Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - XLVIII - Chapter 19 of Book 3

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 19 of Book 3.

My summary
Today Calvin addresses the subject of 'Christian Liberty', which naturally follows any discussion on justification by faith alone.

Calvin teaches us that Christian liberty consists of three parts:
(i) the consciences of believers, while seeking the assurance of their justification before God, must rise above the law, and think no more of obtaining justification by it;
(ii) consciences obey the law, not as if compelled by legal necessity; but being free from the yoke of the law itself, voluntarily obey the will of God;
(iii) we are not bound before God to any observance of external things which are in themselves indifferent, but that we are now at full liberty either to use or omit them.

Calvin also explains the different types of offences to help us determine what scope there is for liberty among men.  Offences may be divided into:
(i) offences given;
(ii) offences taken.

What grabbed me
I appreciated Calvin's reminder that the Christian must ignore all thought of justifying himself by the law: 'The whole lives of Christians ought to be a kind of aspiration after piety, seeing they are called unto holiness (Eph. 1:4; 1 Thess. 4:5). The office of the law is to excite them to the study of purity and holiness, by reminding them of their duty. For when the conscience feels anxious as to how it may have the favor of God, as to the answer it could give, and the confidence it would feel, if brought to his judgment-seat, in such a case the requirements of the law are not to be brought forward, but Christ, who surpasses all the perfection of the law, is alone to be held forth for righteousness.'

Christians must indeed strive after holiness in their lives.  But we must never for a moment think that our holy living justifies us before God.

Christ alone is our righteousness.

Next week's reading
Commence Chapter 20 of Book 3 by reading Chapters 1 to 16.

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