A thought provoking quote from Calvin. Note that he is not dismissing imputation, but a wrong view of it. But here we see Calvin placing the emphasis and foundation of every spiritual blessing as coming from union with Christ. [Wonder where he got that idea? (hint: Eph 1:3)] But such a quote seems to shut up both "legal fiction" critics and much of the protestations of New Perspective people that think they discovered the idea of union with Christ:
“I confess that we are deprived of this blessing [justification] until Christ is made ours. Therefore, that joining together of head and members, that indwelling of Christ in our hearts–in short, that mystical union–are accorded by us the highest degree of importance, so that Christ, having been made ours, makes us sharers with him in the gifts with which he has been endowed. We do not, therefore, contemplate him outside ourselves from afar in order that his righteousness may be imputed to us but because we put on Christ and are engrafted into his body–in short, because he deigns to make us one with him. For this reason, we glory that we have fellowship of righteousness with him.” -John Calvin. Institutes 3.11.10
HT: Sacramental Piety
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