Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - XXXVII - Chapter 5 of Book 3

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 5 of Book 3.

My summary
Last week Calvin looked at some false teachings about repentance and the satisfaction of sin.

Similarly this week, Calvin shows us some further false doctrines about the payment of sin.

Firstly Calvin shows that indulgences are ineffective for the forgiveness of sin.  He draws on Scripture and the church fathers to demonstrate his point.

Secondly, Calvin goes after the Roman Catholic teaching on purgatory.  He deals at length with their proof texts, showing that such passages do not teach such dogma.

What grabbed me
I liked this clear statement from Calvin that we are not saved by indulgences: 'Far be it from us to imagine that Paul thought any thing was wanting to the sufferings of Christ in regard to the complete fulness of righteousness, salvation, and life, or that he wished to make any addition to it, after showing so clearly and eloquently that the grace of Christ was poured out in such rich abundance as far to exceed all the power of sin (Rom. 5:15). All saints have been saved by it alone, not by the merit of their own life or death, as Peter distinctly testifies (Acts 15:11); so that it is an insult to God and his Anointed to place the worthiness of any saint in any thing save the mercy of God alone.'

Don't insult God by looking somewhere else for satisfaction of your sin.

Christ's merit alone is sufficient.

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 6 and 7 of Book 3.

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