John Calvin - defender of the doctrines of grace

Calvinism is the term given to the theological work of the Geneva reformer of the 16th century, John Calvin. John Calvin was a masterful expositor of the scriptures who, among many things, has helped us understand the Sovereignty of God in all things, particularly in Salvation. Some misunderstand Calvinism as diminishing the love of God, making God out to be a monster. However the work of John Calvin, rather than diminishing the character of God, holds it in the highest esteem, helping us to see and marvel at the Glory of God, which in turn gives us a right understanding of ourselves in our complete helplessness and dependency. "It begins, it centres, it ends with the vision of God in His gory: and it sets itself before all things to render to God His rights in every sphere of life-activity" -B.B. Warfield.

1      John Calvin- Defender of thedoctrines of grace

John Calvin was born in 1509 in France. He grew up under the influence of Christian humanism which was prevalent in France at the time however underwent a 'sudden conversion' which caused him to abandon his former worldview and commited himself to the study of Scirpture and the Reformation teaching. In 1536 he published the first edition o f his instituted of the Christian Religion. He spent most of His time in Strasburg and Geneva where he patiently worked and struggled for many years, seeking to put into practice his beliefs about the gospel, church and society. In a time where the removal of Roman Catholicm and its restrains, many speculations arose which threatened the dissolution of moral standards and social order. Calvin took the lead in defining the new forms of Christian life and work, of church and community life. His whole life-work therefore, is an important and chellenging illustration of how our theology, if it is healthy, should be related to our life-situation.

Calvin's theology is a theology of the word of God. He held that the inspired and God 'dictated' revelation given to us through Scripture is the only reliable source of our knowledge of God, as the natural revelation of God through the creation is suppressed through our wickedness (Rom. 1:18-25). The Scriptures therefore must be regarded as having infallible authority. Calvin believed that there is a basic unity in the teaching of Scripture, and that the theologian must seek to clarify and give expression to this unity in the orderly setting out of its doctrines giving justice to the whole content of the written word of God. He also recognized that Scripture was given to us by God not simply to present us today with truths and doctrines, but also to enable us to experience a personal encounter with the person to whom the written word bears witness, the Word of God, the second person in the trinity.

The core of Calvinism is the Zwinglian insistence on the literal reading of Christian scriptures. Anything not contained explicitly and literally in these scriptures was to be rejected; on the other hand, anything that was contained explicitly and literally in these scriptures was to be followed unwaveringly. It is the latter point that Calvin developed beyond Zwingli's model; not only should all religious belief be founded on the literal reading of Scriptures, but church organization, political organization, and society itself should be founded on this literal reading.

Calvin did not therefore attempt to create a systematic theology by subjecting the turhs of Scritpure to any controlling principles of human thought or logic. he tried rather to allow his thinking to be controlled by the whole word which God had spoken in Christ. His belief in the unity of the two testaments enabled him to interpret one text by the whole of Scripture and endeavoured to understand God in such a way that allowed God to reveal his attributed without any aspect cancelling out another. That God as Sovereign, is both just and a merciful saviour.

Probably the most significant contribution to our understanding of God's word was Calvin's teaching of the doctrines of grace, otherwise known as predestination or election. Calvin defines predestination and reprobation as,

“God's eternal decree, by which He compacted with himself what he willed to become of each man. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is foreordained for some, eternal damnation for others” (Inst. III, 21, 5).

He assures us that God is always providentially at work sustaining and guiding the whole of his creation, and directing the whole course of human history with gracious fatherly concern, whilst giving special care to His church. We are never in the hands of 'fate' or 'chance' but, he explains, that by a decree of God from the remotest eternity, the plans and wills of people are so governed as to move exactly on the course which he has destined. When he discusses predestination he traces the rejection of the non-elect back to this decree of God.

It is commonly been recorded that the greatestinfluence on Calvin's doctrine of predestination was Augustine. Calvinconstantly read Augustine, quoted him at every opportunity, appropriated hisexpressions, and regarded his teachings as his ally in the face of controversyCalvin recognized that there were many who wished that "every mention ofpredestination be buried"(Inst. III, 21, 3). Calvin, however, reminds us that predestination is a biblical concept, and that nothing is taught in Scripture "but what is expedient to know"(Inst. III, 21, 3). Calvin warns that to reject the preaching and expounding of predestination on the pretext that it may trouble "weaker souls" is to openly reproach God"as if he had un-advisedly let slip something hurtful to the church"(Inst. III, 21, 4). This doctrine he taught helps the individual to live the Christian life with full assurance and he believed that no Christian could be confident unless he had some sense of his election to salvation. He believed that while Scripture taught this doctrine, it also pointed out that those who refused to believe must be predestined to damnation. It is significant that next to his chapters on predestination in the Institutes Calvin places his magnificent chapter on prayer which emphasize the personal character of God and the sovereignty of God which gives us confidence to appeal to God in all matters.

Discussing how the fall has affected mankind, originally made in the image of God, Calvin used the phrase 'total depravity' in the sense that no aspect of man's original being or activity has been unaffected by his sin. In all our dealings with others, we ourselves must still regard each person as being still in that image no matter how small the remnant left may be. He discussed taht there are two spheres in which human life is set by God - the spiritual and temporal. With regard to spiritual or heavenly matters mankind has been wholly deprived of all true knowledge and ability with every faculty of a person being corrupted -mind, heart and will. With regard to temporal or earthly activities, the natural man still retains admirable qualities and abilities by which to conduct his manifold human affairs.

Nine chapters of the Institutes were devoted to the doctrine of justification by grace alone, and the Christian liberty this involved, which he preceded by nine chapters on sanctification and repentance. He thus stressed the fact that there can be no forgiveness without repentance since both graces flow from our union with Christ and neither can be propr to the other. He insisted limited atonement saying that nothing which Christ suffered or did for us in his redeeming work is of any use if we are not united to him by faith, on order to receive personally from him the grace which he gives His elect by the Holy Spirit. Thus he exhorted that the Christian must not only be united to Christ and the evidence of this vital form of true faith is they will live in conformity to Christ in his death and resurrection. Calvin attacks the root of human sin in self love, and shows that self-denial can alone be the basis of outgoing love to all people.

Calvin also taught about Christ's three fold office- prophet, priest and king, the functions the person of Jesus filfilled as both man and God, the trinity, Church governence, caring for the poor, sacraments and the relationship between church and state. All He has taught has shown to be a solid foundation on which the church may go to stand firm in scripture.