The Love of God and Christian Assurance

A.  God’s love for sinners in 1 John 4:7-10

1 John 4 ⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Now that love for fellow Christians marks us out as being born of God and knowing God, let us ask more closely what this love is.  What does it look like?  What is the great example of it?

⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, [in order] that we might live through Him.  ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The love of God who sent his only Son into the world in order that we might live shows what love is like.  It is the self-giving love with which God loved us apart from any right we had to be loved.  By this love he gave us new birth through the death of his Son.  This is the kind of love we should always expect from our Father, and it is this kind of love which he has implanted within us with which to love our fellow believers. 

The root of all is that we were loved by God when we did not love him, but instead were spiritually dead.  This same principle of origin, focus and power that we see in God’s love for us, animates the love for our brethren which is implanted within us by the gospel.  All love ultimately comes from God.  It is directed toward those who have no right to be loved.  And, it is the same principle by which we continue to be loved by God as believers, even in the midst of our weakness and distress, and our feelings of unworthiness and sin.

B.   God’s love for sinners in 1 John 4:13-16

1 John 4 ¹³ By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

And, what follows in the text is the verbal content of the gospel which the Spirit enables us to understand and believe:

¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

The mutual indwelling of the confessor and God the Father is the spiritual state and condition of anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God.

Furthermore, as part of the gospel teaching that we have received at the prompting of the Spirit are the following observations concerning God’s love:

¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

One component of the faith of the gospel is a true conviction of the love that God has for us sinners who have received the gospel message through the ministry of the Spirit.  Though this is stated corporately (“we have known …”), its application is also individual.  Each one of us who rightly receives the gospel says of himself and believes, “God loves me.  God sent his son to save me.”  This is an essential part of the gospel faith.
 

Pastoral experience shows that some people will continue to believe that God only gives the grace of salvation to those who are worthy – more worthy than me.  In other words, there is a human reflex to assume that a certain level of personal worthiness is required in order to receive the free grace of the gospel.  (It is hard to drive legalism out of our hearts.)  Furthermore, even if a person acknowledges that salvation is gifted to the unworthy, it is not uncommon that failures and sins in the Christian life coming afterward can cause doubts to rise again.

It is important to show that John’s teaching of the gospel does not permit these doubts to arise.  The gospel came our way in spite of our lovelessness and lack of any right to be loved by God.  God loved us when we did not love him.  But this did not stop him from loving us and bestowing his free grace upon us.  This principle of movement from the loving to the unloving pervades the whole economy of the Christian life.  If we find that we are weak, unworthy or sinning Christians, then we must rely in prayer and faith ever more heartily upon the unmerited favor of God our Father, who loves to love the loveless and unlovable, and to give them true life.

We cannot live a life of Christian love from our own resources.  Love for our Christian brethren is the reflection of Christ’s love to us – love which is always expressed toward the weak, the unworthy, the sinners.  We can express love toward our weak, unworthy or sinning brethren, just as much as we depend on the love of God our Father being expressed to us as his weak, unworthy or sinning children.

C.  Peace in the Judgment, 1 John 4:17-19

¹⁷ Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. [1]  ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  ¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us. …

Fear of the judgment, or lack of Christian assurance, is a result of underplaying the power, the initiative, and the perseverance of God’s love toward us his weak and erring children.  This underplays his grace and doubts his Fatherhood.  

The capstone of insight which brings deliverance from these doubts is to recognize that we only love Him because He first loved us before we loved him at all.  Having loved us enough to give up his own Son for us when we hated him, he will no less ardently continue to love us when we have become his children, however weak, unworthy or sinful that we may be.

The pains that afflict believers in the midst of their doubts stem from loss of perception of our Father’s unfailing and persevering love directed toward us in our distress.  The love of Christ is directed toward us now, just as much as it was when we first believed, while standing in the very midst of our sins.

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[1] We are continually forgiven and continually being cleansed from all unrighteousness through the atonement of Jesus Christ.  We love one another, and are hated by the world, like Christ.  At the Judgment we will be vindicated, received and glorified, because of what Christ has done for us and in us without our help.  We will see him as he is – that is, we will be perfect and perfectly capable of appreciating his nature and attributes as our Savior.  There will be no limits to our fellowship.

Facts and Vision

We're so used to trying to apply the truth of God's Grace in Christ as "factoids" from his Word, that we may not perceive in those facts the vision of the Glory of God which gives true and abiding faith in the facts.  Knowing the facts of God's Grace toward us raises us, but not without a vision of His glory seen through them.  Faith in the good things God does for us -- that is, reliance on a list of good ideas about Him in which we attempt to put our trust -- is no substitute for a living vision of the Living Word in the Word, Who gives us the power to believe His divine promises.  Seeing who He is -- through the gift of the Spirit bringing repentance and faith -- fills the promises with power.

This vision comes in worship -- usually corporate worship.  Without it, we are nothing.  But, in true worship, with unveiled faces we behold His glory and are changed into his image!

May you find Spirit-filled corporate worship in Word and Sacrament -- worship that points to the glory of the Triune God, and especially to Christ as Mediator between God and Man!

Sola Scriptura

Recent events, such as occur from time to time in Reformed circles, have to do with some person of note leaving the Reformed fellowship for a church which does not hold to Sola Scriptura.  This always causes a lot of swirl and comment -- and hate.  But, I think that the blog discussions and articles in Reformed circles that mourn, complain about, or hate the persons who do this often display the theological weaknesses that let this kind of thing happen.

I think that the best approach to any serious religious question is to say, "Let's study the Scripture, and let's study History."  This approach is good for anyone, whether they're sure of Sola Scriptura or not.  And, we who claim to believe in Sola Scriptura ought to practice what we preach.  We should stop making Reformed "tradition," or doctrinal hobby-horses, or the pet teachings of favorite personalities the touchstone of Scripture interpretation.  We should study the Scripture, and let Scripture interpret Scripture.

We Reformed can be highly theological, highly confessional, highly technical, and, Yes! highly traditional, and prone not to always rethink our foundations in Scripture.  As a consequence we do not know our Bibles well.

But, only the Scripture is the Word of God.  Only the Scripture compels allegiance.  Only the Scripture teaches and convinces.  This Word should always be in our hearts and mouths, and we must meditate in it day and night.

The Scripture itself is capable of defending its integrity and its teaching in the minds and hearts of those who are sensitive to its teaching by the Spirit.

The Capable Counselor

The Capable Counselor is, of course, Our Lord Jesus.  But, one might ask, how can he be the sympathetic High Priest that he is, when he never knew sin?  Not being susceptible to temptation means not feeling the pull of sin like I do.  How can he sympathize with me, a sinner?

There are many problems and questions with this approach.  I think that the answers to these questions lie here:

The Word of God, the One who was in the beginning and who was with God and who was God, took on flesh and became a man.  When he did so he gave up nothing of his deity, but he did take upon himself our nature, yet without sin.  When this happened, the Person who took on flesh did not become a different person.  The Divine Logos, the Lord, the Second Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God, took on a full human nature, while remaining the same Person that he was and is forever and ever.  He was, is, and ever shall be full deity -- for the Son exercises all the powers of deity and is worshiped.  He took on, is, and ever shall be a man, in all the fullness of all humanity.  And in this manhood he was tempted by the direct, personal ministry of Satan -- a true temptation, but he did not fall.  As he was tempted in all parts of his manhood, and yet resisted that temptation successfully, he then became the sympathetic high priest who can come to the aid and comfort of the tempted in all their temptations.

We see, then, that it is not the case that those who fell are those who felt the temptation more strongly, and therefore that they are those who can sympathize more with the fallen.  Rather, it is the case that their weakness could not preserve them.  Therefore, those who fall, until recovered spiritually from their fall, are poor counselors for those faced by temptation. 

The One who never fell, but who did feel the whole strength of all temptations, is the best counselor.  He knows all, sees all, feels all, and having made the first creation, he is competent to make the second and greater re-creation.  He is able to make sinners whole, by Himself.  He said, No one who trusts in me shall be put to shame.

Sin and Apostasy

One usually thinks of apostasy as due to an intellectual rejection of the doctrine of the faith.  This can be true.  John (1 John) says that the antichrists who have gone out from us indicate that it is the last hour.  However, in Scripture there are many passages that speak of apostasy, and most of those passages do not speak of intellectual denials, but of moral apostasy.  They speak of sin.

John said that people do not believe, to begin with, because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-20).  Therefore, it stands to reason also that apostasy can come about due to a fundamental heart-preference for sin rather than fellowship with Christ.  This happens in those who have professed allegiance to Christ, but who have not believed the gospel with their whole heart.

In 1 Cor 10, Paul shows that tinkering with sin is the path to apostasy.

¹ Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

The context shows that the warning is about apostasy on the part of those who have received the sacraments and professed the faith, but who have preferred sin to Christ when the going got tough.  This occurs in this place in 1 Corinthians because the Corinthian laissez-faire attitude toward holiness (as portrayed in their emphasis on enjoyment of rights) is tantamount in Paul's eyes to a threat of apostasy.  He doesn't want to see this, and so he gives the warning.

Now there is also assurance here.  Paul goes on to say that, for those who truly know God,

¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Therefore, for those who truly know the Lord Jesus, we have a secure guarantee that he will not permit us to be tempted in such a way as to cause us to fall away from him.  But, along with this guarantee, and concurrently with it in our own hearts must be respect for the exhortation:

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Sin is characterized as what it really is -- idolatry.  When we flee it and trust in Jesus Christ clothed in the gospel, we know that our Christ will carry us through and not permit us to be lost.

Finish Well

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.     2 Peter 3:9

In some eras and theological regions of the church there have been seasons when excruciating emphasis has been laid on starting well in the Christian life.

Now, it is excruciatingly important to know the right teaching about Christ -- the right gospel -- that Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, gave himself for our sins, died and rose again, ascended, and reigns from heaven, forgiving repentant sinners and adopting them as his children, and giving them spiritual enablement to begin to follow him.

But, knowing our own hearts -- it's sometimes another thing.  Some have great assurance in Christ, but some have little.  Some backslide and wonder if they can be recovered.  Some wonder if they were ever saved.  Some have even gone through the motions of baptism many times.

But, when I read the Scripture I don't see an excruciating emphasis on the kind of introspection that wonders if I've started well -- or at all.  The emphasis in Scripture for the baptized is on disregarding what is behind, confessing sins, daily (or hourly) grasping hold of Christ in his grace, pressing forward only in reliance on him, and keeping this faith until the end.

See the quotation at the start of this post?  Peter addresses "you"!  He is not addressing outsiders.  Peter is speaking to the visible church -- the real, solid Church of Christ on earth -- filled with saints and hypocrites, and those who struggle to be spiritual -- and he is saying that the Lord is patient -- so patient that some could accuse him of slowness in fulfilling his promise of redemption.  But he is so patient, so that all of "you" can come to repentance.

The message is the same for all.  For however long you've been a Christian, or however long you've wondered whether you are one, begin again now to trust and follow Christ, in the midst of his church. 

Receive anew the gift of salvation -- every day -- and in so doing, you will finish well!

Neonomianism and the "New Perspective on Paul"

This post is a continuation of a previous post, containing a review of the book:

C. Fitzsimons Allison, The Rise of Moralism -- The Proclamation of the Gospel from Hooker to Baxter, Regent College Publishing, 2003 (originally 1966).

This book details the rise of Neonomianism in Anglican Theology in the 17th century. The previous post may be found at the following link (ignore the absurd wording of the link, over which I appear to have no control):

http://christocentry.blogspot.com/2010/06/test-ignore-this-post.html

My purpose in this succeeding post is to evaluate the potential connection between Neonomianism and the doctrine of justification seen in the "New Perspective on Paul," as propounded by N T Wright.

The "New Perspective on Paul" vis-a-vis Neonomianism

Allison's book is a good historical and doctrinal introduction to an era in the theological history of the Church of England, whose theology is still said by Allison to be dominant in that body today.  For this reason and others, I believe that this book provides a useful introduction which may help discern the roots of the doctrine of justification often seen in the "New Perspective on Paul," especially as it is propounded by N T Wright.

Allison's book was originally written before the ministry of N T Wright, even before many of the other academic originators of the New Perspective.  However, what this book details when describing the doctrine of Jeremy Taylor and the other most influential "revisionist" Anglican divines in the Church of England seems similar to the doctrine of justification that Wright teaches (insofar as I understand it).

The aberrant doctrine of the era reported on by Allison holds the following points:

1)  Faith is implicitly a work, not an instrument
     (even though we are moved to it by the Spirit);

2)  There is no imputation of the righteousness of Christ
     to sinners;

3)  Justification (not justification by works, or the second justification,
     but simply final justification, and so, eternal destiny)
     is fully contingent, in the Last Judgment, on our total
     personal history in faith and evangelical obedience.

This is usually called "neonomianism," and is most prominently in our circles associated with the name Richard Baxter.

Simply put, Christ's work "lowered the bar" in the covenant, so that it becomes possible (instead of impossible) for sinners (in the power of the Spirit) to keep the stipulations (works) of the covenant.  The distinction between faith and evangelical obedience is needless, and is done away.  We are simply justified by obedience to an "easier" covenant, the first "work" of which is to believe the gospel by which we are initially justified.  But, that justification is not final.  Your justification will be revisited at the Last Judgment, where your life history of faith and works will be reviewed.

One distinction I am able to recognize between Wright's doctrine and Neonomianism is that the latter can tend toward pessimism in its preaching, but Wright appears to me to be optimistic about the Judgment.  Therefore, when Neonomianism preaches on the final judgment, it's typically to bring warning or even terror.  But, I can't tell that Wright takes this approach.

Regardless of the difference in tone, however, it is clear why Wright insists that Christians should not be worrying about their final destinies in this life:  By his doctrine you cannot know your destiny for sure until the Last Judgment.  The thing to do now is to get busy.  He does appear (in tone) to be saying that you can be assured of acceptance at the Judgment if you persevere in faith and works, that is, you will be accepted based on the covenantal validity of your faith and works (not simply based on what Christ did for you, applied to you through faith as an instrument).

As Wright himself insists (references are needed here, but are easily found in his relevant writings), he does not teach the Reformation imputational doctrine on justification, but opposes it.

The Rise of Moralism (v4)

As a student of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation), I'm constantly on the watch for books on the subject of justification, and the relationship between faith and works.

For the benefit of others who are attracted to this subject, I recommend:

C. Fitzsimons Allison, The Rise of Moralism -- The Proclamation of the Gospel from Hooker to Baxter, Regent College Publishing, 2003 (originally 1966).

In this interesting history Allison details the gradual evolution of teaching in the Church of England of the late 16th and 17th centuries, as certain influential bishops "moderated" the Reformational doctrine of total depravity and imputation, and removed the basis and sense of need for justification by faith alone -- and sometimes even denied this doctrine. 

The motivation behind this doctrinal evolution was to improve the morality of Christians, who, they felt, were hiding behind "justification by faith alone" in order to avoid true repentance.  The answer, as these bishops saw it, was to tilt their public doctrine in the direction of the demand for obedience, and to connect Christian assurance (and even justification) to obedience, at the expense of speaking freely about "free grace."

Allison argues strongly for the Reformational emphasis on justification by faith alone, since he sees that the Scripture and Christian experience support the need for spiritual freedom, doctrinally and pastorally.

Theologians who read this book will be interested in how Allison uses the scholastic (Aristotelian) descriptions of the various modes of causation, in order to describe the real difference between Trent and the Reformation.  This is something you may not have seen described exactly this way before.  I have not fully penetrated the depths of Allison's argument, but I'm reasonably certain that he is right.  The argument between the Reformation and Trent is an argument about how to order and label the causes of justification.  It is not an argument over the list of causes.  The list enumerated by the two sides is the same.  The doctrinal difference lies in how the causes imply and affect one another.

Allison's observation is that Reformation and Rome (Bellarmine) agree that the difference (on the doctrine of justification) lies only in the identification of the formal cause.  For the Reformation the formal cause of justification is the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to sinners through faith, which is trust in Christ clothed in the gospel, and apart from their works.  This, in turn, by their union with Christ, must and does eventuate in evangelical obedience.  For Rome, the formal cause of justification is the sinner's own faith and evangelical obedience, or actual covenantal righteousness, which is in him by grace.  Both sides thus grant the need for faith and evangelical obedience, or covenantal righteousness, but in different ways.

For the Reformation:

grace -> faith

faith  -> union with Christ

union with Christ -> justification now, evangelical obedience begins

This is also the order of the Reformation preaching of this doctrine.  Christian assurance of salvation can be given, subject only to perseverance in faith.

For Rome:

grace -> faith and evangelical obedience
faith and evangelical obedience, if present -> final justification

This is also the order of the Roman preaching of this doctrine.  Christian assurance of salvation cannot be given, because no one knows whether his faith and evangelical obedience have "kept covenant" until the final judgment.

This book is likely to be helpful for those who may be struggling with understanding the relationship between faith and works for any reason -- especially those with doctrinal questions whether the Reformation doctrine of justification is exactly right or not.

My comments

Properly describing the relationship between faith and works remains something hard for men.  This subject, which also involves the vital doctrine of Christian assurance, remains a perennial subject of investigation. Luther was certain that after his day, the doctrine of free justification would again be eclipsed.  He was right.  However, it has never been eclipsed throughout the whole church as badly as it seems to have been within the pre-Reformation medieval inheritance.

I think that the reason that Luther's dictum (that justification by faith alone is the mark of a standing or falling church) is accurate and true is that this doctrine is a sentinel which describes the spiritual health of the church.  Justification by faith alone is only understood by those who take their morality seriously, who truly mourn over their sins, and who, filled with gratitude, pant to receive this free salvation as a gift. 

The "New Perspective on Paul"

The material which originally appeared here concerning relevance to the "New Perspective on Paul" has been expanded and put into a new post, which may be found here:

http://christocentry.blogspot.com/2010/07/neonomianism-and-new-perspective-on.html

Real Word and Sacrament

We are accustomed to think that Word and Sacrament convey information, primarily, and that the information conveyed serves to strengthen our faith and to strengthen our union with Christ.  So, when we hear the gospel preached, we think of ourselves receiving the information in the spirit of faith, and therefore we are edified by it.  Likewise for the sacraments.  The Lord's Supper conveys information, by words, by sight, and by taste.  This information is received in a spirit of faith, and therefore, we are edified by the Spirit through faith.  This is true, as far as it goes.  But, consider the raising of Lazarus:

Lazarus, though dead, heard the words, "Lazarus, come forth."  And, hearing the words, he was raised from the dead.  This certainly involves the communication of information, but the primary power is the power of the Word of God to create reality.  So it is in the church.

Men who hear the gospel are raised from spiritual death and come to spiritual life in Christ, and not simply by the conveyance of information!  Being dead, they nevertheless receive Christ "by ear."  And, having received Christ, they continue to receive him afresh by the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Gospel.  Our receiving is not merely the receiving of information.  It is also the receiving of Christ himself.

When we hear the word to our spiritual edification, we are receiving Christ by ear -- by actual participation.  When we are baptized, we are also receiving Christ by water -- by actual participation.  When we receive the Supper to our spiritual edification, we are also receiving Christ by mouth -- by actual participation.  (This has nothing to do with "consubstantiation.")

One writer from the 19th century gives an example:  A blind person who receives the gospel by applying his lips to the feel of the letters on the paper, receives Christ "by mouth," because it was by mouth that he understood it. 

So it is when we receive the Supper.

Faith and Obedience -- Not Double Justification

It's clear from Paul and from James that those with a spiritual allegiance to God have the Holy Spirit, and thus show evidence of an imperfect righteousness.

By the strict judgment of the Law, this imperfect righteousness is sin, and yet by the cleansing judgment of God, made in light of the death of his Son, these imperfect works are cleansed and accepted by him.

Furthermore, it is a commonality of Scripture that those who are in a right state with God do show evidence of these works (visible to God at least -- an important caveat), and that the Lord often declares such persons to be "righteous," even though they are sinfully imperfect.

Beyond this, God even justifies -- approves -- the right, though imperfect, actions of his saints, and indicates the eternal, heavenly destiny of people who act like this from a true heart.

But, at root, it is clear that the presence of the Holy Spirit who generates these works in us is a free gift of God, whose coming to us is evidenced by "faith alone" in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the favorable judgment that God makes of the believers' works is a consequence of the favorable judgment he makes of the believers totally apart from their works.  Justification by works is brought about by complete justification apart from works.  There are not two separate hoops to jump through:  first, the judgment of faith; later, the judgment of works.  It is not as if one could have faith and then fail the judgment of works.  Rather, the judgment of works is a vindication of the efficacy of justification by faith only.

Double justification could have been asserted if the first justification (by faith) were incomplete or temporary, so that the threat of doom (in the judgment of works) hung over even those justified by faith.  But, the Paul who asserted "justification by obedience" in Chapter 2 of his Epistle to the Romans, goes on to teach "justification by faith and no works at all" in immediately following chapters of his epistle.

We have to conclude that the term "justification" is a flexible term used with various meanings, just as we use it in ordinary conversation.  We say that a man "justifies himself" when he gives good reasons for his actions that have been questioned.  Likewise, we are justified by our behavior because it reveals who we are spiritually.  But, the power relationship that leads to Christian behavior is a power relationship not to the "do this and live" of the Law, but to salvation as a total gift of free grace in Christ.

This is why the zeal to teach that our faith does inevitably eventuate in good works must be tempered by a larger zeal to make plain the active spiritual connection to Christ, by faith only, which is the source of such a life.

It ought to be considered that the one who is really justified, when the believers are justified in their works, is God.  This is why:  In bringing us to salvation and righteousness, God's method of salvation by grace alone is what is being justified, contrary to the accusations of Satan!

Assurance of Salvation

It seems to me to be a commonplace of Scripture to speak of the difference in behavior between those who know the Lord and those who do not.  Paul speaks to misbehaving Christians by saying, "You didn't learn Jesus Christ this way."

Sounds simple, Huh!

But this introduces a problem.  We are also taught that all our good works are contaminated by sin, and that it is only the gift of salvation that makes them acceptable to God through Christ.

So, which is it?  How do I apply the standards of behavior?  When does my behavior, being so bad, imply that I don't know the Lord.  When is my behavior "good enough" to qualify, even though the sin that is in them is clearly obvious to me?  What is the dividing point between "so bad I doubt my Christianity," and "good enough" that I don't need to doubt it.

Calvin speaks to this, as do the Lutherans.  Calvin's sentiment is simply this, quoting freely: "How do you know that the good you think you see in your works means that you are a Christian, rather than that the bad you see for sure in your works means you are not?"

Calvin's answer is that you don't make this judgment of your own works take the highest priority.  Any repentant believer should take comfort in being accepted by Christ, because there is simply no works component to our acceptance.

But, you say, "My works don't confirm this assessment.  I'm repentant, but there is no good in me."  You can only retreat into "justification by faith alone," a doctrine bandied about a lot, often spoken of glibly, sometimes in controversy, but a God-send in spiritual distress.

Believe the Lord:  "Come unto me all you that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Bring nothing.  Rest on Christ the Rock, and have joy!

And, what about Christian behavior?

Faith, which receives full salvation without works,
Faith, which rests on Christ the Rock,
This Faith loves God, and
By Him you will be changed!

You will never be satisfied with your Christian behavior, but it will nevertheless come, by grace.  And, your works will be accepted by God for Christ's sake!