Virtue, Holiness, and Self-Denial

Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life, John Calvin, from Chapters 1 & 2

Of the many excellent recommendations, is there any better than the key principle: Be thou holy, for I am holy?

Holiness is not a merit by which we can attain communion with God, but a gift of Christ, which enables us to cling to him, and to follow him.

Because the Father has reconciled us to himself in Christ, therefore he commands us to be conformed to Christ as to our pattern.

We should exhibit the character of Christ in our lives, for what can be more effective than this one stirring consideration? Indeed, what can be required besides?

The gospel is not a doctrine of the tongue, but of life.

It is an ancient and true observation that there is a world of vices hidden in the soul of man, but Christian self-denial is the remedy of them all.

The poor yield to the rich, the common people to the upper ten, the servants to their masters, the ignorant to the scholars; but there is nobody who does not imagine that he is really better than the others. Everyone flatters himself and carries a kingdom in his breast.

For we shall never arrive at true meekness by any other way than by humiliating ourselves and by honoring others from the depth of our hearts.

You cannot imagine a more certain rule or a more powerful suggestion than this, that all the blessings we enjoy are divine deposits which we have received on this condition that we distribute them to others.

I love the way Paul describes holiness as my essential quality when he calls followers of Jesus, "saints." Saints are merely "holy ones." And yet he also says that saints are "called to be holy." (1 Cor 1:2) So it is something given as a gift - I am made holy - and yet also expected as a growing quality - I am called to be holy.

It makes me think of my kid's friends. If they walked into my house without one of my kids with them, I would say, "What are you doing here?" They are not really part of my household without my children's presence with them. With my children with them, they become "adopted" into my home as my children. So Christ's presence and substitution for me gives me access to the throne room of God for Christ's sake. I do not have to face God's question of "What are you doing here?"

As any polite person knows, in order to remain in someone's house, they must pay attention to the rules and spirit of the house. Although there is forbearance, a good friend will try to imitate a good child in the house. This is being polite. I think it has some correlation to holiness, though. I have access through Christ so I can learn and obtain the quality he has. He becomes the pattern for my life.

And so Jesus gives a double gift in holiness. I am given access to the Father, so that I can indeed pray, "Our Father" with him. I am also given the perfect model of relating to the Father through Jesus the Son, who shows what purity and holiness really are in God's sight, and through the Spirit, who enables me to grow in the same way. Access to God without the growing "character of Christ" in my life is like one of my kids' friends barging into my house without my children with them; it's not only rude, but presumptuous. (I did this before as a kid; I wouldn't recommend it.)

Although my part is small in this - because I certainly could not get anywhere near the Father without Jesus - I do have something essential to do. In contrast to this presumptuousness of disregarding Christ's character and example to me and expecting access to God, self-denial is a good remedy. It is the heart of humility without which it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God (Mt. 18:4).

Many efforts at self-denial end up being more like self-immolation. Christian self-denial, or more specifically, Christ-like self-denial is what is called for. Without the enabling power of grace, self-denial quickly becomes either a show or self-destructive. But the effort remains, still.

The effort requires me to leave my self at the doorstep when I enter God's kingdom with Jesus. Children who come into my house and make demands for themselves contrary to the provision of my house are usually considered rude and presumptuous (or cute if they're very little, but only for a short time.) Being polite is accepting what is given to you and carefully asking for what is not. This requires that a person put the rules of the house before their own desires when they enter that house. In the same way self-denial is leaving behind my desires and learning to accept what is good from God. If I want to be his, I will be in his house with his Son, seeking to be like the family.

This self-denial cuts to the very core of what keeps me from God. I may want to "visit" God, giving up certain things for a short time, but knowing that I will get back to "my house" where I can do what I want to, or as Calvin puts it, where I am king in my own kingdom. This is not self-denial. Self-denial only comes when I decide I want to move in with the Father, Son, and Spirit, abiding with them all my days. There is no "vacation" in this adoption. Vacation negates self-denial and makes me a mere visitor.

Self-denial happens not only when I decided I want to remain with God all my days, but when I follow Jesus back out into the crowds and "honor them from the depths of my heart." In my family the word "honor" means more than respect. It means respect plus genuine care, generosity, and helpfulness. Self-denial means imitating Jesus in his desire to serve and not be served, give himself as a ransom for many, and lay down his life for others. It is not a series of rules to follow, but a general attitude of "putting others interests before your own." (Php. 2)

Nothing will be earned in doing this. Christ made it clear that the service itself will reward: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Where self-denial does not bring joy, I am not yet resigned to living with the Father. I am still holding out for my own kingdom, my own way, and not trusting in his goodness and generosity. He will provide and the greatest gift of all will be my "family likeness" to his Son.

Father, thank you for inviting me in with Jesus. Let me stay with you. Let me marvel in the love of this household you have. Let me live as your son with other people, acting on your great blessing and provision rather than on the fear of not getting my own way. Mold my desires into the ones that Jesus has. You are indeed my Father in heaven. Amen.

This self-denial is like stripping off layers of paint and varnish from an old piece of furniture. It is work. It is a process. I think, by God's grace, some of the "true grain" will show in these days and God's work will become apparent as holiness. Holiness is that true grain, being completely God's, completely different, and completely myself.