Peace and faith go together. We don’t often think of faith as the way to peace. Knowledge, science, medicine, politics or technologies are the keys to peace, we think. However, faith or trust in the word and will of God brings true peace. Here are Calvin’s thoughts on the relationship between faith and peace.
I should remind my readers that I am using the John T. McNeill edition of Calvin’s Institutes found in The Library of Christian Classics. The summary below covers pages 561-66.
1. Faith and inward peace. From Scripture's testimony we realize that true faith brings and grows the fruit of peace. Actually, peace is a part of faith, due to faith's embracing the gospel. [Rom. 5:1]
2. Calvin says that the "hinge on which faith turns is that a person individually embraces God's promises of mercy. Hence, at last is born that confidence which Paul elsewhere calls 'peace'"(Pg., 561).
3. Yet it must be remembered, as Calvin reminds us, that this faith can be, and is assailed by temptations of the mind and our own conflict with unbelief. But Calvin quickly adds, "we deny that, in whatever way they are afflicted, they fall away and depart from the certain assurance received from God's mercy"(Pg., 562).
4. David is an example of persevering faith. (See, Pg. 563) "So David, even when he might have seemed overwhelmed, in rebuking himself did not cease to rise up to God. He who, struggling with his own weakness, presses toward faith in his moments of anxiety is already in large part victorious"(Pg., 563).
5. From David's life, from the life of other saints in the Bible and our own life we understand that there is a conflict between faith and unbelief. Why? Calvin gives 2 reasons.
a. The division between flesh and spirit.
b. The godly heart feels itself divided between a love for God's goodness and hatred of our own sin, a restful reliance upon God's promises and an awareness of our "restless reliance," and a great expectation of eternal life, and fear of death.
6. However, Calvin is quick to remind us that, "the end of the conflict is always this: that faith ultimately triumphs over those difficulties which besiege and seem to imperil it" (Pg., 564).
7. Weak faith however is still real faith; hence faith is weak and strong at times. [1 Cor. 13:9-12] For the weakness to be cured and faith to be strengthened "we must constantly keep at learning," from the Scriptures (Pg., 565).
8. The Scripture fortifies faith. "The Word, which is an incorruptible seed, brings forth fruit like itself, whose fertility never wholly dries up and dies" (Pg. 567).
9. "Holy fear" also strengthens faith and peace. [1 Cor. 10:11, Ps 5:7, Phil 2:12-13] Calvin explains how this occurs. "This happens when believers, considering that the examples of divine wrath are executed upon the ungodly as warnings to them, take special care not to provoke God=s wrath against them by the same offences; or, when inwardly contemplating their own misery, learn to depend wholly upon the Lord, without whom they see themselves more unstable and fleeting than any wind" (Pg., 568).
10. Faith and peace live together. [Ps. 23:4] We must be "content with this certainty: that, however many things fail us that have to do with the maintenance of this life, God will never fail. Rather, the chief assurance of faith rests in the expectation of the life to come, which has been placed beyond doubt through the Word of God. Yet whatever earthly miseries and calamities await those whom God has embraced in his love, these cannot hinder his benevolence from being their full happiness" (Pg., 574).
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes: Christian Faith, Pt.3. Faith and knowledge.
Beginning with the Enlightenment to the present day the West has had anxiety over the relation, or lack thereof, between faith and reason. The worried language has set itself in terms of “faith and science,” or “religion and reason,” or even “conservatives and liberals.” Now that western civilization has “fallen,” it seems we are coming around to understand that faith is a gate to knowledge, and is actually not without knowledge at all. Of course this has given rise to a new resurgent and militant atheism; the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens to mention a few.
Calvin and those before him did not believe real faith was empty or disconnected with knowledge. He tackled this issue in Chapter 3, Bk.2. Here I summarize that section.
1. Biblical faith has more than one component. The Bible speaks of faith in terms of knowledge, inward peace and a full repose upon the promises of God. Calvin explains all three with great clarity.
2. Faith and knowledge. They are not contradictions but rather inseparable friends.
3. First of all, when faith is called knowledge, it refers to that apprehension which grasps and “really, lovingly knows the infinite truth of God. [Eph 3:18-19]
4. Secondly, faith is called recognition [Eph 1:17; 4:13; Col 1:9; 3:10; 1 Tim 2:4; Titus 1:1; Philemon 6; 2 Pet 2:21]. John asserts that God’s children can have the knowledge (recognition) that they are God’s children. “But, as Calvin writes, they are more strengthened by the persuasion of divine truth than instructed by rational proof” (Pg., 560).
The mistake we have fallen into since the rise of Christian liberalism and its affront against the reality of God’s work in incarnation, miracle, and atonement is that we have sought proof for persuasion rather than be persuaded by God’s promises by the Spirit. Calvin has good advice to help us here.
5. Third, this faith called knowledge can and often does come with great certainty due to the sureness of God’s promises. [Rom 4:16; Ps 19:7]
6. Calvin says, “As faith is not content with a doubtful and changeable opinion, so is it not content with an obscure and confused conception; but requires full and fixed certainty, such as men are wont to have from things experienced and proved” (Pg., 560).
7. Calvin essentially demands that true faith and knowledge always includes certainty! His reason for this is twofold.
a. “For unbelief is so deeply rooted in our hearts, and we are so inclined to it, that not without hard struggle is each one able to persuade himself of what all confess with the mouth: namely, that God is faithful” (Pg., 560).
b. Going half-way in faith leaves the human soul in great fear. That is, God in his goodness is manifested to us so as to leave us without doubt; therefore those who do doubt do not stand before God with tranquil hearts. “This kind of faith,” says Calvin, “is no right faith” (Pg., 561).
8. Is Calvin completely correct? Can a person have true faith and still not have confidence, or at least struggle with assurance from time to time? Yes. Calvin was not completely correct and a person can struggle and still have true faith. (See WCF, XVIII)
9. However, we must always cleave to Calvin’s advice when he says, “Surely, as often as God commends his Word to us, he indirectly rebukes us for our unbelief, for he has no other intention than to uproot perverse doubts from our hearts” (Pg., 560-561). God says we can boldly claim His promises and come before his presence. [Eph. 3:12; Heb. 4:15-16]
Calvin and those before him did not believe real faith was empty or disconnected with knowledge. He tackled this issue in Chapter 3, Bk.2. Here I summarize that section.
1. Biblical faith has more than one component. The Bible speaks of faith in terms of knowledge, inward peace and a full repose upon the promises of God. Calvin explains all three with great clarity.
2. Faith and knowledge. They are not contradictions but rather inseparable friends.
3. First of all, when faith is called knowledge, it refers to that apprehension which grasps and “really, lovingly knows the infinite truth of God. [Eph 3:18-19]
4. Secondly, faith is called recognition [Eph 1:17; 4:13; Col 1:9; 3:10; 1 Tim 2:4; Titus 1:1; Philemon 6; 2 Pet 2:21]. John asserts that God’s children can have the knowledge (recognition) that they are God’s children. “But, as Calvin writes, they are more strengthened by the persuasion of divine truth than instructed by rational proof” (Pg., 560).
The mistake we have fallen into since the rise of Christian liberalism and its affront against the reality of God’s work in incarnation, miracle, and atonement is that we have sought proof for persuasion rather than be persuaded by God’s promises by the Spirit. Calvin has good advice to help us here.
5. Third, this faith called knowledge can and often does come with great certainty due to the sureness of God’s promises. [Rom 4:16; Ps 19:7]
6. Calvin says, “As faith is not content with a doubtful and changeable opinion, so is it not content with an obscure and confused conception; but requires full and fixed certainty, such as men are wont to have from things experienced and proved” (Pg., 560).
7. Calvin essentially demands that true faith and knowledge always includes certainty! His reason for this is twofold.
a. “For unbelief is so deeply rooted in our hearts, and we are so inclined to it, that not without hard struggle is each one able to persuade himself of what all confess with the mouth: namely, that God is faithful” (Pg., 560).
b. Going half-way in faith leaves the human soul in great fear. That is, God in his goodness is manifested to us so as to leave us without doubt; therefore those who do doubt do not stand before God with tranquil hearts. “This kind of faith,” says Calvin, “is no right faith” (Pg., 561).
8. Is Calvin completely correct? Can a person have true faith and still not have confidence, or at least struggle with assurance from time to time? Yes. Calvin was not completely correct and a person can struggle and still have true faith. (See WCF, XVIII)
9. However, we must always cleave to Calvin’s advice when he says, “Surely, as often as God commends his Word to us, he indirectly rebukes us for our unbelief, for he has no other intention than to uproot perverse doubts from our hearts” (Pg., 560-561). God says we can boldly claim His promises and come before his presence. [Eph. 3:12; Heb. 4:15-16]
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes: Christian Faith, Pt.2.
We had a good weekend. Saturday I had the privilege of sharing the faith of Jesus with a number of prisoners at our local jail; and Sunday, as always, our faith was built up and re-aligned to Jesus Christ again. So I am glad to start with this summary on what Calvin said about faith itself in Book 3, chapter 2 of his Institutes.
By the way if you are interested in a good book on Calvin’s doctrine of faith read Victor Shepherd’s, The Nature and Function of Faith in the Theology of John Calvin. You can purchase it here
http://www.victorshepherd.on.ca/Sermons/books_by_victor_shepherd.htm
“Everybody has a faith” is a common statement of faith today! As a result, faith is defined many ways for many people, and as a result, true saving faith is misunderstood. This was a problem in Calvin’s day as well, thus he spends some time refuting false concepts of faith in order to clear the road for understanding true faith.
1. The first kind of false faith he refutes is what he terms “shadow-shapes of faith” (Pg., 554), or “image faith”(Pg., 554), or “unformed faith” (Pg., 551). What is it? “People who are touched by no fear of God, no sense of piety, nevertheless believe whatever it is necessary to know for salvation” (Pg., 551).
2. In a nut shell, this “shadow-shaped faith” is belief that faith without works is still true faith. Or to put it another, this “shadow-shaped faith” is justification without sanctification. This is false faith [Acts 8:13; Lk 8:6-13; Jn 8:29-59; James 2].
For Calvin the goal of justification was sanctification. Thus the whole point of faith was not just justification, but justification for sanctification. Justification is strategically first, but the goal is sanctification. Karl Barth clearly explained this in his Church Dogmatics. In the CD. Vol.IV. Pt.2, he says, “Calvin in Bk III does deal with the order. Calvin basically teaches here that, "God renews those whom he freely reckons as righteous for the cultivation of righteousness (Bk III, 11:6).” Barth says Calvin is the theologian of sanctification because he seeks to answer a very biblical question, "What is it that God by his grace and will, wills to accomplish in man?" Yet, as a study of the Institutes shows Calvin hinges everything on justification. Without this foundation there is neither assurance or sanctification. In all his explanation of the life of the Christian he never loses sight of justification. So we can and must say Calvin was the theologian of justification too. So…"we can and should learn from the classical example of his mode of treatment that we can give only a twofold answer to the question of priority in the relationship of these two moments and aspects. Calvin was quite in earnest when he gave sanctification a strategic precedence over justification. He was also quite in earnest when he gave the latter a tactical precedence." Pg, 510.
Back to the summary.
3. Calvin’s biblical refutation. “Since faith embraces Christ, as offered to us by the Father [cf. Jn 6:29] - that is, since he is offered not only for righteousness, forgiveness of sins, and peace, but also for sanctification [cf. 1 Cor 1:30] and the fountain of the water of life [Jn 7:38; cf. 4:14] - without a doubt, no one can duly know him without at the same time apprehending the sanctification of the Spirit....And Christ cannot be known apart from the sanctification of his Spirit. It follows that faith can in no wise be separated from a devout disposition” (Pg., 552).
4. How is false faith distinguished from true faith? Calvin gives 5 marks.
a) True faith flourishes confidence; false faith divided allegiance. [Gal 4:6; Rom 8:15]
b) The elect are regenerated with incorruptible seed, forever [1Pet 1:23]; the reprobate are not regenerated at all and hence are not steady in life or faith - they do not persevere.
c) “The reprobate never receive anything but a confused awareness of grace, so that they grasp a shadow rather than the firm body of it. For the Spirit, strictly speaking, seals the forgiveness of sins in the elect alone, so that they apply it by special faith to their own use” (Pg., 555).
d) He does not show Himself merciful to them, to the extent of truly snatching them from death and receiving them into His keeping, but only manifests to them His mercy for the time being. Only His elect does He account worthy of receiving the living root of faith so that they may endure to the end [Matt 24:13]” (Pg., 556).
e) True faith grasps and grows in the truths of Scripture, but false faith cannot penetrate into the Scriptures. That is, they cannot know them - lovingly.
5. Calvin sums it up this way. “However deficient or weak faith may be in the elect, still, because the Spirit of God is for them the sure guarantee and seal of their adoption [Eph 1:14; cf. 2 Cor 1:22], the mark He has engraved can never be erased from their hearts; but on the wicked such light is shed as may afterward pass away” (Pg., 556). [see pg., 557 for the discussion on God’s chastisement]
6. Calvin advises us to understand the many definitions of faith so that we can distinguish saving faith from other forms of faith.
7. Faith means doctrine. “Faith is rightly extended to the whole sum of heavenly doctrine, from which it cannot be separated” (Pg., 558). [1 Tim 4:6; Col 2:3 ]
8. Faith refers to an object [Matt 9:2; 8:10]; faith is connected with the performance of miracles [1 Cor 13], and faith is connected with the activity of teaching in the church. [see pg., 559 for an explanation of this.]
9. But what is that faith; what are the aspects of true saving faith, through and by which we call upon God, are justified and receive all the benefits of redemption? Calvin answers this question in the remainder of this chapter. I will summarize the answers in the next entry.
By the way if you are interested in a good book on Calvin’s doctrine of faith read Victor Shepherd’s, The Nature and Function of Faith in the Theology of John Calvin. You can purchase it here
http://www.victorshepherd.on.ca/Sermons/books_by_victor_shepherd.htm
“Everybody has a faith” is a common statement of faith today! As a result, faith is defined many ways for many people, and as a result, true saving faith is misunderstood. This was a problem in Calvin’s day as well, thus he spends some time refuting false concepts of faith in order to clear the road for understanding true faith.
1. The first kind of false faith he refutes is what he terms “shadow-shapes of faith” (Pg., 554), or “image faith”(Pg., 554), or “unformed faith” (Pg., 551). What is it? “People who are touched by no fear of God, no sense of piety, nevertheless believe whatever it is necessary to know for salvation” (Pg., 551).
2. In a nut shell, this “shadow-shaped faith” is belief that faith without works is still true faith. Or to put it another, this “shadow-shaped faith” is justification without sanctification. This is false faith [Acts 8:13; Lk 8:6-13; Jn 8:29-59; James 2].
For Calvin the goal of justification was sanctification. Thus the whole point of faith was not just justification, but justification for sanctification. Justification is strategically first, but the goal is sanctification. Karl Barth clearly explained this in his Church Dogmatics. In the CD. Vol.IV. Pt.2, he says, “Calvin in Bk III does deal with the order. Calvin basically teaches here that, "God renews those whom he freely reckons as righteous for the cultivation of righteousness (Bk III, 11:6).” Barth says Calvin is the theologian of sanctification because he seeks to answer a very biblical question, "What is it that God by his grace and will, wills to accomplish in man?" Yet, as a study of the Institutes shows Calvin hinges everything on justification. Without this foundation there is neither assurance or sanctification. In all his explanation of the life of the Christian he never loses sight of justification. So we can and must say Calvin was the theologian of justification too. So…"we can and should learn from the classical example of his mode of treatment that we can give only a twofold answer to the question of priority in the relationship of these two moments and aspects. Calvin was quite in earnest when he gave sanctification a strategic precedence over justification. He was also quite in earnest when he gave the latter a tactical precedence." Pg, 510.
Back to the summary.
3. Calvin’s biblical refutation. “Since faith embraces Christ, as offered to us by the Father [cf. Jn 6:29] - that is, since he is offered not only for righteousness, forgiveness of sins, and peace, but also for sanctification [cf. 1 Cor 1:30] and the fountain of the water of life [Jn 7:38; cf. 4:14] - without a doubt, no one can duly know him without at the same time apprehending the sanctification of the Spirit....And Christ cannot be known apart from the sanctification of his Spirit. It follows that faith can in no wise be separated from a devout disposition” (Pg., 552).
4. How is false faith distinguished from true faith? Calvin gives 5 marks.
a) True faith flourishes confidence; false faith divided allegiance. [Gal 4:6; Rom 8:15]
b) The elect are regenerated with incorruptible seed, forever [1Pet 1:23]; the reprobate are not regenerated at all and hence are not steady in life or faith - they do not persevere.
c) “The reprobate never receive anything but a confused awareness of grace, so that they grasp a shadow rather than the firm body of it. For the Spirit, strictly speaking, seals the forgiveness of sins in the elect alone, so that they apply it by special faith to their own use” (Pg., 555).
d) He does not show Himself merciful to them, to the extent of truly snatching them from death and receiving them into His keeping, but only manifests to them His mercy for the time being. Only His elect does He account worthy of receiving the living root of faith so that they may endure to the end [Matt 24:13]” (Pg., 556).
e) True faith grasps and grows in the truths of Scripture, but false faith cannot penetrate into the Scriptures. That is, they cannot know them - lovingly.
5. Calvin sums it up this way. “However deficient or weak faith may be in the elect, still, because the Spirit of God is for them the sure guarantee and seal of their adoption [Eph 1:14; cf. 2 Cor 1:22], the mark He has engraved can never be erased from their hearts; but on the wicked such light is shed as may afterward pass away” (Pg., 556). [see pg., 557 for the discussion on God’s chastisement]
6. Calvin advises us to understand the many definitions of faith so that we can distinguish saving faith from other forms of faith.
7. Faith means doctrine. “Faith is rightly extended to the whole sum of heavenly doctrine, from which it cannot be separated” (Pg., 558). [1 Tim 4:6; Col 2:3 ]
8. Faith refers to an object [Matt 9:2; 8:10]; faith is connected with the performance of miracles [1 Cor 13], and faith is connected with the activity of teaching in the church. [see pg., 559 for an explanation of this.]
9. But what is that faith; what are the aspects of true saving faith, through and by which we call upon God, are justified and receive all the benefits of redemption? Calvin answers this question in the remainder of this chapter. I will summarize the answers in the next entry.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes: Christian Faith, Pt.1.
The Canadian Presbyterian theologian Walter W. Bryden said, "The Christian is an optimist…because he believes God has come and does come into this world. The Christian's faith and hope lie in the fact that the Word was made flesh." This faith, like Jesus, is a gift God gives us so that by his gift we can come into his presence and live out our human lives as new creations. Knowing that faith is the principle work of the Spirit, what is its object, what is faith and how does the Spirit bring faith to the sinner? Calvin answers these questions in this great “faith chapter” of his Institutes.
Because of the size of the chapter I will summarize it over at least 5 entries. It really is a great chapter.
1. The object of faith. It is not the law of God or human ability. Rather, the object of true faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the express revelation of God. [2 Cor 4:6; Jn 17:3; Heb 1:3]
2. God in all his power and redemptive grace would have remained hidden from us if he had not purposed to reveal himself by Christ. Christ is the life, the living water, living bread and way. He is the One sent from and by God to be the Saviour. In short, he is the revelation of God himself, and thus true faith looks to Christ alone.
3. “As God he is the destination to which we move; as man, the path by which we go. Both are found in Christ alone. But, while Paul proclaims faith in God, he does not have in mind to overturn what he so often emphasizes concerning faith: namely, that all its stability rests in Christ” (Pg., 544).
4. This faith must rest explicitly upon Christ alone and simultaneously be dressed with true knowledge of Christ. Implicit faith, which is simultaneously covered with ignorance requires a person to “submit their feelings, obediently to the whim of a church” (Pg., 545), or person. This is not true faith, it is a blind fold used to cover and hide Christ as revealed by the Spirit in Scripture. Calvin writes, “Faith consists n the knowledge of God and Christ [Jn 17:3], not in reverence for the church” (Pg., 545).
Of course this does not mean the church should not preach Jesus. She must, and therefore she must judge herself to see what her “whim” is. If the whim is church growth, or psychological self-help (I could list countless other things), then she is not helping people have an explicit faith in the Lord of the world, and she needs to repent.
And if her “whim” is to preach Christ Jesus, well then she must still judge herself so she can stay on track and give people what Hauerwas once wrote, “the interpretive skills, a truthful understanding of how to see the world under the banner of Jesus Christ.”
5. Does this mean all implicit faith is wrong? No. Implicit faith is wrong when persons in a position of authority demand the “blind faith” of others, while teaching them error or not teaching them at all. Implicit faith is legitimate when it is “strictly nothing but the preparation of faith” (Pg., 547). [i.e Jn 4:50-53; 42; Lk 24:11-12; Jn 20:8]
6. The disciples are an example of this legitimate implicit faith. Notice their whole attitude about the resurrection. Jesus had told them of this truth, but they did not finally believe until they discerned for themselves the truth Jesus’ words by the resurrection fact itself. Calvin says, “Not that they then began to believe, but because the seed of hidden faith - which had been dead, as it were, in their hearts - at that time burst through with renewed vigour! For there was in them a true but implicit faith because they had reverently embraced Christ as their sole teacher” (Pg., 547).
7. Anselm sums up the meaning of true implicit faith in the phrase “Faith seeks understanding.” Because we are surrounded by many obstacles and clouds, our faith is not complete. But we must strive to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and teachers of the church must seek to make the members of Christ, scholars of Christ who abound in the knowledge of the object of true faith, namely Jesus Christ.
Because of the size of the chapter I will summarize it over at least 5 entries. It really is a great chapter.
1. The object of faith. It is not the law of God or human ability. Rather, the object of true faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the express revelation of God. [2 Cor 4:6; Jn 17:3; Heb 1:3]
2. God in all his power and redemptive grace would have remained hidden from us if he had not purposed to reveal himself by Christ. Christ is the life, the living water, living bread and way. He is the One sent from and by God to be the Saviour. In short, he is the revelation of God himself, and thus true faith looks to Christ alone.
3. “As God he is the destination to which we move; as man, the path by which we go. Both are found in Christ alone. But, while Paul proclaims faith in God, he does not have in mind to overturn what he so often emphasizes concerning faith: namely, that all its stability rests in Christ” (Pg., 544).
4. This faith must rest explicitly upon Christ alone and simultaneously be dressed with true knowledge of Christ. Implicit faith, which is simultaneously covered with ignorance requires a person to “submit their feelings, obediently to the whim of a church” (Pg., 545), or person. This is not true faith, it is a blind fold used to cover and hide Christ as revealed by the Spirit in Scripture. Calvin writes, “Faith consists n the knowledge of God and Christ [Jn 17:3], not in reverence for the church” (Pg., 545).
Of course this does not mean the church should not preach Jesus. She must, and therefore she must judge herself to see what her “whim” is. If the whim is church growth, or psychological self-help (I could list countless other things), then she is not helping people have an explicit faith in the Lord of the world, and she needs to repent.
And if her “whim” is to preach Christ Jesus, well then she must still judge herself so she can stay on track and give people what Hauerwas once wrote, “the interpretive skills, a truthful understanding of how to see the world under the banner of Jesus Christ.”
5. Does this mean all implicit faith is wrong? No. Implicit faith is wrong when persons in a position of authority demand the “blind faith” of others, while teaching them error or not teaching them at all. Implicit faith is legitimate when it is “strictly nothing but the preparation of faith” (Pg., 547). [i.e Jn 4:50-53; 42; Lk 24:11-12; Jn 20:8]
6. The disciples are an example of this legitimate implicit faith. Notice their whole attitude about the resurrection. Jesus had told them of this truth, but they did not finally believe until they discerned for themselves the truth Jesus’ words by the resurrection fact itself. Calvin says, “Not that they then began to believe, but because the seed of hidden faith - which had been dead, as it were, in their hearts - at that time burst through with renewed vigour! For there was in them a true but implicit faith because they had reverently embraced Christ as their sole teacher” (Pg., 547).
7. Anselm sums up the meaning of true implicit faith in the phrase “Faith seeks understanding.” Because we are surrounded by many obstacles and clouds, our faith is not complete. But we must strive to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and teachers of the church must seek to make the members of Christ, scholars of Christ who abound in the knowledge of the object of true faith, namely Jesus Christ.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The church has climate
An ethos is a tone, sentiment, or climate of a people or community. I like the word climate the best. Denominations and individual churches throughout history have had a myriad of climates; from war to greed, from gospel to legalism, from fundamentalism to 19th century Victorian acceptability etc. The question is not whether we should have an ethos; the question is which one, and who or what will give us this ethos.
When Dietrich Bonhoeffer traveled in America in 1930-31 he said this about the American church ethos. "The church is really no longer the place where the congregation hears and preaches God's word, but rather the place where one acquires secondary significance as a social entity for this or that purpose." Imagine coming to church only to hear about ourselves and our reason for having church!
No wonder people left the church from the 1950’s on. Why go when the climate is so bad or boring. Praise the Lord this is slowly changing.
God in Jesus Christ is true, challenging, divine, judging, holy, and world-changing. This is not bad or boring. To be in Christ and have him proclaimed in church is to be in an exciting environment, in a good climate.
When Dietrich Bonhoeffer traveled in America in 1930-31 he said this about the American church ethos. "The church is really no longer the place where the congregation hears and preaches God's word, but rather the place where one acquires secondary significance as a social entity for this or that purpose." Imagine coming to church only to hear about ourselves and our reason for having church!
No wonder people left the church from the 1950’s on. Why go when the climate is so bad or boring. Praise the Lord this is slowly changing.
God in Jesus Christ is true, challenging, divine, judging, holy, and world-changing. This is not bad or boring. To be in Christ and have him proclaimed in church is to be in an exciting environment, in a good climate.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes: God’s Spirit works to bring us faith in Christ.
I am at Book 3 in my summaries of Calvin's Institutes.
Having considered who God is, what we are (Bk. 1), and Christ the Redeemer (Bk 2); we now have the blessing and responsibility, as Calvin writes, to understand, “how we receive those benefits which the Father bestowed on His only begotten Son” (Pg., 537).
Because the main message of Bk.3 is how a sinner receives the blessing of God’s grace of salvation the main concepts of faith, prayer, and election are discussed. With the study of faith comes justification, merit, Christian liberty and all that. And when we talk of prayer, of course, the Christian engaged in faith asks God for forgiveness and salvation in Jesus name. All this raises the question of who will receive faith, and who is really heard of God. This brings us to election.
Well, here is the summary of ch.1
1. To have the Son is to have eternal life. However, to be without the Son is to be without God forever, and experience an existence without God’s love and blessing. This existence is in the Lake of Fire, and is truly hell because God in his love and mercy are not there. Calvin in all his ministry laboured to bring the gospel to men to bring them to Jesus’ blessing of life. May we do the same.
2. “All that he (Christ) possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with him” (Pg., 537). [Eph 4:15; Rom 8:29; Rom 11:17; Gal 3:27] And we will not grow into one body with him apart from the revealing work of the Holy Spirit.
3. Well, we are sitting at the edge of our seats. That is, those whom the Spirit is effectually calling want to know and embrace Christ.
Christ, our Redeemer, came to this earth with the fullness of the Spirit. [Jn 3:34] Calvin teaches that this special endowment of the Spirit upon Christ was for the express purpose of separating His people from the world and gather them “unto the hope of the eternal inheritance” (Pg., 538). [see section # 2. Pg., 538]
4. Also, “God the Father gives us the Holy Spirit for his Son’s sake” (Pg., 538). We receive the revelation of life and hope through the same Spirit Christ possessed; “without which no one can taste either the fatherly favour of God or the beneficence of Christ” (Pg., 539).
5. God the Holy Spirit has one great principle work. It is the giving, establishing and strengthening of faith, so that through faith in Christ we may have life in Christ. He is “the inner teacher by whose effort the promise of salvation penetrates into our minds” (Pg., 541).
6. True faith, “has not other source than the Spirit” (Pg., 541). [2 Thess 2:13; 1 Jn 4:34; 1 Jn 4:13; Jn 14:17] He is the Illuminator, the Teacher who draws to Christ those whom the Father has given to Christ. [Jn 6:44; 12:32; 17:6]
7. That we might be saved, Jesus, “ ‘Baptizes us in the Holy Spirit and fire’ [Lk 3:16], bringing us into the light of faith in his gospel and so regenerating us that we become new creatures [cf. 2 Cor 5:17]; and he consecrates us, purges us of uncleanness to be temples holy to God [cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16; Eph 2:21]” (Pg., 542).
Having considered who God is, what we are (Bk. 1), and Christ the Redeemer (Bk 2); we now have the blessing and responsibility, as Calvin writes, to understand, “how we receive those benefits which the Father bestowed on His only begotten Son” (Pg., 537).
Because the main message of Bk.3 is how a sinner receives the blessing of God’s grace of salvation the main concepts of faith, prayer, and election are discussed. With the study of faith comes justification, merit, Christian liberty and all that. And when we talk of prayer, of course, the Christian engaged in faith asks God for forgiveness and salvation in Jesus name. All this raises the question of who will receive faith, and who is really heard of God. This brings us to election.
Well, here is the summary of ch.1
1. To have the Son is to have eternal life. However, to be without the Son is to be without God forever, and experience an existence without God’s love and blessing. This existence is in the Lake of Fire, and is truly hell because God in his love and mercy are not there. Calvin in all his ministry laboured to bring the gospel to men to bring them to Jesus’ blessing of life. May we do the same.
2. “All that he (Christ) possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with him” (Pg., 537). [Eph 4:15; Rom 8:29; Rom 11:17; Gal 3:27] And we will not grow into one body with him apart from the revealing work of the Holy Spirit.
3. Well, we are sitting at the edge of our seats. That is, those whom the Spirit is effectually calling want to know and embrace Christ.
Christ, our Redeemer, came to this earth with the fullness of the Spirit. [Jn 3:34] Calvin teaches that this special endowment of the Spirit upon Christ was for the express purpose of separating His people from the world and gather them “unto the hope of the eternal inheritance” (Pg., 538). [see section # 2. Pg., 538]
4. Also, “God the Father gives us the Holy Spirit for his Son’s sake” (Pg., 538). We receive the revelation of life and hope through the same Spirit Christ possessed; “without which no one can taste either the fatherly favour of God or the beneficence of Christ” (Pg., 539).
5. God the Holy Spirit has one great principle work. It is the giving, establishing and strengthening of faith, so that through faith in Christ we may have life in Christ. He is “the inner teacher by whose effort the promise of salvation penetrates into our minds” (Pg., 541).
6. True faith, “has not other source than the Spirit” (Pg., 541). [2 Thess 2:13; 1 Jn 4:34; 1 Jn 4:13; Jn 14:17] He is the Illuminator, the Teacher who draws to Christ those whom the Father has given to Christ. [Jn 6:44; 12:32; 17:6]
7. That we might be saved, Jesus, “ ‘Baptizes us in the Holy Spirit and fire’ [Lk 3:16], bringing us into the light of faith in his gospel and so regenerating us that we become new creatures [cf. 2 Cor 5:17]; and he consecrates us, purges us of uncleanness to be temples holy to God [cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16; Eph 2:21]” (Pg., 542).
Does the church know the definitions?
The church and unbelieving world can and do use the same words. A few of the most popular words today are justice, peace, equality, relationship, and freedom. This is not bad. What’s bad is when the church uses these words in the same way as unbelieving society. Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon brought this out in their book, Resident Aliens.
“Big words like ‘peace’ and ‘justice,’ slogans the church adopts under the presumption that, even if people do not know what ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ means, they will know what peace and justice means, are words awaiting content. The church really does not know what these words mean apart from the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth…It is Jesus’ story that gives content to our faith, judges any institutional embodiment of our faith, and teaches us to be suspicious of any political slogan that does not need God to make itself credible” (Pg, 38).
Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and therefore also the defining shape for our words of justice, peace, relationship, and so on. The trouble for the believer in our Western Culture is in part that we are afraid to say Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, we have no more meaning to our justice, or peace, or relationship than today’s mere economist, politician, or democratic defender.
So the question does the church know the definitions? Not if we do not know the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Thankfully, many, many churches around the world are learning the Word of God.
“Big words like ‘peace’ and ‘justice,’ slogans the church adopts under the presumption that, even if people do not know what ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ means, they will know what peace and justice means, are words awaiting content. The church really does not know what these words mean apart from the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth…It is Jesus’ story that gives content to our faith, judges any institutional embodiment of our faith, and teaches us to be suspicious of any political slogan that does not need God to make itself credible” (Pg, 38).
Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and therefore also the defining shape for our words of justice, peace, relationship, and so on. The trouble for the believer in our Western Culture is in part that we are afraid to say Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, we have no more meaning to our justice, or peace, or relationship than today’s mere economist, politician, or democratic defender.
So the question does the church know the definitions? Not if we do not know the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Thankfully, many, many churches around the world are learning the Word of God.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes: Jesus our Mediator, our way to God.
We are at Book 2, chapter 17 in our ongoing summary of Calvin’s Institutes. It’s the last chapter of Book 2, and what a great ending it is. The topic is the merit of Christ and how he properly merited our salvation as our Mediator.
A few weeks ago I purchased T.F. Torrance’s, The Mediation of Christ. In it he recaptures the doctrine which was largely forgotten in 19th and 20th century theology. Torrance clearly shows that Athanasius, Calvin, and Barth asserted that only Christ and Christ alone is the bridge and way to God. Torrance also connects the mediatorship of Jesus to the Trinity. A great work to read along with Calvin.
1. God in his wisdom and purpose elected Jesus Christ to be our Mediator to gain salvation and new creation for his people. Calvin wrote, "In discussing Christ's merit, we do not consider the beginning of merit to be in him, but we go back to God's ordinance, the first cause. For God solely of his own good pleasure appointed him Mediator to obtain salvation for us" (Pg., 529).
2. Again. "Both God's free favor and Christ's obedience, each in its degree, are fitly opposed to our works. Apart from God's good pleasure Christ could not merit anything; but did so because he had been appointed to appease God's wrath with His sacrifice, and to blot out our transgressions with His obedience" (Pg., 529). Scripture testifies to the work of Christ in these passages. [Eph 4-5; 1 Jn 4:10; 2 Cor 5:21 etc.]
3. At this juncture Calvin asks how could God choose us in Christ and love us to such a degree that he ordains Jesus to be our Mediator. To put the question another way, “How could God love us in eternity past?”
Calvin said the answer was found in God’s purpose of reconciliation by the Person and work of Jesus. God contemplated the world as fallen; then according to his good pleasure he predestinated some of those sinners to salvation; then he decreed to redeem the elect by the atoning work of Christ; then in time, God decreed to apply Christ's redemptive work to the elect.
4. Through this Christ's grace is joined to God's love. In this work of Jesus, satisfaction, substitution and redemption were accomplished on the sinner's behalf, by Christ's work. God loved us so he gave Jesus Christ for our salvation. Jesus worked on our behalf as our Mediator to join us, or bring us to that love.
5. To explain this joining a little more we should remember Christ's work was also propitiatory. "If he paid the penalty owed by us, if he appeased God by his obedience - in short, if as a righteous man he suffered for unrighteous men - then he acquired salvation for us by his righteousness, which is tantamount to deserving it" (Pg., 530).
6. Christ's work was substitutionary. "Christ became a curse for us" [Gal 3:13]. "It was superfluous, even absurd, for Christ to be burdened with a curse, unless it was to acquire righteousness for others by paying what they owed" (Pg., 532). [Is 53:5, 8; 1 Pet 2:24]
7. Christ's work was redemptive. In our stead, Jesus paid what we could not nor would not pay. "God has given the price of redemption in the death of Christ [Rom 3:24]; then he bids us take refuge in Christ's blood, that having acquired righteousness we may stand secure before God's judgment [Rom 3:25]" (Pg., 532). [1 Pet 1:18-19; 1 Cor 6:20; 1 Tim 2:5-6; Col 1:14; 1 Jn 2:12; Eh 5:2; Gal 4:4-5]
A few weeks ago I purchased T.F. Torrance’s, The Mediation of Christ. In it he recaptures the doctrine which was largely forgotten in 19th and 20th century theology. Torrance clearly shows that Athanasius, Calvin, and Barth asserted that only Christ and Christ alone is the bridge and way to God. Torrance also connects the mediatorship of Jesus to the Trinity. A great work to read along with Calvin.
1. God in his wisdom and purpose elected Jesus Christ to be our Mediator to gain salvation and new creation for his people. Calvin wrote, "In discussing Christ's merit, we do not consider the beginning of merit to be in him, but we go back to God's ordinance, the first cause. For God solely of his own good pleasure appointed him Mediator to obtain salvation for us" (Pg., 529).
2. Again. "Both God's free favor and Christ's obedience, each in its degree, are fitly opposed to our works. Apart from God's good pleasure Christ could not merit anything; but did so because he had been appointed to appease God's wrath with His sacrifice, and to blot out our transgressions with His obedience" (Pg., 529). Scripture testifies to the work of Christ in these passages. [Eph 4-5; 1 Jn 4:10; 2 Cor 5:21 etc.]
3. At this juncture Calvin asks how could God choose us in Christ and love us to such a degree that he ordains Jesus to be our Mediator. To put the question another way, “How could God love us in eternity past?”
Calvin said the answer was found in God’s purpose of reconciliation by the Person and work of Jesus. God contemplated the world as fallen; then according to his good pleasure he predestinated some of those sinners to salvation; then he decreed to redeem the elect by the atoning work of Christ; then in time, God decreed to apply Christ's redemptive work to the elect.
4. Through this Christ's grace is joined to God's love. In this work of Jesus, satisfaction, substitution and redemption were accomplished on the sinner's behalf, by Christ's work. God loved us so he gave Jesus Christ for our salvation. Jesus worked on our behalf as our Mediator to join us, or bring us to that love.
5. To explain this joining a little more we should remember Christ's work was also propitiatory. "If he paid the penalty owed by us, if he appeased God by his obedience - in short, if as a righteous man he suffered for unrighteous men - then he acquired salvation for us by his righteousness, which is tantamount to deserving it" (Pg., 530).
6. Christ's work was substitutionary. "Christ became a curse for us" [Gal 3:13]. "It was superfluous, even absurd, for Christ to be burdened with a curse, unless it was to acquire righteousness for others by paying what they owed" (Pg., 532). [Is 53:5, 8; 1 Pet 2:24]
7. Christ's work was redemptive. In our stead, Jesus paid what we could not nor would not pay. "God has given the price of redemption in the death of Christ [Rom 3:24]; then he bids us take refuge in Christ's blood, that having acquired righteousness we may stand secure before God's judgment [Rom 3:25]" (Pg., 532). [1 Pet 1:18-19; 1 Cor 6:20; 1 Tim 2:5-6; Col 1:14; 1 Jn 2:12; Eh 5:2; Gal 4:4-5]
Friday, October 16, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes. His Commentary on the Apostles’ Creed, Part 4: Jesus the Resurrection, King, and Judge.
1. The Apostles Creed, like the bible does not stop with the trial, death and burial of the Redeemer. “On the third day He rose again from the dead” [1 Cor 15:4]. There must be more than death for our salvation; there must be resurrection.
2. Why? Calvin explains. “For since only weakness appears in the cross, death, and burial of Christ, faith must leap over all these things to attain its full strength. We have in His death the completed fulfilment of salvation, for through it we are reconciled to God, His righteous judgment is satisfied, the curse is removed, and the penalty paid in full. Nevertheless, we are said to ‘have been born anew to a living hope,’ not through His death but ‘through His resurrection’ [1 Pet 1:3]” (Pg., 520).
3. There would have been no hope of the glorious resurrection if Christ had been conquered by death rather than conquering death. [Rom 1:4; 2 Cor 13:4; 1 Cor 15:54-57]
4. The resurrected Christ is our Mediator [Rom 8:34]; the believer is raised with Christ [Rom 6:4; Col 3:1-5]. These words tell us plainly that we are to follow after holiness, and that we have been “reborn into righteousness through Christ’s power” (Pg., 522).
5. By his resurrection, “we are assured of our won resurrection by receiving a sort of guarantee substantiated by His” (Pg., 522). [1 Cor 15:12-26]
6. The Apostles Creed declares that Christ “ascended into heaven.” Calvin says that at this event “He truly inaugurated His Kingdom” (Pg., 522).
Calvin gives five reasons for this statement.
a) Jesus ascended into heaven that he might fill all things. (Eph 4:10)
b) He left us that he might be more useful to us; being our Mediator, our Advocate, and Intercessor. See section 16 on page 524.
c) Jesus went to the Father that he might send the fullness of the Spirit. (Jn 16:7)
d) Jesus was fully glorified. (Jn 7:39)
e) He went away so that he might come again in glory. (Jn 14:18-19; 16:14)
7. Calvin sums it up this way: “Carried up into heaven, therefore, He withdrew His bodily presence from our sight [Acts 1:9], not to cease to be present with believers still on their earthly pilgrimage, but to rule heaven and earth with more immediate power. But by His ascension He fulfilled what He had promised: that He would be with us even unto the end of the world” (Pg., 523).
8. The Apostles Creed then follows with the declaration that Jesus was “seated at the right hand of the Father.” Clearly this is the seat of sovereign authority. From here King Jesus rules His kingdom. [Eph 1:20-22 cf. Phil 2:9; 1 Cor 15:27]
9. Jesus the Redeemer is “sitting, enthroned that both heavenly and earthly creatures may look with admiration upon His majesty, be ruled by His hand, obey His nod, and submit to His power” (Pg., 524).
10. This Apostles Creed also gives us wonderful, yet sober news concerning the judging activity of our Redeemer: “From whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” In that last day, Christ will visibly come to judge and consequently, “No one - living or dead - shall escape His judgment” (Pg., 525). Hebrews 9:27 “And it is appointed for man to die once, but after this the judgment.”
11. Calvin gave wonderful consolation to the redeemed by telling them that the redeemed will never be destroyed by the great judge of heaven and earth.
12. “We perceive judgment to be in the hands of Him who has already destined us to share with Him the honour of judging [cf. Matt 19:28]! Far indeed is He from mounting His judgment seat to condemn us! How could our most merciful Ruler destroy His people” (Pg., 526).
13. From what the creed heralds concerning the work of the Redeemer, it is obvious that all of salvation and reconciliation is achieved and found in Christ alone. [Acts 4:12; 1 Cor 1:30]
2. Why? Calvin explains. “For since only weakness appears in the cross, death, and burial of Christ, faith must leap over all these things to attain its full strength. We have in His death the completed fulfilment of salvation, for through it we are reconciled to God, His righteous judgment is satisfied, the curse is removed, and the penalty paid in full. Nevertheless, we are said to ‘have been born anew to a living hope,’ not through His death but ‘through His resurrection’ [1 Pet 1:3]” (Pg., 520).
3. There would have been no hope of the glorious resurrection if Christ had been conquered by death rather than conquering death. [Rom 1:4; 2 Cor 13:4; 1 Cor 15:54-57]
4. The resurrected Christ is our Mediator [Rom 8:34]; the believer is raised with Christ [Rom 6:4; Col 3:1-5]. These words tell us plainly that we are to follow after holiness, and that we have been “reborn into righteousness through Christ’s power” (Pg., 522).
5. By his resurrection, “we are assured of our won resurrection by receiving a sort of guarantee substantiated by His” (Pg., 522). [1 Cor 15:12-26]
6. The Apostles Creed declares that Christ “ascended into heaven.” Calvin says that at this event “He truly inaugurated His Kingdom” (Pg., 522).
Calvin gives five reasons for this statement.
a) Jesus ascended into heaven that he might fill all things. (Eph 4:10)
b) He left us that he might be more useful to us; being our Mediator, our Advocate, and Intercessor. See section 16 on page 524.
c) Jesus went to the Father that he might send the fullness of the Spirit. (Jn 16:7)
d) Jesus was fully glorified. (Jn 7:39)
e) He went away so that he might come again in glory. (Jn 14:18-19; 16:14)
7. Calvin sums it up this way: “Carried up into heaven, therefore, He withdrew His bodily presence from our sight [Acts 1:9], not to cease to be present with believers still on their earthly pilgrimage, but to rule heaven and earth with more immediate power. But by His ascension He fulfilled what He had promised: that He would be with us even unto the end of the world” (Pg., 523).
8. The Apostles Creed then follows with the declaration that Jesus was “seated at the right hand of the Father.” Clearly this is the seat of sovereign authority. From here King Jesus rules His kingdom. [Eph 1:20-22 cf. Phil 2:9; 1 Cor 15:27]
9. Jesus the Redeemer is “sitting, enthroned that both heavenly and earthly creatures may look with admiration upon His majesty, be ruled by His hand, obey His nod, and submit to His power” (Pg., 524).
10. This Apostles Creed also gives us wonderful, yet sober news concerning the judging activity of our Redeemer: “From whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” In that last day, Christ will visibly come to judge and consequently, “No one - living or dead - shall escape His judgment” (Pg., 525). Hebrews 9:27 “And it is appointed for man to die once, but after this the judgment.”
11. Calvin gave wonderful consolation to the redeemed by telling them that the redeemed will never be destroyed by the great judge of heaven and earth.
12. “We perceive judgment to be in the hands of Him who has already destined us to share with Him the honour of judging [cf. Matt 19:28]! Far indeed is He from mounting His judgment seat to condemn us! How could our most merciful Ruler destroy His people” (Pg., 526).
13. From what the creed heralds concerning the work of the Redeemer, it is obvious that all of salvation and reconciliation is achieved and found in Christ alone. [Acts 4:12; 1 Cor 1:30]
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A great book on church growth.
Last night I read Dr. Jack C. Whytock’s book, Continental Calvinian Influences on the Scottish Reformation. You can purchase it from here http://www.haddingtonhouse.org/
Yes, as you probably guessed from the title this is a scholarly work on how the continental Reformers, particularly John a Lasco, Valerand Poullain, and the French Reformed Church impacted the 1560 Scottish Book of Discipline. So, it is about how church discipline was formulated in the old days. Sound dry and boring? No it is not.
Dr. Whytock shows that the Reformation was no monolithic affair. There were similarities (Calvinian similarities), but there was also great adaptability as the church grew. The Reformation Church sought to apply the bible to ad hoc situations and this brought with it both similarity and diversity. Dr. Whytock brings this out and then gives a dynamic conclusion. The conclusion is worth the book.
For the church to grow she needs to be growing; that is reforming. Dr. Whytock shows that the Reformation Church was not “institutionalized” but was growing as she grew. She sought to be a healthy church, organically alive for the sake of the gospel. The fact is we need in our day a healthy ecclesiology where we "define the church within God's mission." (Pg, 104). And to do that we must keep the church the body of Christ; not make it our institution by our institutionalism. We must keep on reforming.
When it comes to church discipline Dr. Whytock gives sound advice both to the libertines who would reject its practice, and the legalists who would abuse it. In the church he writes, "We are struggling with a new spirit of libertinism in much of the visible Christian community. The practice of discipline is to be undertaken in love; but a love which offers no restraints, correction, admonition and discipline is no love at all….A household cannot function well and for the good of all concerned with limitless libertine practices….Yet, at the same time a balance must be found between freedom and regulation – total freedom leads to problems; total regulation leads to problems” (Pg, 101). This is applied to the church. If there is no discipline and order; what will happen to the gospel? To put anther way, if there is no theology what will happen to the gospel? Our modern church needs to judge herself in this regard.
But on the other hand there is legalism. Dr. Whytock warns against this too. He correctly writes, “a legalistic spirit in the application of church discipline...leads to abuse." This legalism seeks to institutionalize discipline and then we make a machine out of the church. To institutionalize church discipline, "can lead to a fossilization of uniformity rather than a careful consideration of cultural context, providential circumstances, growth in wisdom and balanced diversity in the body of Christ" (Pg, 102). I think this can be applied to methods of preaching, church order, patterns of worship, or even a specific pietism. The church is different in different places after all.
This book helped me to realize that the Reformers were not institutionalized! They regulated themselves to the Scriptures in regards to the gospel, Christ, etc., but at the same time were free to incorporate methods needful to spread that gospel and help the church grow. The 16th century Reformers practiced semper reformanda in its study of Scripture and church life.
So why is this a good book on church growth? It is a story about the church in the 16th century which had one goal…to spread the gospel of Jesus by upholding it’s truth, helping it to be lived out in the lives of the people, and by setting the church as a place of organic growth where ministers, people, and church discipline are practiced in truth and love for the sake of the gospel.
To accomplish this multi-faceted goal the Reformers didn't box themselves in to their culture or another culture. They were flexible as they served to get the unchanging gospel to the people. That is why this book is helpful for us.
Yes, as you probably guessed from the title this is a scholarly work on how the continental Reformers, particularly John a Lasco, Valerand Poullain, and the French Reformed Church impacted the 1560 Scottish Book of Discipline. So, it is about how church discipline was formulated in the old days. Sound dry and boring? No it is not.
Dr. Whytock shows that the Reformation was no monolithic affair. There were similarities (Calvinian similarities), but there was also great adaptability as the church grew. The Reformation Church sought to apply the bible to ad hoc situations and this brought with it both similarity and diversity. Dr. Whytock brings this out and then gives a dynamic conclusion. The conclusion is worth the book.
For the church to grow she needs to be growing; that is reforming. Dr. Whytock shows that the Reformation Church was not “institutionalized” but was growing as she grew. She sought to be a healthy church, organically alive for the sake of the gospel. The fact is we need in our day a healthy ecclesiology where we "define the church within God's mission." (Pg, 104). And to do that we must keep the church the body of Christ; not make it our institution by our institutionalism. We must keep on reforming.
When it comes to church discipline Dr. Whytock gives sound advice both to the libertines who would reject its practice, and the legalists who would abuse it. In the church he writes, "We are struggling with a new spirit of libertinism in much of the visible Christian community. The practice of discipline is to be undertaken in love; but a love which offers no restraints, correction, admonition and discipline is no love at all….A household cannot function well and for the good of all concerned with limitless libertine practices….Yet, at the same time a balance must be found between freedom and regulation – total freedom leads to problems; total regulation leads to problems” (Pg, 101). This is applied to the church. If there is no discipline and order; what will happen to the gospel? To put anther way, if there is no theology what will happen to the gospel? Our modern church needs to judge herself in this regard.
But on the other hand there is legalism. Dr. Whytock warns against this too. He correctly writes, “a legalistic spirit in the application of church discipline...leads to abuse." This legalism seeks to institutionalize discipline and then we make a machine out of the church. To institutionalize church discipline, "can lead to a fossilization of uniformity rather than a careful consideration of cultural context, providential circumstances, growth in wisdom and balanced diversity in the body of Christ" (Pg, 102). I think this can be applied to methods of preaching, church order, patterns of worship, or even a specific pietism. The church is different in different places after all.
This book helped me to realize that the Reformers were not institutionalized! They regulated themselves to the Scriptures in regards to the gospel, Christ, etc., but at the same time were free to incorporate methods needful to spread that gospel and help the church grow. The 16th century Reformers practiced semper reformanda in its study of Scripture and church life.
So why is this a good book on church growth? It is a story about the church in the 16th century which had one goal…to spread the gospel of Jesus by upholding it’s truth, helping it to be lived out in the lives of the people, and by setting the church as a place of organic growth where ministers, people, and church discipline are practiced in truth and love for the sake of the gospel.
To accomplish this multi-faceted goal the Reformers didn't box themselves in to their culture or another culture. They were flexible as they served to get the unchanging gospel to the people. That is why this book is helpful for us.
Calvin’s Institutes. His Commentary on the Apostles’ Creed, Part 3: The life and obedience of Jesus for our salvation continued…
1. In his work of atonement and redemption, Christ was "crucified, died and was buried." Why did this take place? "For the price of our redemption" (pg., 511), and glorious sanctification.
2. In hanging upon the cross he became a curse in our stead. Our sin was put on him, by the Father’s gracious will [2 Cor 5:25;], in order that it would be taken away from us. This sacrifice was foreshadowed under Moses . “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” [1 Cor 15:3].
Calvin writes, "What was figuratively represented in the Mosaic sacrifices is manifested in Christ, the archetype of the figures. Therefore, to perform a perfect expiation, He gave His own life as an Asham, that is, as an expiatory offering for sin, as the prophet calls it in [Is 53:10 cf. v.5], upon which our stain and punishment might somehow be cast, and cease to be imputed to us" (Pg., 510).
3. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, because he was the sinners substitute. Calvin writes about this good news this way. "Christ was offered to the Father in death as an expiatory sacrifice that when He discharged all satisfaction through His sacrifice, we might cease to be afraid of God's wrath" (Pg., 510). [2 Cor 5:21; Rom 8:3; Is 53:6; 1 Pet 2:24; Gal 3:13-14; Col 2:14-15; Heb 9:14; Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5; Rev 1:51; Pet 3:18; 1 Jn 2:1-2; Gal 3:13; Rom 8:3].
4. Calvin gives six accomplishments Christ secured by His death.
a) He ensured that we would not die who are found in Him.
b) Redeemed us to life by His own death.
c) He engulfed death, which soon would have engulfed us.
d) Destroyed the power of death.
e) Destroyed the devil.
f) Mortified our earthly members. (we are crucified with Christ; Rom 6)
5. The Apostles' Creed reads that our Redeemer "asdescended into hell." How are we to understand this, when Jesus is our resurrection?
6. Calvin writes that not only did Christ suffer in the sight of man, but he also suffered in the sight of God. Calvin says, "No wonder, then, If He is said to have descended into hell, for He suffered the death that God in His wrath had inflicted upon the wicked" (Pg., 516).
7. "He bore the weight of divine severity, since He was stricken and afflicted [Is 53:5] by God's hand, and experienced all the signs of a wrathful and avenging God.......No more terrible abyss can be conceived than to feel yourself forsaken and estranged from God; and when you call upon Him, not to be heard. It is as if God Himself had plotted your ruin. We see that Christ was so cast down as to be compelled to cry out in deep anguish: 'My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?' [Ps 22:1; Matt 27:46]" (Pg., 517, 516).
2. In hanging upon the cross he became a curse in our stead. Our sin was put on him, by the Father’s gracious will [2 Cor 5:25;], in order that it would be taken away from us. This sacrifice was foreshadowed under Moses . “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” [1 Cor 15:3].
Calvin writes, "What was figuratively represented in the Mosaic sacrifices is manifested in Christ, the archetype of the figures. Therefore, to perform a perfect expiation, He gave His own life as an Asham, that is, as an expiatory offering for sin, as the prophet calls it in [Is 53:10 cf. v.5], upon which our stain and punishment might somehow be cast, and cease to be imputed to us" (Pg., 510).
3. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, because he was the sinners substitute. Calvin writes about this good news this way. "Christ was offered to the Father in death as an expiatory sacrifice that when He discharged all satisfaction through His sacrifice, we might cease to be afraid of God's wrath" (Pg., 510). [2 Cor 5:21; Rom 8:3; Is 53:6; 1 Pet 2:24; Gal 3:13-14; Col 2:14-15; Heb 9:14; Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5; Rev 1:51; Pet 3:18; 1 Jn 2:1-2; Gal 3:13; Rom 8:3].
4. Calvin gives six accomplishments Christ secured by His death.
a) He ensured that we would not die who are found in Him.
b) Redeemed us to life by His own death.
c) He engulfed death, which soon would have engulfed us.
d) Destroyed the power of death.
e) Destroyed the devil.
f) Mortified our earthly members. (we are crucified with Christ; Rom 6)
5. The Apostles' Creed reads that our Redeemer "asdescended into hell." How are we to understand this, when Jesus is our resurrection?
6. Calvin writes that not only did Christ suffer in the sight of man, but he also suffered in the sight of God. Calvin says, "No wonder, then, If He is said to have descended into hell, for He suffered the death that God in His wrath had inflicted upon the wicked" (Pg., 516).
7. "He bore the weight of divine severity, since He was stricken and afflicted [Is 53:5] by God's hand, and experienced all the signs of a wrathful and avenging God.......No more terrible abyss can be conceived than to feel yourself forsaken and estranged from God; and when you call upon Him, not to be heard. It is as if God Himself had plotted your ruin. We see that Christ was so cast down as to be compelled to cry out in deep anguish: 'My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?' [Ps 22:1; Matt 27:46]" (Pg., 517, 516).
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes. His Commentary on the Apostles’ Creed, Part 2: The life and obedience of Jesus for our salvation.
The Apostles’ Creed confesses what Jesus did while on earth. It does not recite his miracles, kind gestures to the children, or prayers. It simply says, “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell, and on the third day rose again from the dead.” Nevertheless this contains his whole work. Calvin asserts this in this section of his Institutes. My summary continues.
1. Christ the Redeemer abolished guilt, sin, alienation from God, and obtained righteousness and adoption for his people, “by the whole course of His obedience” (Pg., 507). [Rom 5:19; Gal 4:4-5; Matt 3:15]
2. Scripture does testify that Christ, by his life, death, first advent, and substitutionary sacrifice has redeemed His people [Matt 20:28; Rom 4:25; Jn 1:29; Rom 3:24-25; 5:9-10]. All these works are works of his obedience as God’s elect servant [Phil 2:7-8].
Some adamantly seek to maintain the two categories of the active and passive obedience of Christ. This seems as a matter of semantics to me because all of Christ’s work was active for our salvation.
3. As Calvin writes, “No proper sacrifice to God could have been offered unless Christ, disregarding his own feelings, subjected and yielded himself wholly to his Father’s will” (Pg., 508). [Heb 10:7-9] Calvin explains the obedience of Christ by explaining the Apostles Creed.
4. To what kind of death was he obedient to? It could not be an ordinary death. It had to be an atoning and propitiatory death. “To make satisfaction for our redemption a form of death had to be chosen in which he might free us both by transferring our condemnation to himself and by taking our guilt upon himself” (Pg., 509).
5. In his trial before Pilate, he took the role of a guilty man and an evil criminal.
6. In this trial there are two fulfilled prophecies which directly connect with the atoning work of Christ.
a. Jesus was nailed to the tree between two thieves fulfilling Is 53:12, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” “Why so? Surely that He might die in the place of the sinner, not of the righteous or innocent man. For He suffered death not because of innocence but because of sin” (Pg., 509).
b. Jesus was declared innocent by Pilot three times, fulfilling Psalm 69:4. Calvin explains, “Thus we shall behold the person of a sinner and evildoer represented in Christ, yet from his shining innocence it will at the same time be obvious that he was burdened with another’s sin rather than his own. This is our acquittal: the guilt that held us liable for punishment has been transferred to the head of the Son of God [Is 53:12]” (Pg., 509).
1. Christ the Redeemer abolished guilt, sin, alienation from God, and obtained righteousness and adoption for his people, “by the whole course of His obedience” (Pg., 507). [Rom 5:19; Gal 4:4-5; Matt 3:15]
2. Scripture does testify that Christ, by his life, death, first advent, and substitutionary sacrifice has redeemed His people [Matt 20:28; Rom 4:25; Jn 1:29; Rom 3:24-25; 5:9-10]. All these works are works of his obedience as God’s elect servant [Phil 2:7-8].
Some adamantly seek to maintain the two categories of the active and passive obedience of Christ. This seems as a matter of semantics to me because all of Christ’s work was active for our salvation.
3. As Calvin writes, “No proper sacrifice to God could have been offered unless Christ, disregarding his own feelings, subjected and yielded himself wholly to his Father’s will” (Pg., 508). [Heb 10:7-9] Calvin explains the obedience of Christ by explaining the Apostles Creed.
4. To what kind of death was he obedient to? It could not be an ordinary death. It had to be an atoning and propitiatory death. “To make satisfaction for our redemption a form of death had to be chosen in which he might free us both by transferring our condemnation to himself and by taking our guilt upon himself” (Pg., 509).
5. In his trial before Pilate, he took the role of a guilty man and an evil criminal.
6. In this trial there are two fulfilled prophecies which directly connect with the atoning work of Christ.
a. Jesus was nailed to the tree between two thieves fulfilling Is 53:12, “He was numbered with the transgressors.” “Why so? Surely that He might die in the place of the sinner, not of the righteous or innocent man. For He suffered death not because of innocence but because of sin” (Pg., 509).
b. Jesus was declared innocent by Pilot three times, fulfilling Psalm 69:4. Calvin explains, “Thus we shall behold the person of a sinner and evildoer represented in Christ, yet from his shining innocence it will at the same time be obvious that he was burdened with another’s sin rather than his own. This is our acquittal: the guilt that held us liable for punishment has been transferred to the head of the Son of God [Is 53:12]” (Pg., 509).
Monday, October 12, 2009
Great watermelon
My two girls were siting on our steps eating watermelon this past summer. Here is a picture. The reason I posted it is because it is a picture of joy and satisfaction. However our source of joy and satisfaction was not only watermelon; it was theology too. I remember the many theological and discussions about God we had on the porch. And of course talking about God and learning of his glory is like a refreshing watermelon to the taste. It statifies and makes us joyful.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes. His Commentary on the Apostles’ Creed, Part 1: Election comes first.
"How Christ Has Fulfilled the Function of Redeemer to Acquire Salvation for Us," is the first sentence in the title for Book II, chapter 16. The title is long and so is the chapter. Here Calvin basically gives his commentary on the Apostle’s Creed. Because of the length my summaries will span over a few entries.
But before Calvin gets to the Creed, election and predestination come up. Why? Well, if Jesus is the only Saviour who came to provide atonement for sin, who receives this atonement?
1. At the beginning of the chapter Calvin writes, “Condemned, dead, and lost in ourselves, we should seek righteousness, liberation, life and salvation in Him, as we are taught by that well-known saying of Peter: ‘There is not other name under heaven given to men in which we must be saved’ [Acts 4:12]” (Pg., 508).
2. The decree of God is that Christ alone is the Redeemer and “He has come to save His people form their sins.” [Matt 1:21]
3. Christ came to redeem us from the wrath and curse of God. However, the question of predestination and election always comes up at this point. Calvin writes, “it is fitting that God, who anticipates us by His mercy, should have been our enemy until He was reconciled to us through Christ. For how could He have given in His only-begotten Son a singular pledge of His love to us if He had not already embraced us with His free favour?” (Pg, 504).
4. Many think this is a contradiction, but it is not. The Bible teaches that all, even the elect of God are born in sin and under guilt [Rom 5:10; Gal 3:10, 13; Col 1:21-22; Eph 2:1-9]. These expressions are given so the elect, by and through the convicting work and effectual call of the Spirit, will understand their sinful condition and God’s salvation in Christ alone.
5. All that will ever be saved are saved because of eternal election and predestination. But it must be remembered that they are chosen by the Father’s love to be delivered from sin and wrath; and they are predestined to be redeemed from sin and holy wrath - in time.
6. Calvin sums it up: “Since our hearts cannot, in God’s mercy, either seize upon life ardently enough to accept it with the gratefulness we owe, unless our minds are first struck and overwhelmed by fear of God’s wrath and by dread of eternal death, we are taught by Scripture to perceive that apart from Christ, God is, so to speak, hostile to us, and His hand is armed for our destruction; to embrace His benevolence and fatherly love in Christ alone” (Pg., 505).
7. We are not loveable due to our sin. We deserve God’s judgement, because we have earned it by nature and action. However, because God’s people are predestined to be redeemed by Christ, “the Lord will not lose what is His in us” (Pg., 505).
8. We brought death upon ourselves through Adam, yet the elect remain God’ creatures. Yet, due to man’s sin and God’s holiness alienation exists between God and man.
9. “Therefore, to take away all cause for enmity and to reconcile us utterly to Himself, He wipes out all evil in us by the expiation set forth in the death of Christ; that we, who were previously unclean and impure, may show ourselves righteous and holy in His sight. Therefore, by His love God the Father goes before and anticipates our reconciliation in Christ. Indeed, ‘because He first loved us’ [1 Jn 4:19], He afterward reconciles us to Himself” (Pg., 506).
10. Calvin quotes, in my judgment one of the most beautiful passages from Augustine to explain how God can at the same time love and hate those whom he chose in Christ before the foundation of the world. Here it is.
“God’s love is incomprehensible and unchangeable. For it was not after we were reconciled to him through the blood of his Son that he began to love us. Rather, he has loved us before the world was created, that we also might be his sons along with his only begotten Son – before we became anything at all. The fact that we are reconciled through Christ’s death must not be understood as if his Son reconciled us to him that he might now begin to love those whom he had hated. Rather, we have already been reconciled to him who loves us, with whom we were enemies on account of sin. The Apostle will testify whether I am speaking the truth: ‘God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us’ [Rom 5:8]. Therefore, he loved us even when we practiced enmity toward him and committed wickedness. Thus, in a marvellous and divine way he loved us even when he hated us. For he hated us for what we were that he had made; yet because our wickedness had not entirely consumed his handiwork, he knew how, at the same time, to hate in each one of us what we had made, and to love what he had made.” This is from Augustine’s work of John’s gospel, NPNV VII.411.
But before Calvin gets to the Creed, election and predestination come up. Why? Well, if Jesus is the only Saviour who came to provide atonement for sin, who receives this atonement?
1. At the beginning of the chapter Calvin writes, “Condemned, dead, and lost in ourselves, we should seek righteousness, liberation, life and salvation in Him, as we are taught by that well-known saying of Peter: ‘There is not other name under heaven given to men in which we must be saved’ [Acts 4:12]” (Pg., 508).
2. The decree of God is that Christ alone is the Redeemer and “He has come to save His people form their sins.” [Matt 1:21]
3. Christ came to redeem us from the wrath and curse of God. However, the question of predestination and election always comes up at this point. Calvin writes, “it is fitting that God, who anticipates us by His mercy, should have been our enemy until He was reconciled to us through Christ. For how could He have given in His only-begotten Son a singular pledge of His love to us if He had not already embraced us with His free favour?” (Pg, 504).
4. Many think this is a contradiction, but it is not. The Bible teaches that all, even the elect of God are born in sin and under guilt [Rom 5:10; Gal 3:10, 13; Col 1:21-22; Eph 2:1-9]. These expressions are given so the elect, by and through the convicting work and effectual call of the Spirit, will understand their sinful condition and God’s salvation in Christ alone.
5. All that will ever be saved are saved because of eternal election and predestination. But it must be remembered that they are chosen by the Father’s love to be delivered from sin and wrath; and they are predestined to be redeemed from sin and holy wrath - in time.
6. Calvin sums it up: “Since our hearts cannot, in God’s mercy, either seize upon life ardently enough to accept it with the gratefulness we owe, unless our minds are first struck and overwhelmed by fear of God’s wrath and by dread of eternal death, we are taught by Scripture to perceive that apart from Christ, God is, so to speak, hostile to us, and His hand is armed for our destruction; to embrace His benevolence and fatherly love in Christ alone” (Pg., 505).
7. We are not loveable due to our sin. We deserve God’s judgement, because we have earned it by nature and action. However, because God’s people are predestined to be redeemed by Christ, “the Lord will not lose what is His in us” (Pg., 505).
8. We brought death upon ourselves through Adam, yet the elect remain God’ creatures. Yet, due to man’s sin and God’s holiness alienation exists between God and man.
9. “Therefore, to take away all cause for enmity and to reconcile us utterly to Himself, He wipes out all evil in us by the expiation set forth in the death of Christ; that we, who were previously unclean and impure, may show ourselves righteous and holy in His sight. Therefore, by His love God the Father goes before and anticipates our reconciliation in Christ. Indeed, ‘because He first loved us’ [1 Jn 4:19], He afterward reconciles us to Himself” (Pg., 506).
10. Calvin quotes, in my judgment one of the most beautiful passages from Augustine to explain how God can at the same time love and hate those whom he chose in Christ before the foundation of the world. Here it is.
“God’s love is incomprehensible and unchangeable. For it was not after we were reconciled to him through the blood of his Son that he began to love us. Rather, he has loved us before the world was created, that we also might be his sons along with his only begotten Son – before we became anything at all. The fact that we are reconciled through Christ’s death must not be understood as if his Son reconciled us to him that he might now begin to love those whom he had hated. Rather, we have already been reconciled to him who loves us, with whom we were enemies on account of sin. The Apostle will testify whether I am speaking the truth: ‘God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us’ [Rom 5:8]. Therefore, he loved us even when we practiced enmity toward him and committed wickedness. Thus, in a marvellous and divine way he loved us even when he hated us. For he hated us for what we were that he had made; yet because our wickedness had not entirely consumed his handiwork, he knew how, at the same time, to hate in each one of us what we had made, and to love what he had made.” This is from Augustine’s work of John’s gospel, NPNV VII.411.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Calvin’s Institutes: Jesus the Prophet, King, and Priest.
As promised in my last post...I'm back at it with Calvin's Institutes.
Chapter 15 of Book 2 describes Jesus’ threefold offices.
1. This God-man, our Redeemer perfectly executes the offices of Prophet, King, and Priest to secure redemption.
2. The prophet of Israel spoke of the coming true and eternal Prophet. [Is 55:4; 9:6; 28:29; Jer 32:19; Heb 1:1-2; Ps 74:9; Dan 9:24]
3. Jesus Christ the perfect Prophet proclaimed perfect truth. “The perfect doctrine He has brought has made an and to all prophecies....the prophetic dignity in Christ leads us to know that in the sum of doctrine as He has given it to us, all parts of perfect wisdom are contained” (Pg., 496).
4. Jesus the Mediator is also King. This Kingship is real, yet spiritual in nature. Therefore it is eternal and victorious. Christ’s kingdom is the church and “God surely promises here that through the hand of His Son He will be the eternal protector and defender of His church......Whenever we hear of Christ as armed with eternal power, let us remember that the perpetuity of the church is secure in this protection” (Pg., 497).
5. As Christ is King over his kingdom so is he king over his people. This means that he blesses us spiritually. He rules us “more for our own sake than for His” (Pg., 498).
6. What are these blessings? (1) Eternal salvation. (2) “Courage to stand unconquerable against all the assaults of spiritual enemies” (Pg., 498). (3) Victory over the world, flesh, and devil. (4) Spiritual hopes and Joys. (5) Eternal communion with the King Himself. [Rom 14:17] See the middle paragraph on page 499.
7. Christ is a sovereign King (1 Cor 8:6; Phil 2:9-11), and “believers stand unconquered through the strength of their King, and His spiritual riches abound in them. Hence they are justly called Christians” (Pg., 500).
8. Jesus the Mediator is also our great High Priest. He was and is great and high, because he was both Priest and sacrifice. He offered himself up to God. “The priestly office belongs to Christ alone because by the sacrifice of His death He blotted out our own guilt and made satisfaction for our sins [Heb 9:22]” (Pg., 502).
9. His sacrificial work was offered once and is not an eternal activity, but his priestly intercessory work is eternal. Not only is he our satisfaction and reconciliation before God; but he is now and forever receiving us as “his companions” in his priestly work. In other words, we through him are priests before God.
10. “For we who are defiled in ourselves, yet are priests in Him, offer ourselves and our all to God, and freely enter the heavenly sanctuary that the sacrifices of prayers and praise that we bring may be acceptable and sweet-smelling before God” (Pg., 502).
Chapter 15 of Book 2 describes Jesus’ threefold offices.
1. This God-man, our Redeemer perfectly executes the offices of Prophet, King, and Priest to secure redemption.
2. The prophet of Israel spoke of the coming true and eternal Prophet. [Is 55:4; 9:6; 28:29; Jer 32:19; Heb 1:1-2; Ps 74:9; Dan 9:24]
3. Jesus Christ the perfect Prophet proclaimed perfect truth. “The perfect doctrine He has brought has made an and to all prophecies....the prophetic dignity in Christ leads us to know that in the sum of doctrine as He has given it to us, all parts of perfect wisdom are contained” (Pg., 496).
4. Jesus the Mediator is also King. This Kingship is real, yet spiritual in nature. Therefore it is eternal and victorious. Christ’s kingdom is the church and “God surely promises here that through the hand of His Son He will be the eternal protector and defender of His church......Whenever we hear of Christ as armed with eternal power, let us remember that the perpetuity of the church is secure in this protection” (Pg., 497).
5. As Christ is King over his kingdom so is he king over his people. This means that he blesses us spiritually. He rules us “more for our own sake than for His” (Pg., 498).
6. What are these blessings? (1) Eternal salvation. (2) “Courage to stand unconquerable against all the assaults of spiritual enemies” (Pg., 498). (3) Victory over the world, flesh, and devil. (4) Spiritual hopes and Joys. (5) Eternal communion with the King Himself. [Rom 14:17] See the middle paragraph on page 499.
7. Christ is a sovereign King (1 Cor 8:6; Phil 2:9-11), and “believers stand unconquered through the strength of their King, and His spiritual riches abound in them. Hence they are justly called Christians” (Pg., 500).
8. Jesus the Mediator is also our great High Priest. He was and is great and high, because he was both Priest and sacrifice. He offered himself up to God. “The priestly office belongs to Christ alone because by the sacrifice of His death He blotted out our own guilt and made satisfaction for our sins [Heb 9:22]” (Pg., 502).
9. His sacrificial work was offered once and is not an eternal activity, but his priestly intercessory work is eternal. Not only is he our satisfaction and reconciliation before God; but he is now and forever receiving us as “his companions” in his priestly work. In other words, we through him are priests before God.
10. “For we who are defiled in ourselves, yet are priests in Him, offer ourselves and our all to God, and freely enter the heavenly sanctuary that the sacrifices of prayers and praise that we bring may be acceptable and sweet-smelling before God” (Pg., 502).
Time to start again & Calvin's early method
If there are any readers out there who have come here to see what is up and have been disappointed to see nothing new, my apologies. I have been taken up with other projects. However, my work with Calvin's Institutes has continued and I am ready to begin posting again. Thanks for your patience.
Working on other projects I came accross Calvin's work entilted The Psycopanachia. In it Calvin defends the immortality of the soul against the Catabaptists who touted soul sleep or anhialationism. This is actually his first theological writing project and very few people have commented on this work. During this whole year of Calvin conferences and works I have not come accross any lecture or chapter discussin it. Anyway, what I want to highlight here is his method.
In his De Clementia (his commentary on Senec's De Clementia), and Psycopanachia Calvin uses the standard aristitelian, scholastic method. But he did not use that method in his Institutes, sermons, or commentatries. What makes this all the more interesting is that he began writing the Institutes when he was finishing the Psycopanachia. And you can tell at the end of the Psycopanachia, and in a new edition which he finished later he began moving away from this method.
One of the benefits of Calvin's Institutes and other works is his method. He uses reason and logic but always as servants of Christ and Scripture. Therefore, his Institutes still retains the mystery of God and his commentaries and sermons go where Scripture goes.
Working on other projects I came accross Calvin's work entilted The Psycopanachia. In it Calvin defends the immortality of the soul against the Catabaptists who touted soul sleep or anhialationism. This is actually his first theological writing project and very few people have commented on this work. During this whole year of Calvin conferences and works I have not come accross any lecture or chapter discussin it. Anyway, what I want to highlight here is his method.
In his De Clementia (his commentary on Senec's De Clementia), and Psycopanachia Calvin uses the standard aristitelian, scholastic method. But he did not use that method in his Institutes, sermons, or commentatries. What makes this all the more interesting is that he began writing the Institutes when he was finishing the Psycopanachia. And you can tell at the end of the Psycopanachia, and in a new edition which he finished later he began moving away from this method.
One of the benefits of Calvin's Institutes and other works is his method. He uses reason and logic but always as servants of Christ and Scripture. Therefore, his Institutes still retains the mystery of God and his commentaries and sermons go where Scripture goes.
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