Reading Calvin's Institutes

I'm trying to read through Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion this year, 2009. Reformation21.org has a reading schedule, and some of their contributors are blogging their way through their own reading. Maybe from time to time, I'll share my own thoughts. Here are a few so far.

His definition of a healthy church:

"...the pure preaching of God's Word and the lawful administration of the sacraments" (:24-25).

No seeker-sensitivity here! No top notch children's programs, or cutting edge youth ministry...hmm...

I am struck by how his theology begins with God, not man. Here are a few quotes:

"[W]e cannot seriously aspire to him before we begin to become displeased with ourselves" (:37).

"[M]an is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly estate until he has compared himself with God's majesty" (:37).

"[H]owever the knowledge of God and of ourselves may be mutually connected, the order of right teaching requires that we discuss the former first, then proceed afterward to treat the latter" (:39).

I wonder how much of our church practice is askew because we begin with man and not with God. Those are two hugely different theologies: theocentric and anthrocentric. I wonder if my life is theocentric?

Concerning "piety," he writes:

"I call "piety" that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of his benefits induces. For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by his fatherly care, that he is the Author of their every good, that hey should seek nothing beyond him -- they will never yield him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him," (:41).

This is huge, and I'm still trying to let this sink in.

Concerning the "pious mind," he writes (and this is my favorite so far):

"[T]his mind restrains itself from sinning, not out of dread of punishment alone; but, because it loves and reveres God as Father, it worships and adores him as Lord. Even if there were no hell, it would still shudder at offending him alone," (:43).

Lord, give me a heart like this!

What I sense, after about 60 pages, is that this man was consumed with God, or as John Piper puts it, "a God-besotted man." His mind had been so conformed to Scripture that he thought of everything from God's perspective. Strangely enough, reading Calvin pushes me to read Scripture more myself. Perhaps that is testimony enough of the power of his mind and spirit.