The Enticing Lure of the Devil’s Finger

While the vast majority of his sermons are not yet available in English, as I was gathering resources for a Sunday School series on Galatians I was incredibly pleased to find that John Calvin’s sermons on Galatians are available through Banner of Truth.  I was even more excited when I read them and found these sermons to be wonderful gems of exposition and exhortation.

In “On Perverting the Gospel of Christ,” a sermon on Galatians 1:6-8, Calvin discusses how the Galatians are so quickly turning away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.  After discussing this, Calvin then describes various groups and situations in which those who have made initial claims to follow Christ soon find themselves dissatisfied with the pure Gospel and seek to satisfy their “itching ears” by adding something to it.

At the end of this section, Calvin offers this powerful rebuke to the church:

As for ourselves, as soon as the devil beckons with his finger, we are enticed away.  It seems as if each of us is on the lookout to see if there is anything new; the slightest thing will immediately weaken us and lead us astray.  There is enough sin here without going any further.  We must, therefore, take heed to the accusation which is made here by the mouth of Paul against the inconstancy of those who turn away from God, as soon after he has called them into the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the Lord protect us from becoming dissatisfied with Christ and looking for satisfaction in anything other than the hope and promises of the Gospel.