Grace does not merely assist the human will once it has begun to move—it creates the movement itself, governs it, and preserves it to the end. In Sections 11–14, Calvin follows Augustine closely to deny that grace is a reward for human effort or a supplement to an already-willing heart, insisting instead that grace precedes, transforms, strengthens, and sustains the will entirely by God’s free mercy. The will is not coerced by grace but inwardly renewed so that obedience flows from the heart, yet this renewal leaves no room for boasting, since every ability the will possesses comes from grace alone. Perseverance, Calvin argues, does not rest on the proper use of an initial gift, but on grace continuing to rule—when grace governs, the will stands; when grace withdraws, it falls. The result is a vision of salvation that preserves real human obedience while decisively grounding all confidence in God’s mercy rather than human resolve.

Readings: Institutes of the Christian Religion — John Calvin (Sections 11–14)

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