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not nature. Because it does not exist intrinsically in the nature of
man, but is reflected by it, the glory of God is only something that
can be communicated by the Spirit.
This newly created capacity to reflect the glory of God,
Calvin viewed as man‘s ―spirit‖. ―Whatever in man is created
anew in the image of God is called spirit. ‗that which is born of the
flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.‘‖ 196 This
allowed Calvin to distinguish between spirit and soul, which was
necessary in light of Calvin‘s insistence that the image of God is in
no way a natural possession, but a spiritual gift wrought through
communion between man and God in trust and obedience. Hence,
it is a new creation not merely the extension or even restoration of
man‘s previous capacity. Rather it is conformity to God by ―grace
and virtue of the Spirit.‖ 197
Conformity to the likeness of God now happens by the Spirit
through the Word. As we noted earlier, in the Fall man cut himself
off from the Spirit thus making the flesh the governing disposition
of his soul. In regeneration, the Spirit now resides within man and
radically alters man‘s disposition. Where before he was cut off
from the Word of God, now by the power of the Spirit man can
once again respond in trust and obedience to God and proceed
towards God. This new disposition opens man to the Word of God
in order to respond to it.
For Calvin this change takes place before the individual is
even conscious of it. Because man is dead in sin, unless the Spirit
renews the soul, man could never respond to the love and call of
Jesus Christ. Nonetheless, this inner transformation works in
tandem with the Word that comes to man externally in the
Preaching of the Word. Even as man hears the external Word of
God, the internal work of the Spirit allows him to hear, to be
enlightened, and to respond. This results in the conscious turning
from sin and subsequent repentance and conversion. Nonetheless,
196 The Eternal Predestination of God. (Eng. Tra. By H. Cole), p. 101.
197 Institute 1.15.5