John Calvin is known for his influential Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536), which was the first systematic theological treatise of the reform movement. He stressed the doctrine of predestination, and his interpretations of Christian teachings, known as Calvinism, are characteristic of Reformed churches.
John Calvin > Quotes
“If it seems more horrible to kill a man in his own house, then in a field,…it ought surely to be deemed more atrocious to destroy a fetus in the womb before it has come to light.”
― John Calvin
“True wisdom consists in two things: Knowledge of God and Knowledge of Self.”
― John Calvin
“The gospel is not a doctrine of the tongue, but of life. It cannot be grasped by reason and memory only, but it is fully understood when it possesses the whole soul and penetrates to the inner recesses of the heart.”
― John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life
tags: gospel, heart93 likesLike
“Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.”
― John Calvin
“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent”
― John Calvin
“We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.”
― John Calvin
“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.”
― John Calvin
“No one can travel so far that he does not make some progess each day. So let us never give up. Then we shall move forward daily in the Lord’s way. And let us never despair because of our limited success. Even though it is so much less than we would like, our labour is not wasted when today is better than yesterday!”
― John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
“Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them. ”
― John Calvin
“It would be the height of absurdity to label ignorance tempered by humility “faith”!
(Institutio III.2.3)”
― John Calvin
“There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.”
― John Calvin
“A perfect faith is nowhere to be found, so it follows that all of us are partly unbelievers.”
― John Calvin
“There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.”
― John Calvin
“The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul.”
― John Calvin
“The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both.”
― John Calvin
“men are undoubtedly more in danger from prosperity than from adversity. for when matters go smoothly, they flatter themselves, and are intoxicated by their success”
― John Calvin
“…a man will be justified by faith when, excluded from righteousness of works, he by faith lays hold of the righteousness of Christ, and clothed in it, appears in the sight of God not as a sinner, but as righteous…”
― John Calvin
“God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation.”
― John Calvin
“Without the fear of God, men do not even observe justice and charity among themselves.”
― John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
“We are not to reflect on the wickedness of men but to look to the image of God in them, an image which, covering and obliterating their faults, an image which, by its beauty and dignity, should allure us to love and embrace them.”
― John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 Vols
tags: charity, human-dignity, image-of-god34 likesLike
“However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.”
― John Calvin
“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 of the smallness of our accomplishments.”
― John Calvin
“Those who set up a fictitious worship, merely worship and adore their own delirious fancies; indeed, they would never dare so to trifle with God, had they not previously fashioned him after their own childish conceits.”
― John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
“This is why Paul upholds the teaching of the gospel in such a forceful way … Seeing such an example and such a picture of man’s great weakness and fickleness, Paul states that the truth of the gospel must supersede anything that we may devise … he is showing us that we ought to know the substance of the doctrine which is brought to us in the name of God, so that our faith can be fully grounded upon it. Then we will not be tossed about with every wind, nor will we wander about aimlessly, changing our opinions a hundred times a day; we will persist in this doctrine until the end. This, in brief, is what we must remember.”
― John Calvin, Sermons on Galatians
“Is it faith to understand nothing, and merely submit your convictions implicitly to the Church?
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― John Calvin
“All the arts come from God and are to be respected as divine inventions”
― John Calvin
“The whole world is a theatre for the display of the divine goodness, wisdom, justice, and power, but the Church is the orchestra, as it were—the most conspicuous part of it; and the nearer the approaches are that God makes to us, the more intimate and condescending the communication of his benefits, the more attentively are we called to consider them.”
― John Calvin, Commentary on Psalms – Volume 5
“Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness. ”
― John Calvin
“In forming an estimate of sins, we are often imposed upon by imagining that the more hidden the less heinous they are.”
― John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
“Faith is ultimately a firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence toward us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit”
― John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 Vols
“When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.” ~ John Calvin
“Faith is like an empty, open hand stretched out towards God, with nothing to offer and everything to recieve” ~ John Calvin
“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.” ~ John Calvin
“We shall never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own.” ~ John Calvin
“For the fetus, though enclosed in the womb of its mother, is already a human being, and it is a monstrous crime to rob it of the life which it has not yet begun to enjoy. If it seems more horrible to kill a man in his own house than in a field, because a man’s house is his place of most secure refuge, it ought surely to be deemed more atrocious to destroy a fetus in the womb before it has come to light.” ~ John Calvin
Humility is the beginning of true intelligence.
John Calvin
Prayer doesn’t change things – God changes things in answer to prayer.
John Calvin
I gave up all for Christ, and what have I found? Everything in Christ.
John Calvin
Peace is not to be purchased by the sacrifice of truth.
John Calvin
Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.
John Calvin
If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than preaches that sermon.
John Calvin
Whatever a person may be like, we must still love them because we love God.
John Calvin
We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.
John Calvin
Inspirational John Calvin Quotes On Prayer And God
“Unless we fix certain hours in the day for prayer, it easily slips from our memory.”
- John Calvin, ‘Commentary On Daniel’. “That we may be prepared to receive all his benefits with true gratitude and thanksgiving, while our prayers remind us that they proceed from his hand.”
- John Calvin. “Now, in order that true religion may shine upon us, we ought to hold that it must take its beginning from heavenly doctrine.”
- John Calvin. “Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.”
- John Calvin.
- “The human testimonies which go to confirm it will not be without effect, if they are used in subordination to that chief and highest proof, as secondary helps to our weakness.”
- John Calvin. “Unless men establish their complete happiness in God, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him.”
- John Calvin. “No one can get even the slightest taste of right and sound doctrine unless he be a pupil of Scripture.”
- John Calvin, ‘Institutes Of The Christian Religion’. “To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them.”
- John Calvin. “For, until men feel that they owe everything to God, that they are cherished by his paternal care, and that he is the author of all their blessings, so that nought is to be looked for away from him, they will never submit to him in voluntary obedience…”
- John Calvin, ‘Institutes Of The Christian Religion’. “All things are of God; and, therefore, why should it not be lawful to dedicate to his glory everything that can properly be employed for such a purpose?”
- John Calvin. “The Lord has not redeemed you so you might enjoy pleasures and luxuries, but rather so you should be prepared to endure all sorts of evils.”
- John Calvin. “God tolerates even our stammering, and pardons our ignorance whenever something inadvertently escapes us – as, indeed, without this mercy there would be no freedom to pray.”
- John Calvin. “We are not thus convinced if we look merely to ourselves and not also to the Lord, who is the sole standard by which this judgment must be measured.”
- John Calvin. “Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own.”
- John Calvin. “The ceremony of lifting up our hands in prayer is designed to remind us that we are far removed from God, unless our thoughts rise upward.”
- John Calvin. “When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.”
- John Calvin. “To know God as the Master and Bestower of all good things, who invites us to request them of Him, and still not go to Him and ask of Him – this would be of as little profit as for a man to neglect a treasure, buried and hidden in the earth, after it had been pointed out to him.”
- John Calvin, ‘Institutes Of The Christian Religion’. “We shall never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own”
- John Calvin. “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
- John Calvin. “All truth is from God; and consequently, if wicked men have said anything that is true and just, we ought not to reject it; for it has come from God.”
- John Calvin.
“We must remember that Satan has his miracles, too.”
- John Calvin. “Let the first rule of right prayer then be, to have our heart and mind framed as becomes those who are entering into converse with God.”
- John Calvin. “However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.”
- John Calvin. “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”
- John Calvin. “Faith is like an empty, open hand stretched out towards God, with nothing to offer and everything to receive.”
- John Calvin. “I gave up all for Christ, and what have I found? Everything in Christ.”
- John Calvin.
“There is no knowing that does not begin with knowing God.”
- John Calvin. “Let our chief goal, O God, be your glory, and to enjoy You forever.”
- John Calvin. “Satan is an astute theologian.”
- John Calvin. “Prayers will never reach God unless they are founded on free mercy.”
- John Calvin. “There is no inconsistency when God raises up those who have fallen prostrate.”
- John Calvin. “Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.’
- John Calvin. “Scripture is like a pair of spectacles which dispels the darkness and gives us a clear view of God.”
- John Calvin.
“We cannot rely on God’s promises without obeying his commandments.”
- John Calvin. “Whatever a person may be like, we must still love them because we love God.”
- John Calvin.
John Calvin’s Famous Quotes
“Hatred grows into insolence when we desire to excel the rest of mankind and imagine we do not belong to the common lot; we even severely and haughtily despise others as our inferiors.”
- John Calvin.
“There is not one little blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make men rejoice.”
- John Calvin.
“Nothing is more dangerous than to be blinded by prosperity.”
- John Calvin.
“If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than preaches that sermon.” - John Calvin. “Our true wisdom is to embrace with meek docility, and without reservation, whatever the holy scriptures have delivered.”
- John Calvin. ‘While all men seek after happiness, scarcely one in a hundred looks for it from God.”
- John Calvin.
“Joy is a quiet gladness of heart as one contemplates the goodness of God’s saving grace in Christ Jesus.”- John Calvin.
“Free will does not enable any man to perform good works, unless he is assisted by grace…”
- John Calvin.
“It is entirely the work of grace and a benefit conferred by it that our heart is changed from a stony one to one of flesh, that our will is made new, and that we, created anew in heart and mind, at length will what we ought to will.”
John Calvin
“The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves.”
- John Calvin. “When I took the leap, I had faith I would find a net; Instead I learned I could fly.”
- John Calvin. “It is, therefore, faith alone which justifies, and yet the faith which justifies is not alone.”
- John Calvin.
“The one condition for spiritual progress is that we remain sincere and humble.”
- John Calvin. “I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels.”
- John Calvin.
“Nothing, including human suffering, happens by chance.”
- John Calvin. “Human will does not by liberty obtain grace, but by grace obtains liberty.”
- John Calvin. “Peace is not to be purchased by the sacrifice of truth.”
- John Calvin.
“All the blessings we enjoy are Divine deposits, committed to our trust on this condition, that they should be dispensed for the benefit of our neighbors.” - John Calvin.
- “Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness.”
- John Calvin. “The word “hope” I take for faith, and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.”
- John Calvin. “There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.”
- John Calvin.
“We must make the invisible kingdom visible in our midst.”
- John Calvin. “The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.”
- John Calvin. “Humility is the beginning of true intelligence.”
- John Calvin. “It is foolish to attempt to prove to infidels that Scripture is the Word of God. This cannot be known except by faith.”
- John Calvin.
“Faith brings a man empty to God, that he may be filled with the blessings of God.”
- John Calvin.
“We should never insult others on account of their faults, for it is our duty to show charity and respect to everyone.” - John Calvin. “Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.”
- John Calvin. “You must submit to supreme suffering in order to discover the completion of joy.”
- John Calvin.
“That man is truly humble who neither claims any personal merit in the sight of God, nor proudly despises brethren, or aims at being thought superior to them…” - John Calvin. “A man that extols himself is a fool and an idiot”
- John Calvin.
“If everything proceeded according to their wishes, they would not understand what it means to follow God.”
- John Calvin.
“The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul.”
- John Calvin.