Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - XX - Chapter 7 of Book 2

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 7 of Book 2.

My summary
Today Calvin gives us his understanding of the law of God.

Calvin divides the laws of Moses into the categories of ceremonial and moral.  He then explains how the ceremonial law exhibited Christ to the Israelites, particularly in the sacrificial system.

Next Calvin spends a fair amount of time demonstrating three uses of the moral law:
(i) it admonishes every one of his unrighteousness, certiorates, convicts, and finally condemns;
(ii) it, by means of its fearful denunciations and the consequent dread of punishment, curbs those who, unless forced, have no regard for rectitude and justice;
(iii) it instructs believers in whose hearts the Spirit of God already flourishes and reigns.

The chapter closes by affirming that although the moral law has lost none of its authority, the ceremonial law has been abrogated in its use.

What grabbed me
I liked this encouragement to daily study the law of God: '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. For it is the best instrument for enabling them daily to learn with greater truth and certainty what that will of the Lord is which they aspire to follow, and to confirm them in this knowledge; just as a servant who desires with all his soul to approve himself to his master, must still observe, and be careful to ascertain his master’s dispositions, that he may comport himself in accommodation to them. Let none of us deem ourselves exempt from this necessity, for none have as yet attained to such a degree of wisdom, as that they may not, by the daily instruction of the Law, advance to a purer knowledge of the Divine will. Then, because we need not doctrine merely, but exhortation also, the servant of God will derive this further advantage from the Law: by frequently meditating upon it, he will be excited to obedience, and confirmed in it, and so drawn away from the slippery paths of sin.'

None of us are so knowledgeable that we can forgo study of God's revealed will for us.

Next week's reading
Commence Chapter 8 of Book 2 by reading sections 1 to 12.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.