Institutes Book 1, Chapter 12: How God is to Be So Distinguished from Idols that Perfect Honor May Be Given to Him Alone.

Section 1: True Religion Binds Us to God as the One and Only God.

Calvin repeats what he said earlier, that "the knowledge of God does not rest in cold speculation, but carries with it the honoring of him." Knowledge of God without fear and reverence is not true knowledge of God, but is something else. Thus when scripture says that there is only one God, it is not simply stating a bare fact (which it does), but it also shows that all reverence and honor are rightly shown only to this one God, that "nothing belonging to his divinity is to be transferred to another." Thus true godliness keeps itself within its proper limits. This is the purpose of God's law, which shows us how to worship him properly and rightly--"by it a bridle has been imposed upon men, to prevent their sinking into vicious rites." Even if we were to think of God as the 'highest god' surrounded by a host of other 'lesser gods,' this robs God of the honor due to him, since they will be honored as well as in some way being involved in the government of heaven and earth, an honor which is due to the one true God alone. This is one way in which we can deceive ourselves and dishonor God.

Section 2: A Distinction Without a Difference.

Here Calvin returns to the issue which the Roman Catholic Church of his day raised about images: they are served without being worshipped, they are given δυλια without λατρεια. But this is a distinction created to ease the conscience, for the distinction in truth does not exist. How can one serve an image or the saints to whom they pray without honoring it or them, and how can one honor God without serving him? "Thus it would be unequal dealing to assign to the saints what is greater and leave to God what is lesser."

Section 3: Honoring Images is Dishonoring to God.

With some Biblical texts, Calvin now shows that worshipping, serving, or honoring anything other than God robs God of what is due to him. Calvin points to Galatians 4:8, Matthew 4:10, Revelation 19:10 and 22:8-9 and Acts 10:25, showing that this distinction between 'service' and 'honor' is a false distinction. For when people knelt before messengers of God, the messengers forbade them from doing so, because such reverence belongs rightly to God alone, not his servants. "Thus, if we wish to have one God, we should remember that we must not pluck away even a particle of his glory, and that he must retain what is his own." But this error is so easy for us to fall into, "that what God rigorously reserves for himself alone we distribute among a great throng."

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Reflection: While Calvin here specifically talks about service and honour due to God which we often give to others, I think it would be fair also to include the idea of trust--implicit in Calvin's discussion here. In our lives, it is far too easy to say we trust in God, to worship him as we ought formally, but then to trust in our own abilities to see us through difficult situations, or even the thought of difficult situations. Here in Canada we live in a land of plenty, a land in which there is little that we lack. In such a situation it is easy to look to what we have for the hope of the future and not so easy to look past it to the God who has given it all to us. Perhaps there are those who are much better at it than others, trusting in God alone, but it seems that it is a common human failing to want some, what we might call 'guarantees' that we will be okay.

If we look around us in these troubled financial times, we see this more and more. People want it to be taken care of so that they don't lose money. Money is what will see us through whatever life throws our way. And as Christians living in the midst of all of this, it is difficult not to be swept up in this line of thinking.

It is hard to give God all that is due to him, for we more often than not want to trust in something we can see. God is invisible, and easy to leave that way. But with the eyes of faith we can see God in all things, and through the Holy Spirit we can give God all the worship, service, trust and reverence that is due to him as the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and the Redeemer of his people.