WE WON’T GO wrong in the use of God’s gifts as long as we let their use be governed by their author’s purpose in creating and designing them for us—for truly He created them for our good, not our ruin. No one, therefore, will hold a truer course than he who carefully considers this purpose of God’s gifts.
Thus, if we consider the purpose for which He created food, we find He had regard not only for our necessity but also our pleasure and enjoyment. So too with clothes—the purpose was our adornment and honor in addition to our necessity. In the case of herbs, trees, and fruits, He considered the pleasantness of their appearance and charm of their smell in addition to their various uses. If this weren’t true, the prophet couldn’t list among God’s benefits wine, which gladdens the heart of man, and oil, which makes man’s face shine.
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
Psalm 104:14-15
Nor could Scripture, in order to commend God’s generosity, point out everywhere that He has given all such things to men.
Even the natural qualities of things demonstrate how much and how far we can enjoy them. Would the Lord have dressed the flowers with a beauty that runs freely to meet our eyes if it were wrong to be moved by such beauty? Would He have endowed them with so sweet a fragrance that flows freely into our nostrils if it were wrong to be moved by the pleasantness of such fragrance? Isn’t the answer obvious? Has God not distinguished colors in such a way as to make some more pleasing than others?
Yet we must no less diligently oppose our fleshly desires that will rush forward without restraint if not kept in check. And, as noted above, we must understand too that there are those who encourage the desires of the flesh, not denying themselves anything under the pretext of liberty.
To start, desire is bridled when we acknowledge that all things given to us are given in order that we might know their author. This leads us to gratitude for His kindness toward us. But how can we be thankful if we drink and indulge in wine so much that we become dazed—unable to perform the duties of piety to which we are called? How can we know God if our flesh, boiling over from overindulgence of our base desires, so infects our minds with its corruption that we cannot discern what’s right or honorable? How can there be thankfulness to God for clothing if, on the basis of our fancy and expensive clothes, we both admire ourselves and look down on others? Or if we let elegance and style open a door to sexual immorality? How can there be acknowledgment of God if our minds are enchanted by the splendor of His gifts?
For many people devote their senses to pleasures so much that their minds are buried in them. Many people are so fascinated with marble, gold, and paintings that they’re transformed, as it were, into marble, metal, or painted figures. The scent from the kitchen or other sweet odors so paralyzes them that they lose all spiritual sense of smell. And the same thing is seen with the remaining senses. It’s evident, then, that in our present circumstances we should considerably curb such freedom that leads to abuse.
For if the desires of the flesh are given too much leeway, they will burst forth without limit or restraint.
John Calvin. A Little Book on the Christian Life.
