Strip away your righteousness, your intellect and your will.
TIME MISSIONS
Come trip with TIME. A place to remind, renew and regain.
Here at TIME Missions, through the work of short-term mission trips, we strive to serve the body of Christ through construction, discipleship, and worship—all at the local church level. If you’re like me, you need the work of the Spirit to:
· Remind your heart of who we are in Jesus.
· Renew your mind to take on the intellect of Christ.
· Regain your empty self, so Jesus can reclaim that emptiness for Himself and His work.
John Calvin teaches us in his Institutes of the Christian Religion that without Jesus, we are but filthy rags. Adding our goodness to His greatness isn’t just a bad idea—it’s impossible. Jesus alone completes the work.
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Now, let’s get to the good stuff!
1. Jesus Strips Us of Our Righteousness
“When we meet the gospel of Jesus and accept that Jesus saves, Jesus strips us of our righteousness.”
Calvin doesn’t mince words when he says our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). In Institutes (Book 2, Chapter 2), he reminds us that we are utterly incapable of standing before God on our own. Sin isn’t just a bad habit—it’s our default setting. Calvin calls out humanity’s tendency to cling to a self-made righteousness that’s empty when measured against God’s holiness.
Think about Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. After they sinned, they tried to cover up with fig leaves, but God wasn’t having it. He provided animal skins instead—a hint that only God’s provision can truly cover our sin. That’s like us: we keep stitching together fig-leaf outfits of good deeds, thinking they’ll make us presentable. But Jesus shows up with a robe of righteousness (Isaiah61:10) and says, “Let me take care of this.”
Modern Christianity especially in the West, often falls into the trap of moralism: “Be a good person, and God will love you.” But Calvin would say that’s missing the point. God doesn’t love us because we’re good—He loves us despite our failure. Jesus strips us of our phony righteousness, shame us but to replace it with something infinitely better: His own perfection.
The Pharisee and tax collector story (Luke 18) nails this. The Phariseebrags about his good deeds, while the tax collector admits he’s a mess. Jesusflips the script and says it’s the humble sinner who goes home justified.Calvin would applaud that truth: grace leaves no room for pride.
2. Jesus Strips Us of Our Intellect
“When we understand the illogical logic of Christ’s death on the cross, He strips us of our intellect and intelligence.”
Calvin talks about the limits of human understanding in (Book 2, Chapter 2). He says our intellect is so clouded by sin that we can’t grasp God’s ways without divine help. The cross, in particular, offends human wisdom. It doesn’t fit our categories of logic or fairness. Paul captures this in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 when he calls the gospel a “stumbling block” and "foolishness” to those who rely on human reasoning.
Think of Peter in Matthew 16:21-23. When Jesus predicts His death, Peter rebukes Him: “No way, Lord!” To Peter, the cross seemed absurd. But Jesus claps back with, “Get behind me, Satan!” Why? Because Peter’s thinking like a human, not like God. That’s us when we insist on understanding everything before we believe it. Faith isn’t a math problem to solve; it’s trust in a person—Jesus—even when His ways blow our minds.
Calvin would remind us that reason is a gift, but it has limits. Modern Western culture, obsessed with logic and science, often tries to shrink God into something we can explain. We’re like Naaman in 2 Kings 5, scoffing at the simplicity of dipping in the Jordan for healing. But God’s wisdom does not always make sense to us; it’s about transforming us.
3. Jesus Strips Us of Our Will
“When we attempt to live the life Jesus desires for us, He strips us ofour will.”
Calvin dives deep into the battle of wills in Institutes (Book 2,Chapter 5), explaining how sin enslaves us. Left to ourselves, we’re not just reluctant to follow God—we’re incapable. It takes the Holy Spirit to change our hearts and bend our stubborn will toward His.
Jonah’s story is Exhibit A. God tells him to go to Nineveh, and Jonah bolts in the opposite direction. Even after the whole fish situation, Jonah’s still salty when God shows mercy to the Ninevites. That’s us: we want to follow Jesus as long as it’s convenient or aligns with our plans. But Jesus says, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Denying yourself isn’t just saying no to sin; it’s saying no to your own agenda and yes to His.
In the West, where personal freedom is king, surrender sounds like defeat. We’ve turned “following your heart” into a life motto. But Calvin would shake his head at that. He’d remind us that our hearts, without Jesus, are factories of idolatry. When Jesus strips us of our will, it’s not because He’s control freak—it’s because He knows we’ll destroy ourselves if left in charge.
The Problem with Mixing Christ’s Greatness with Our Goodness
Here’s the real kicker: we don’t like being fully dependent on Jesus. We’d rather partner with Him, bringing our “goodness” to the table as if it’s a potluck. But Calvin warns in Institutes (Book 2, Chapters 3-5) that even our best efforts are tainted by sin. Mixing our supposed goodness with Christ’s greatness waters down the gospel.
Look at the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. He wanted Jesus, but he also wanted to keep his wealth. Jesus told him to give it all up, and the guy couldn’t do it. That’s us when we try to hold onto our achievements, thinking they add value to our salvation. But the gospel is clear: Jesus doesn’t need our contribution—He’s enough.
In the Western church, we often treat Jesus like a life coach who helps us reach our potential. But Jesus didn’t come to make us “better people”—He came to make us new people. Apprenticeship to Jesus isn’t about adding Him to our plans; it’s about scrapping our plans entirely and letting Him write the story.
Apprenticeship to Jesus: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Following Jesus is a full-on apprenticeship, not a part-time gig. Calvin would say it’s about union with Christ—being so connected to Him that His life reshapes ours. Think of the disciples. When Jesus called them, they dropped everything—their jobs, their families, their comfort zones. They didn’t just tweak their schedules to fit Him in. They went all in.
When we stop trying to mix Jesus’ greatness with our goodness, we see the gospel for what it is: the power to save, transform, and lead us into true-life. It’s not easy—it’s a death to self. But as Calvin reminds us, the path to life always starts with the cross. And here’s the good news: Jesus doesn’t just strip us of our righteousness, intellect, and will—He fills us with His. That’s the trade-off that changes everything.
So, let’s stop clinging to what we think we bring to the table. Jesus doesn’t need our stale chips—He’s got the feast covered. Just show up, let Him do the work, and watch how He transforms everything.
The Modern Evangelical Drift: Fighting the Good Fight
Here’s the hard truth: the modern evangelical church has a problem. We’ve gotten so cozy with Western culture—its obsession with self-improvement, individualism, and logic—that we’ve started reshaping Jesus to fit our narrative. Instead of standing in awe of His holiness and mystery, we bring Him down to our level, treating Him like a consultant for our dreams rather than the Lord of our lives.
But Jesus doesn’t play that game. Calvin warns in Institutes (Book2, Chapters 3-5) that when we try to “domesticate” Jesus, we lose sight of who He really is. The gospel isn’t about making life work on our terms; it’s about surrendering to His terms, even when they don’t make sense to us.
Bringing Jesus Down to Our Level
Take a look around the modern church. How often do we hear sermons that sound more like TED Talks? The message is clear: “Jesus wants you to live your best life now.” But that’s not the gospel—it’s a self-help mantra with a cross slapped on it.
Think of the crowd in John 6. Jesus feeds thousands, and they’re hyped. But when He starts talking about being the “bread of life” and calls them to eat His flesh and drink His blood, they’re out. Why? Because they wanted a Savior who fit their needs—a miracle worker who’d fill their bellies, not challenge their hearts.
We’re no different. Western culture tells us to follow our dreams, prioritize comfort, and seek fulfillment on our terms. The church, instead of challenging that narrative, often reinforces it. We’ve turned Jesus into a life coach who helps us reach our potential rather than a Savior who calls us to die to ourselves.
Lost in Man’s Goodness
The other issue is our obsession with human goodness. We love the ideathat we’re basically good people who just need a little Jesus to round out theedges. But Calvin makes it clear in Institutes (Book 2, Chapter 3) thatour so-called “goodness” is hopelessly corrupt. Without Jesus, even our bestintentions are soaked in self-interest.
The rich young ruler (Matthew 19) is a perfect example. He thought he was crushing it—keeping the commandments, living a moral life. But when Jesus told him to sell everything and follow Him, he walked away. Why? Because his goodness was self-made, and self-made goodness always crumbles under the weight of real surrender.
The modern church often preaches a message of “God loves you because you’re worth it.” But Calvin would remind us that God loves us not because of our worth but because of His mercy. The gospel doesn’t inflate our egos—it humbles them.
Fighting the Drift: Recovering the Radical Gospel
So how do we fight back against this drift? It starts by reclaiming the scandal of the gospel—the wild, upside-down message that Jesus didn’t come to affirm us but to transform us.
1. Preach Christ, Not Comfort
We need to stop treating Jesus as a means to an end. The gospel isn’t about making life easier; it’s about making us new. Calvin points out in Institutes(Book 2, Chapter 5) that true discipleship is about union with Christ—sharing in His death and resurrection. That means dying to our own plans, ambitions, and sense of control.
Take Paul, for example. Before meeting Jesus, he had it all—status, intellect, and a sense of purpose. But after encountering Jesus, he counted it all as loss (Philippians 3:8). That’s the kind of radical reorientation we ’recalled to, and it’s the message the church must preach.
2. Resist the Idol of Reason
Western culture loves logic, but the gospel often defies it. Calvin emphasizes that faith involves trusting God’s wisdom over our own. The church needs to stop watering down the gospel to make it palatable. Instead, we should embrace its mystery and challenge people to wrestle with it.
Think of Abraham. When God told him to sacrifice Isaac, it made zerosense. But Abraham obeyed because he trusted God more than his ownunderstanding. That’s the kind of faith we need to cultivate—a faith thatdoesn’t demand answers but trusts in God’s character.
3. Expose the Illusion of Self-MadeGoodness
The church must confront the lie that we’re good enough on our own. Calvin calls out humanity’s tendency to prop up self-righteousness, but the gospel demolishes that foundation.
Remember the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)? The younger son was obviously amess, but the older son was just as lost in his self-righteousness. Both needed the father’s grace. That’s us—whether we’re openly rebellious or secretly prideful, we all need Jesus to strip us of our illusions and clothe us in His righteousness.
The Cross: The Great Contrast
Calvin repeatedly points to the cross as the ultimate proof that God’s ways are not our ways. The cross isn’t just a symbol of sacrifice; it’s a declaration that our best efforts are worthless apart from Jesus. Modern evangelicalism often tries to smooth out the rough edges of the cross, making it a feel-good story rather than a call to radical surrender.
But the cross refuses to be tamed. It confronts us with our sin, exposes our idols, and demands everything. And in return, it gives us what we could never earn: peace with God, a new identity, and a life transformed by grace.
Final Word: Stay in the Fight
The modern evangelical church has a choice. We can keep drifting toward a shallow, feel-good version of Christianity, or we can reclaim the radical, countercultural gospel that Jesus preached. Calvin would urge us to choose the latter.
It won’t be easy. Following Jesus means letting go of our righteousness, intellect, and will. It means embracing a faith that challenges our culture’s obsession with self and success. But it’s worth it because Jesus is worth it.
So, let’s fight the drift. Let’s preach Christ crucified, live out the scandal of grace, and invite the world to see Jesus—not as a life coach or amoral teacher but as the Savior who changes everything.
