Institutes of Christian religion - Calvin - LXX - Chapter 14 of Book 4

Required reading
Institutes of Christian religion by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 14 of Book 4.

My summary
This week Calvin discusses the sacraments.

Firstly Calvin unpacks his definition of a sacrament: 'it is an external sign, by which the Lord seals on our consciences his promises of good-will toward us, in order to sustain the weakness of our faith, and we in our turn testify our piety towards him, both before himself, and before angels as well as men'.

Then Calvin begins to look at errors in understanding the sacraments including:
(i) separating the word from the sacrament;
(ii) that the sacraments are not manifestations of divine grace because they are given to the ungodly;
(iii) ignoring the role of the Spirit in the sacraments.

Next Calvin shows us how the sacraments confirm our faith.

Then Calvin deals with two opposite understandings of the sacraments:
(i) they are mere signs;
(ii) they convey a secret virtue.

The end of the chapter discusses the sacraments in the Old and New Testaments (baptism and the Lord's Supper only).

What grabbed me
I appreciated that Calvin was careful not to attribute too much to the sacraments by making them necessary for salvation: 'For, seeing that nothing is to be expected beyond the promise, and the promise no less denounces wrath to the unbeliever than offers grace to the believer, it is an error to suppose that anything more is conferred by the sacraments than is offered by the word of God, and obtained by true faith. From this another thing follows—viz. that assurance of salvation does not depend on participation in the sacraments, as if justification consisted in it. This, which is treasured up in Christ alone, we know to be communicated, not less by the preaching of the Gospel than by the seal of the sacrament, and may be completely enjoyed without this seal.'

You may never be baptised or take part in communion, and yet be saved.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 15 of Book 4.

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