For centuries, Christians of all ages have turned to John Calvin's A Little Book on the Christian Life to help them on their journey as they follow Christ. This book is one of the great classics of the Christian faith, calling believers to pursue holiness and endure suffering as they rest in Christ alone. In this new translation from the Latin, Drs. Aaron Denlinger and Burk Parsons capture Calvin's biblical faithfulness, theological integrity, and pastor's heart. This is a book for every Christian to pick up, read, and apply. An additional cover style is also available. Endorsements “I have o en thought, ‘I would love to retranslate for the twenty-rst century the life-shaping material in Calvin’s Institutes book 3, chapters 6–10,’ and I’ve done nothing! But now,Burk Parsons and Aaron Denlinger have done the job for us all. We owe them a big thank you,because every Christian needs to have a working knowledge of this little book.” —Dr. Sinclar B. Ferguson “The smooth and pleasant Latin Calvin wrote has found a just as smooth and pleasant translation in this wonderful little book. at sure is an accomplishment and will help many to enjoy even more the timeless message this treasure contains.” —Dr. Herman J. Selderhuis

For centuries, Christians of all ages have turned to John Calvin's A Little Book on the Christian Life to help them on their journey as they follow Christ. This book is one of the great classics of the Christian faith, calling believers to pursue holiness and endure suffering as they rest in Christ alone. In this new translation from the Latin, Drs. Aaron Denlinger and Burk Parsons capture Calvin's biblical faithfulness, theological integrity, and pastor's heart. This is a book for every Christian to pick up, read, and apply. An additional cover style is also available. Endorsements “I have often thought, ‘I would love to retranslate for the twenty-first century the life-shaping material in Calvin’s Institutes book 3, chapters 6–10,’ and I’ve done nothing! But now, Burk Parsons and Aaron Denlinger have done the job for us all. We owe them a big thank you, because every Christian needs to have a working knowledge of this little book.” —Dr. Sinclar B. Ferguson “The smooth and pleasant Latin Calvin wrote has found a just as smooth and pleasant translation in this wonderful little book. at sure is an accomplishment and will help many to enjoy even more the timeless message this treasure contains.” —Dr. Herman J. Selderhuis

This session considers the doctrine of sanctification by examining how John Calvin’s A Little Book on the Christian Life provides guidance for Christians to keep us from falling into error.

For centuries, Christians of all ages have turned to John Calvin's A Little Book on the Christian Life to help them on their journey as they follow Christ. This book is one of the great classics of the Christian faith, calling believers to pursue holiness and endure suffering as they rest in Christ alone.

In this new translation from the Latin, Aaron Denlinger and Burk Parsons capture Calvin’s biblical faithfulness, theological integrity, and pastor's heart. This is a book for every Christian to pick up, read, and apply.

"I have often thought, ‘I would love to retranslate for the twenty-first century the life-shaping material in Calvin’s Institutes book 3, chapters 6–10,’ and I’ve done nothing! But now, Burk Parsons and Aaron Denlinger have done the job for us all. We owe them a big thank you, because every Christian needs to have a working knowledge of this little book."

**—Sinclair Ferguson **Teaching Fellow Ligonier Ministries, Sanford, FL.

Available now from ReformationTrust.com

_EPUB eBook for $5.00 MOBI eB_ook for $5.00 Single Copies for $8.00 $6.40 Five Copies for $40.00 $30.00 Ten Copies for $80.00 $52.00

About the Translators

Aaron Clay Denlinger is department chair in Latin at Arma Dei Academy in Highlands Ranch, Colo., adjunct professor of church history at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and a research fellow for the Puritan Studies Program of the University of the Free State, South Africa.

Burk Parsons is copastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., editor of Tabletalk magazine, and vice president of publishing for Ligonier Ministries. He also serves as director of the Church Planting Fellowship in Central Florida and visiting lecturer at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla. He is the author of Why Do We Have Creeds? and editor of John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology and Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace.

On May 31, we were joined by Dr. Burk Parsons, copastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, FL, editor of Tabletalk magazine, and Ligonier teaching fellow. Together, we discussed the new book he coedited and cotranslated, A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin, and how the truths Calvin distilled in this classic work can serve to encourage and equip a new generation of Christians.

You can watch the interview below or by clicking here.

For centuries, Christians of all ages have turned to John Calvin’s A Little Book on the Christian Life to help them on their journey as they follow Christ. This book is one of the great classics of the Christian faith, calling believers to pursue holiness and endure suffering as they rest in Christ alone. This classic work, newly translated by Burk Parsons and Aaron Denlinger, is now available in two beautiful gift editions and one new cover style. Designed to be shared, these editions are for every Christian to pick up, read, and apply. Bulk discounts are available.

"I have often thought, ‘I would love to retranslate for the twenty-first century the life-shaping material in Calvin’s Institutes book 3, chapters 6–10,’ and I’ve done nothing! But now, Burk Parsons and Aaron Denlinger have done the job for us all. We owe them a big thank you, because every Christian needs to have a working knowledge of this little book."

**—Sinclair Ferguson **Teaching Fellow Ligonier Ministries, Sanford, FL.

Buy Gift Edition Buy Paperback Edition

Earlier this year, Dr. Parsons joined us to discuss the importance of this John Calvin classic. You can watch the interview by clicking here.

It can be easy to fall into the mindset that faithfulness in the “big” things of life is all that really matters. But faithfulness in the small things? That can seem insignificant in a culture that values celebrity platforms, personas, and power. Yet the truth is, it isn’t the perceived significance of the task or role that matters most, but rather whom it’s being done for. And when it comes to the infinite God of the universe, no act of faithfulness is “small” when done for Him. The following resources, curated by the Ligonier editorial team, address how believers can become more faithful in their daily lives and roles, all of which have great significance in God’s kingdom.

Devoted to God: Blueprints for Sanctification by Sinclair B. Ferguson

As the Word of God transforms our minds, we are equipped to live godly lives to the glory of our Lord. Growing in our understanding of the Lord and His holiness equips us to be faithful in all things big and small. In this book, Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson considers key biblical passages on holiness, giving us essential truths to guide our sanctification and to help us grow in our faithfulness.

A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin

This primer on the Christian life contains John Calvin’s teachings on prayer, self-denial, and other elements of godly living as outlined in the Institutes of the Christian Religion. It is a Christian classic that has assisted many people in their sanctification.

Duties of Christian Fellowship by John Owen

One of the ways that we can be faithful in the little things is to attend to the fellowship of the saints. This book considers the duties of Christian fellowship, exploring the responsibilities that believers have to one another.

Pleasing God: Discovering the Meaning and Importance of Sanctification by R.C. Sproul

This work by Dr. R.C. Sproul explores the key battles that Christians must fight in their sanctification. As he explores our struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil, Dr. Sproul provides practical guidance for holy living.

God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life by Gene Edward Veith Jr.

No matter our vocation, God exhorts us to be faithful in even the little things that make up our work. This book on the doctrine of vocation considers how God works through our faithfulness in our callings to meet the needs of others.

God’s purpose for His children is that we might be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. But what does that look like in the here and now? How do we become increasingly more like Jesus during our earthly sojourn as we face the world, our flesh, and the devil? And how do we know we’re making progress toward that end? The following resources, curated by the Ligonier editorial team, seek to provide clarity on what it means to grow in grace and bear fruit to the glory of God.

A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin

This new translation of a Christian classic by John Calvin features the Reformer’s key teachings on the mortification of sin, self-denial, the call to Christian living, the right use of the present life and its comforts, and other issues pertinent to living a life of faith. It reveals the heart of a man concerned that the people in the pew would live pious and godly lives, and it is a recommended guide for those who are seeking to live faithfully before the face of God.

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

For centuries, Christians have looked to The Pilgrim’s Progress and its imaginative depiction of the Christian life from our conversion to our arrival in heaven. Readers will gain a better understanding of the foes we face on the way to the Celestial City and the many comforts we find along the way.

Living the Christian Life by Albert N. Martin

As Christians, we are seeking to honor the Lord Jesus Christ and to produce fruit to His glory. This book is a practical guide to living a fruitful Christian life, as it seeks to help readers understand what bearing fruit looks like and how we can increase our yield.

Healthy Christian Growth by Sinclair B. Ferguson

What does healthy Christian growth look like as we progress toward spiritual maturity? This book looks to Scripture to answer this question, exploring the pattern of how God works in our lives and giving guidance for how we can evaluate our spiritual growth.

Sons in the Son: The Riches and Reach of Adoption in Christ by David B. Garner

Scripture tells us that one of the reasons that Christ died was so that we could be adopted as God’s children. This work considers the doctrine of adoption, explaining the many benefits that come with being adopted as a child of God.

There is a steep need for people worldwide to have access to discipleship resources that are faithful to God’s holy Word. In the Lord’s kindness, your support of Ligonier’s gospel outreach helps create a supply line to the front lines of the Great Commission. Enjoy these recent updates on the outreach your generosity enables:

New Vietnamese Dedicated-Language Website

Ligonier has recently launched its online outreach in Vietnamese. vi.Ligonier.org is our twentieth dedicated-language website, providing a new online library of biblical teaching and discipleship materials for nearly 100 million Vietnamese-speaking people worldwide.

Discipleship Resource Distribution Updates

Everyone’s a Theologian* by R.C. Sproul:** Ligonier recently distributed copies of the French edition of R.C. Sproul’s classic book to Bible college students in Haiti. Spanish Reformation Study Bible:** More than 1,300 copies of this foundational discipleship resource were gifted to conference attendees in Peru and Spain. French Reformation Study Bible:* More than 3,000 copies of the newest translation of the *Reformation Study Bible are being distributed to Canada, France, Haiti, and 11 African countries.

New Dubbed and Translated Video Teaching

Hindi:* * The Parables of Jesus | Teaching Series with R.C. Sproul Japanese:* * Moses and the Burning Bush | Teaching Series with R.C. Sproul Ukrainian:** What Was the Reformation All About? | Animated Video

New Book Translations

Albanian:* Who Is Jesus? by R.C. Sproul Bulgarian: Sammy and His Shepherd by R.C. Sproul Farsi: * What Is the Gospel? and * Who Is Jesus?* by R.C. Sproul French:* Saved from What? by R.C. Sproul German: The Donkey Who Carried a King, Does Prayer Change Things?, and Can I Lose My Salvation? by R.C. Sproul Hindi: * Surprised by Suffering by R.C. Sproul Lithuanian:* Does God Exist? by R.C. Sproul Portuguese: * A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin Russian:* Lessons from the Upper Room by Sinclair Ferguson Spanish: * Hard Sayings by R.C. Sproul

Explore and Share Our Dedicated-Language Websites

Ligonier is regularly adding translated and dubbed teaching to our twenty dedicated-language websites. We encourage you to share these outreaches widely so more people can benefit from their ever-expanding libraries of discipleship resources.

On April 16, Dr. Burk Parsons joined us as a special guest on our Ask Ligonier team and answered your biblical and theological questions live online.

Dr. Parsons is senior pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla. He also serves as a Ligonier teaching fellow, our chief publishing officer, and editor of Tabletalk magazine. To equip the local church, he has also recorded The Great Commission teaching series and cotranslated John Calvin’s A Little Book on the Christian Life.

This special online event was streamed live on Ligonier’s blog, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also watch a recording of the event below.

Parsons is a wise and discerning voice who helps to maintain Ligonier’s theological fidelity and advance Ligonier’s service to the church. Tabletalk magazine, the newly revised Reformation Study Bible, and Reformation Trust Publishing have all been greatly helped by his editorial oversight and theological contributions. You may have seen him speak to us last week about his translation and editing work on the recent release of John Calvin's A Little Book on the Christian Life. Thoughtful and deliberate in his work, and ever with an eye toward the global church and ordinary means of grace ministry, Dr. Parsons is helping Ligonier link our discipleship resources with churches around the world. These are critical days in which serving the church means looking beyond just North America.

We are grateful for our Teaching Fellows’ willingness to serve the church through Ligonier’s outreach, and we pray that the Lord would sustain and strengthen them as they help to lead this ministry. The guidance and support of our Teaching Fellows strengthens everything we do. I hope it is evident that we prayerfully submit to the wisdom of Scripture when it comes to the task of finding faithful teachers to ensure Ligonier’s biblical and theological fidelity for years to come (2 Tim. 2:2). Please pray for us, asking the Lord to grant wisdom and fruitfulness as Ligonier seeks to serve Christ’s kingdom.

Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology](http://www.ligonier.org/store/john-calvin-a-heart-for-devotion-paperback/), and cotranslator and coeditor of _A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin. He also serves as an associate editor of the Reformation Study Bible. He speaks regularly at churches, conferences, and institutions throughout the United States and abroad and has contributed to various books and journals. Rev. Parsons holds a master of divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He and his wife, Amber, live in Central Florida with their children. You can follow @BurkParsons on Twitter.

Follow @BurkParsons

Resources from Rev. Burk Parsons

Articles Books Conference Messages

On September 20, Burk Parsons joined us as a special guest on our Ask Ligonier team and answered your biblical and theological questions live online.

Looking out at the world today, it can be easy for Christians to lose heart. The Apostle Paul evidently felt the same way. His remedy was to teach us not to focus on the things that are seen but on the things that are unseen. “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). Every day, we must reorient our thoughts around the unchanging truth of Christ: who He is and who we are in Him. In this yearlong devotional, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson brings his signature warmth and wisdom to daily meditations on the Christian life. Each week’s reflections follow a theme to help Christians look to the Lord and live by faith. Follow the Things Unseen podcast today, and listen every weekday as you seek to walk by faith throughout the year. Endorsements "It is difficult to find the correct set of superlatives for these podcasts/devotionals now published as a book. Listening to them as they appeared each day was transformative. Dr. Ferguson has been a friend for more than forty years, but having him in the passenger seat each day as I drove to church was like a throwback to a time when we served together at the same church. "These are much more than devotionals. They are a digest of biblical and systematic theology in bite-size pieces. Having these podcasts published in a book helps you see that a little clearer. I am tempted to ask, What should every Christian know about the Christian life? Answer: The contents of this book! I have read many devotionals that take you, day by day, through the year. This one exceeds them all. A triumphal achievement!" —Dr. Derek W.H. Thomas "Imagine spending a few minutes every day for a year with one of today's wisest senior saints. Sinclair Ferguson combines theological depth of insight with pastoral astuteness and a wonderful way with words to produce devotional supplies for a year's growth in Christ. Here is wisdom, light, and encouragement to bring to your daily life!" —Dr. Michael Reeves

Emil Brunner, the twentieth-century Swiss theologian and one of the fathers of neoorthodox theology, wrote a little book titled Truth as Encounter. His thesis was that when we study the things of God, we are not studying truth in the abstract. We want to understand theology not merely so that we can make an A on a theology exam. We want to understand the doctrine of God so that we can understand God, so that we can meet the living God in His Word and deepen our personal relationship with Him. But we cannot deepen a relationship with someone if we do not know anything about him. So, the propositions of Scripture are not an end in themselves but a means to an end. However, they are a necessary means to the end. Thus, to say Christianity is not about propositions but about relationships is to establish an extremely dangerous false dichotomy. It is to insult the Spirit of truth, whose propositions they are. These propositions should be our very meat and drink, for they define the Christian life.

Recently I read some letters to the editor of a Christian magazine. One of them disparaged Christian scholars with advanced degrees. The letter writer charged that such men would enjoy digging into word studies of Christ’s teachings in the ancient languages in order to demonstrate that He did not really say what He seems to say in our English Bibles. Obviously there was a negative attitude toward any serious study of the Word of God. Of course, there are scholars who are like this, who study a word in six different languages and still end up missing its meaning, but that does not mean we must not engage in any serious study of the Word of God lest we end up like these ungodly scholars. Another letter writer expressed the view that people who engage in the study of doctrine are not concerned about the pain people experience in this world. In my experience, however, it is virtually impossible to experience pain and not ask questions about truth. We all want to know the truth about suffering, and specifically, where is God in our pain. That is a theological concern. The answer comes to us from the Scriptures, which reveal the mind of God Himself through the agency of the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of truth. We cannot love God at all if we do not love His truth.

It is very sad to me that in today’s sophisticated Western culture, people are more familiar with the twelve signs of the Zodiac than with the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve Apostles. Our world likes to see itself as sophisticated and technological, but it remains filled with superstition. Christians are not immune to this. We, too, can succumb to the new-age desire for the power to manipulate our environment. We do not have to go as far as accepting the foolish idea that the courses of the stars determine

One of the first Reformed authors I ever read was Sinclair Ferguson. I was a dispensationalist in transition at the time, and I ran across a little book titled The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction by Dr. Ferguson. I started reading it in the bookstore, and I finished it in my apartment the same evening. This wonderful little book was instrumental in my transition from dispensationalism to the Reformed tradition. Since that time, I have continued to read everything I can from the pen of Dr. Ferguson. Like the great theologians of old, he writes with the heart and experience of a pastor. No dry and dusty tomes from the ivory tower here. For these reasons, I was excited to hear of the release of his new book In Christ Alone (Reformation Trust, 2007).

As with Ferguson’s previous books, readers will not be disappointed in this one. I would say that this book needs to be on the shelf of every Christian, but that cliché is sometimes taken a bit too literally. Far too many Christians buy great books, put them on their shelves, and then leave them there. This book does not need to be on the shelf of every Christian. It is a book that needs to be read by every Christian. The content is too important to remain on a shelf gathering dust.

This is a book about living the life of faith in Christ. Its chapters were written over a period of years as articles for Tabletalk and Eternity magazines. They have been gathered together in this volume and arranged thematically. Their origin as magazine articles means that each of the fifty chapters is brief, accessible, and to the point. Each chapter can be read in only a few minutes time. Are there any drawbacks to such a format? One might think that having been written over a period of years that the chapters would lack a certain flow and unity. One would be mistaken.

The chapters have been organized under six major headings. The first section of the book contains several chapters dealing with the person of Christ. Here Ferguson outlines the basic biblical teaching concerning our Savior, who is truly God and truly man. The primary focus of these chapters is on the mystery and miracle of the incarnation. The second major section of the book contains chapters dealing with the work of Christ. Here Ferguson discusses the atonement, the resurrection, and Jesus’ work as our prophet, priest, and king. The third section of the book, then, contains chapters on the Holy Spirit, the one sent by Christ as another comforter. The focus of these chapters is upon the Spirit’s transforming work in the lives of believers.

In the fourth major section of the book, Ferguson begins to turn to the Christian life. This section, titled “The Privileges of Grace,” covers subjects such as our union with Christ, regeneration, and assurance of salvation. Section five, “A Life of Wisdom,” deals with subjects such as discernment, the law of

Reverberation This is a fine little book.  I would happily recommend it to lay people, pastors and elders.  It is written with both ordained and lay people in view.  The style of the book is conversational rather than academic.  The book communicates well and includes a number of catchy phrases and memorable anecdotes.  Leeman is clearly a good story-teller.  He writes from a Reformed-Baptist perspective, as is evidenced by the majority of the book’s endorsers, citations, and especially his doctrine of the church.

The substance of the book mainly aims at exalting God’s word in the life of the church.  Leeman is convinced that much of what has motivated the church (broadly speaking) to engage in some of its current unhealthy practices is a loss of confidence in God’s word.  Reverberation is a welcome reminder that God’s word is powerful, active, essential, and especially—sufficient.  This last point is perhaps the underlying theme of the book.  Leeman makes a number of challenging observations about the church’s beliefs and practices, and responds to them in a biblical, conservative, reformed manner.  He makes a number of very refreshing exegetical observations regarding how God’s word works in us, even stringing together individual texts into a beautiful pearl necklace.  This is particularly true in relation to his discussion about the word and preaching.  Both minister and lay person will likely come away from this book sensing that God is really working through the ministry of the word, even when the evidence is not immediately visible.  This is a refreshing reminder!  Leeman heartily emphasizes the importance of Christ being at the center of each sermon as an implication of Christ being at the center of scripture and the Christian life.  May every Christian and preacher say “amen!”

The book is not without a few minor liabilities.  While its strength of style is its accessibility to all academic levels, the book has a ‘blog-like’ feel in that it is written from the first-person perspective and is heavily auto-biographical.  But again, some will likely find this a strength and not a weakness.  The first half of the book has a concise goal which is raised and addressed clearly and convincingly.  The second half of the book seems to quickly broaden to a wider range of topics, often raising questions and issues that some may find unconvincingly settled.  Church music and lay counseling are examples of issues that are raised but will perhaps leave the reader with more questions than answers.  Leeman does, however, give suggested reading on books that may address the issues he raises.  There are a number of quotations throughout the book for which no clear citation is given, thus making it impossible to study the source of the quote.  These are certainly minor criticisms that should not eclipse a favorable recommendation of a fine book.