Rating: Must Read

Level: Very Short (<75 pages), relatively easy (editor uses footnotes for lesser known classical figures)

Summary

Where this book comes from is a little confusing, but it is an excerpt from Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, which is sold in modern times as two large books. However, Calvin wrote it in four section, with 80 ‘books’, which are essentially chapters. On the Christian Life comes from section three, books/chapters 6 through 10. This is not the first time this portion has been sold separately, variously titled the Little/Gold Book on the (Mature) Christian Life. The contents of the book are meant to be devotional and how we should live lives as Christians. 

The editor has chosen to keep the chapter numbers, instead of ‘translating’ them as well, so the book starts on Chapter 6 – The Life of the Christian, 7 – The Sum of Christian Life, in Which we Discuss the Denial of Ourselves, 8 – Bearing the Cross, 9 – Meditation on the Future Life, 10 – How We Must Use the Present Life and Its Means of Support. This book also includes the editors introduction which explains a little more about Calvin and the history of this book. The table of contents also list ‘How We Obtain Grace’ as if there is Calvin’s intro, but that is just a title page and comes form the name of Section three. However, ‘The Life of the Christian’ (Chapter 6, or the first pages of this book) functions somewhat like an intro from Calvin. 

My Thoughts

This may just be a pet peeve of mine, but I really don’t like keeping the chapter number as they are in the larger book. Surely I’m overthinking it, but having lead Bible/book studies for a long time, having names not match chronology seems confusing. While I’m nit-picking, small books like this often work better in leather (real or fake), especially to be read devotionally. Purely a preference of mine, but figured I’d through it out there in case Crossway reads this. 

This is a really a great intro to Calvin. For a man famous for publishing/writing, we really don’t have much from him. Technically, we wrote commentaries on (almost?) all of the Bible, but those don’t get much popular press. He wrote the Institutes which many people know, but few read. This makes him sound scholarly, as he was, but he was also a pastor with a heart for devotion, and that comes out in this book. A short, cheap, easy to read book is a good way for anyone to learn about any author. The Institutes are far more accessible than you may think, and this excerpt does a good job showcasing that. 

It is a newer translation, which I found very readable. I believe Crossway published this first, because a wholesale new translation is forthcoming. The editor has also added helpful footnotes for modern audiences, as well as keeping Calvin’s original ones. There were a few interesting translation choices, where they would footnote a word and then explain the original in a footnote, and it seemed to me that the original should have stayed or even made more sense sometimes. That being said, I don’t know all the context, and the newer word probably conveyed the original meaning better. Just thought it was interesting, as most translating is. 

As far as the content, the chapter on self denial is worth the book on it’s own. I can’t imagine something that present day American Christians need to hear more. As with the rest of society, we deny ourselves nothing and attempt to fulfil all our want in the pursuit of happiness. Bearing the cross is a good reminder that there are Christian who suffer in the world. The final two chapters blur together somewhat in my reading, but again I think it is something lost on Christians today, that focus on the future. As in, New Creation/New Life, not a few years in the future. It is difficult to not think of only the hear and now. 

This little book has been essential reading for a few hundred years now. I think it is something every Christian should read. 

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.