Holiness and John Calvin

---What does Calvin say about holiness?

---I was reading the letters of Calvin and someone accused him of making the gospel cheap and overlooking sanctification. His response: "What! No one is emphasizing holiness as much as I do."

---There is also the further connection between John Calvin and Jakobus Arminius. Arminius did not leave Calvin to start his own movement. Why? Because he claimed that he was following Calvin. 

---John Wesley said that there is no difference between Calvin and himself and that it is so small but that small aspect is very important. Wesley was also a Calvinist just like Arminius. 

---Adventists are more  Arminius like and Wesley like and Methodist like. 

---Are Adventists Calvinists? No. They are like Calvin because Calvinists after 1564 when Calvin died became eclectic Calvinists. They cut and paste what they like and threw away what they did not like. 

---They started teaching the old testament is law and the new testament is grace. Hello. That is not what Calvin said. 

---Ellen White is closer to John Calvin than Calvinism of Orthodoxy. 

---Modern Calvinistic churches are closer to Orthodox Calvinism but not closer to John Calvin in comparison to Ellen White or Jacob Arminius or John Wesley. 

---The topic is the importance of holiness and not other elements of salvation here. 

---That holiness consists in the conformity to Christ of the believer.

---Calvin said: "Because the Father has reconciled us to Himself in Christ, therefore He commands us to be conformed to Christ as to our pattern."

---Calvin said it is imperative to be conformed to Christ.

---He said that Christ is our pattern or image and we need to conform to that pattern or image. Hello Adventists.

---How serious is this for Calvin?

"Unless we not prayerfully devote ourselves to Christ's righteousness we do not only faithlessly revolt from our Creator, but we also abjure Him as our Savior."

---There is no room for 1% deviation from prayerful devotion to Christ’s Righteousness. Says Calvin.

---If you do not do this, Calvin said, you are renouncing Christ by your behavior and lifestyle. This is the conclusion of dr. Jeremy Bridges who studied holiness and Calvin.

---Jeremy Bridges said that a zealous pursuit of holiness was seen by Calvin as the normal Christian life.

---Calvin said that motivation is needed and an appeal to the blessings of God is the secret for Calvin. Jeremy Bridges listed Calvin’s blessings:

---Says Calvin: If God revealed Himself as a Father to us, we should behave like His children.

---Calvin felt that Christ has purified us through His blood; therefore, we should not become defiled by fresh pollution.

---Calvin said that Christ has ascended to heaven and for that reason we should leave our carnal desires behind and lift our hearts upward to Him.

---Calvin said that the Holy Spirit dedicates us as a temple of God, therefore, we should be careful not to profane this sanctuary.

---For this reason we must display His glory.

---Calvin said because both the body and soul will inherit an incorruptible crown, therefore we must keep them soul and body pure and undefiled.

---Are we reading Ellen White or who? Well, John Calvin.

---Is this not amazing?

---Can you find this in modern Calvinism? There are articles indicating that modern Calvinism is no longer virgin Calvin. Oops. Compromised Calvin.

---What is compromised Calvin? Taking eclectic Calvin which is here a sentence and there a sentence of Calvin and mix it with secular wishes and desires and money-making objectives and call it “Calvin”.

---Any modern church saying they are Calvinists and saying to you that if you strive for obedience you are a legalist, is not John Calvin’s follower.

---Jeremy Bridges found that “For Calvin, there is no such thing as the so-called ‘carnal Christian.’”

---Calvin said: "The apostle denies that anyone actually knows Christ who has not learned to put off the old man, corrupt with deceitful lusts, and to put on Christ."

---What about the gospel and sin of a person?

---Calvin said that "[The gospel] will be unprofitable if it does not change our heart, pervade our manners, and transform us into new creatures."

---This truth you read in Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, Jude, Calvin, Arminius, Wesley, Ellen White. Wow.

---Calvin and Perfection is interesting.

---Calvin: "Perfection must be the final mark at which we aim, and the goal for which we strive. It is not lawful for you to make a compromise with God, to try to fulfill part of your duties and to omit others at your own pleasure."

---What! Is this Ellen White or John Calvin. John Calvin and Ellen White.

---What about absolute Perfection. What does Calvin say? Is it attainable?

---On absolute perfection Calvin said: "We should not insist on absolute perfection of the gospel in our fellow Christians, however much we may strive for it ourselves."

---Ellen White said that absolute perfection of the body is not possible but absolute perfection of the soul is a necessity.

---Ellen White says: “In perfecting a Christian character, it is essential to persevere in right doing” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 552.4 (Ellen Gould White).

---How do we teach or preach holiness?

---Jeremy Bridges found that Calvin said “we should be tough on ourselves and tender with others.” Paul said the same and Ellen White too.

---Calvin encourages faithful pilgrims as follows: "Let us not cease to do the utmost; that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair because of the smallness of our accomplishment.”

---There is no difference between Ellen White’s encouragements and Calvin’s on this matter. Wow. Is this not exciting?

Source: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/john-calvin-holiness-life