Calvin: Institutes Chapers 3.4.16. to 3.4.20.

INSTITUTES
OF
THE CHRISTIAN
RELIGION

By
John Calvin

BOOK THIRD.
THE MODE OF OBTAINING THE GRACE OF CHRIST. THE
BENEFITS IT CONFERS, AND THE
EFFECTS RESULTING FROM IT.

CHAPTER 4.
PENITENCE, AS EXPLAINED IN THE SOPHISTICAL JARGON OF THE SCHOOLMEN, WIDELY DIFFERENT FROM THE PURITY REQUIRED BY THE GOSPEL. OF CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION.

3.4.16.

The heresy of the Roman Catholic Church that requires that all sins be enumerated, expressly confessed, if the opportunity exists; and that they will deny the worshiper entrance into heaven is apauling. Calvin addresses his rebuttal to this false dogma. The ability to clearly identify all one's sins is a clear impossibility. David makes this plain as he recites, ""Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults . . .For my iniquities are gone over my head; As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me." ((Psalm 19:12, Psalm 38:4)

"Who can now think of a computation of his sins when he sees David's inability to number his?"

3.4.17.

Calvin articulates an incredible word picture as he imagined the despicable despair brought on an individual who must, in order to see Paradise, enumerate his sins. Of these heretics he wrote, "First, they retook themselves to calculation, proceeding according to the formula given by the Schoolmen, and dividing their sins into boughs, branches, twigs, and leaves; then they weighed the qualities, quantities, and circumstances; and in this way, for some time, matters proceeded. But after they had advanced farther, when they looked around, nought was seen but sea and sky; no road, no harbor. The longer the space they ran over, a longer still met the eye; nay, lofty mountains began to rise, and there seemed no hope of escape; none at least till after long wanderings. They were thus brought to a dead halt, till at length the only issue was found in despair."

But true Christians having confessed their sin and still feeling the weight of the offense confess with John in 1 John 3:20 (NASB95), "In whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things."

3.4.18.

This teaching is false because of two things:

a. "First. The observance of it is simply impossible; and hence its only results to destroy, condemn, confound, to plunge into ruin and despair;"and
b. Secondly, "By withdrawing sinners from a true sense of their sins, it makes them hypocritical, and ignorant both of God and themselves."

The example of Scripture is this: "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'" (Luke 18:13, NASB95)

God is the source of forgiveness in all the Bible, not the whispering in the ear of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

3.4.19.

"It is not strange, therefore, that we condemn that auricular confession, as a thing pestilent in its nature, and in many ways injurious to the Church, and desire to see it abolished." The priests claim that such confession is good for it furnishes a right sort of shame with it. "As if a man was not sufficiently humbled with shame when brought under the cognizance of God at his supreme tribunal."

3.4.20.

Did not Christ give the priests the keys of the Kingdom to perform such acts? Is this gift given in vain? No. First of all, Calvin denies that these priests are within the apostolic succession as they so claim. And he goes on to say, "I deny that any one can use the keys, unless the Holy Spirit precede, teaching and dictating what is to be done."

Questions to Consider

1. What is the problem with the requirement that Catholics make confession once a year?

2. According to Calvin, what is necessary in order to hold the power of the keys?