as to make it ever remain incorruptible as in the elect.

But as the reprobate have no rooted conviction of the paternal love of God, so they do not in return yield the love of sons,

but are led by a kind of mercenary affection.

a mercernery affection. led by what they want from God

Accordingly, Paul claims faith as the peculiar privilege of the elect, intimating that many, from not being properly rooted, fall away,

Now, it is probable that the centurion was thinking only of the cure of his son, by whom his whole soul was engrossed[12]; but because he is satisfied with the simple answer and assurance of Christ, and does not request his bodily presence, this circumstance calls forth the eulogium on his faith.

So deeply rooted in our hearts is unbelief, so prone are we to it, that while all confess with the lips that God is faithful, no man ever believes it without an arduous struggle.

In one word, he only is a true believer who, firmly persuaded that God is reconciled, and is a kind Father to him, hopes everything from his kindness, who, trusting to the promises of the divine favor, with undoubting confidence anticipates salvation;

calvins defination of a true beliver

When we say that faith must be certain and secure, we certainly speak not of an assurance which is never affected by doubt,

On the other hand, whatever be the mode in which they are assailed, we deny that they fall off and abandon that sure confidence which they have formed in the mercy of God.

This we may infer from the following passage, and others similar to it: "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord," (Psa 27: 14). He accuses himself of timidity,

The believer finds within himself two principles: the one filling him with delight in recognizing the divine goodness, the other filling him with bitterness under a sense of his fallen state; the one leading him to recline on the promise of the Gospel, the other alarming him by the conviction of his iniquity;

the one making him exult with the anticipation of life, the other making him tremble with the fear of death.

Thus we see that a mind illumined with the knowledge of God is at first involved in much ignorance, - ignorance, however, which is gradually removed.

To withstand these assaults, faith arms and fortifies itself with the word of God. When the temptation suggested is, that God is an enemy because he afflicts, faith replies, that while he afflicts he is merciful, his chastening proceeding more from love than anger.

Therefore, as we have already said, we again maintain, that faith remaining fixed in the believer's breast never can be eradicated from it.

unbelief reigns not in the hearts of believers, but only assails them from without; does not wound them mortally with its darts, but annoys them, or, at the utmost, gives them a wound which can be healed.

unbelief in relation to belivers

How, it will be asked, can fear and faith dwell in the same mind? Just in the same way as sluggishness and anxiety can so dwell.