In this reading from Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin presses a simple but unsettling claim: true knowledge of God always demands exclusive worship, and the moment that worship is shared—even subtly—true religion collapses into superstition. Calvin exposes how idolatry rarely begins with open rebellion, but with divided devotion: God is confessed as supreme while His honor is quietly redistributed to others. By tracing this pattern through Scripture and church practice, he dismantles Rome’s distinction between “service” and “worship,” showing that sacred reverence cannot be redirected without robbing God of His glory. From Paul’s rebuke of false service to Christ’s refusal of even a gesture of homage, Calvin insists that God’s name, authority, and worship belong to Him alone—and that the human heart remains dangerously inclined to give them away.

Readings:

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 1, Chapter 12

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