GLORY TO GOD

JOHN CALVIN

General Information

First of the second generation reformers.Born in Noyon, France into a well-to-do

family; (father worked for the bishop of Noyon as somewhat of an administrative assistant and mother was the daughter of an innkeeper).

When he was 12 he obtained a benefice from the bishop of Noyon and entered minor orders.

Entered University at Paris in 1523 in preparation for a career in the clergy.

He was not too impressed by the sophistry of scholastic theology at Paris.

Left at the behest of his father in 1528 to study law, first at Orleans and later at Bourges.

His legal training afforded him two major things: A grounding in “practical affairs” that later came

in very handy as he reshaped the institutions of Geneva.

It exposed him “to the study of ancient texts” as well as the classics of antiquity.

After the death of his father in 1531 he took up the study of literature which was his true passion.

Initially, he did not look favorably at the teachings of Luther and the reformation.

His conversion from Catholicism to Evangelicalism came somewhere between 1527 and 1534.

In commenting on his conversion in a 1555 poem, Calvin portrayed three important trends of thought: His conversion came as a direct result of God’s initiative. He saw God as subduing his heart until it became docile. Reticence as regards being on the forefront as a

reformer.

In 1533 he narrowly escaped from Paris with his life. Nicholas Cop, a friend of his, preached a sermon on All Saints Day that proclaimed Christ as the only mediator, leaving no room for the saints.

Fled to Basel, a city that had embraced the teaching of the Reformation.

First edition of his Institutes was published at Basel in 1536; Erasmus, whose work he admired, died at Basel in June of that same year.

This volume was an instant success and its publication marks the start of a new chapter in his life.

His intention was to produce a catechetical work so that his countrymen would receive instruction in the things of God.

In 1536 he decided to move to Strasbourg but due to military conflict he took a detour that saw him going to Geneva.

Was persuaded by Guillaume Farel to stay in Geneva since if he should not do so he would be under the condemnation of God.

First Geneva Period 1536 – 1538:Began his reform taking people back to

Word of God. Saw himself as a Reader in Holy Scripture to the Church in Geneva.

Presented lectures on Romans.Proposed the following reforms:

Systematic discipline for all citizens Confession of faith by all Only believers are allowed to participate in the Lord’s

Supper

Young should be instructed in the faith and in good citizenship.

Introduced music in worship. Thus the Psalms were sung as an embellishment of the divine service.

Established a civil commission to judge matrimonial questions by the Word of God.

Established lay officials to watch citizen conduct. Instituted a system of Church discipline whereby

Church officials were appointed to the responsibility of carrying out discipline.

Pastors should not only preach but watch over lives of their flock.

Strasbourg Period 1538 – 1541:Pastored a French congregation.Spent three days per week as a “lecturer

in Holy Scripture” in a local school.Published a revised edition of his

Institutes, August 1539. He also published his Commentary on

Romans that same year, 1539.

Functioned as somewhat of a “Church statesman” in an effort to reconcile the German and Swiss Protestants.

During this period he also participated with Bucer, chief reformer in Strasbourg, in attempts to reunite Protestants and Catholics.

Got married to Idelette de Bure, a woman whose “conversion” from Anabaptism to the Reformed faith he was responsible for.

Second Geneva Period 1541 – 1564:Genevans basically were begging him to

return but he was not willing so to do.Persuaded by Bucer to return; Bucer

compared his reluctance to that of Jonah’s.

Returned under condition that he had a salary and a place to live

Set up a Consistory which was a disciplinary body for the church

Felt the state was obligated :to protect the church and establish

the true faithsafeguard private property regulate morality to the word of God

Believed in a republican form of government

Experienced opposition from City Council between 1546-55

Michael Servetus, condemned as a heretic by the Catholic Church came to Geneva in 1553. Servetus denied the Trinity as well as Christ’s divinity.

He was apprehended and burned at stake. Solidified Calvin’s shaky political base in Geneva.

Wrote his final edition of the Institutes in 1559

Established the Geneva Academy in 1559. This Academy was used for the purpose of

training young men for ministry.

Major Contributions to the Reformation

Doctrine of God:God is deserving of all glory because He is

God.God is sovereign, has absolute authority and is

the lawgiver.God is gracious but He is also absolutely just. No one can bring God’s actions into judgment.Whatever God wills is, ipso facto, righteous.For the most part he rejects the scholastic

distinctions of potentia dei absoluta and potentia dei ordinata.

Soteriology:Because of our sinful condition, salvation

can only be a reality through Divine intervention.

Justification is the hinge on which religion turns.

Justification involves acceptance, remission and imputation.

Justification is by faith and “faith unites the believer to Christ in a ‘mystic union.”’

It is through this “union” that the believer is led to a justifying experience.

Acceptance is the gracious acceptance by God. God accepts us because of what Christ has done for us.

Remission is the forgiveness of sins.Imputation is the receiving of the

righteousness of Christ.

What Christ has done on the cross is only meaningful to us when we accept it.

For him when one comes into union with Christ, the process of regeneration begins.

Regeneration is the process of being changed into the image of God. This process is also known as sanctification.

Regeneration, just as is the case with justification, is a concomitant of the believer’s union with Christ.

Predestination:Calvin’s three main arguments for

predestination are: Jesus was foreordained from the womb before He had

done anything meritorious. God chose Israel because of His love for them. Israel

did not do anything that led God to choose them. Thus God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. God’s choice is outside of the individual. The holy life of the Christian is the evidence of God choosing him/her for salvation.

Those who have been chosen by God are His and no one can change that. Some people belong to God by His grace and they have been given to Jesus. Grace chooses the elect and the rejected are not rejected because of their works.

Predestination - eternal decree of God for all. God has not created everyone in the “same condition.”

Predestination is the decretum horrible, not a “horrible decree” but an awe-inspiring one.

God actively chooses those who will be saved and those who will be condemned.

Context of Predestination follows exposition on grace. To the “praise of His Grace” some are chosen for salvation; and to the “praise of His justice” some are chosen for damnation.

Mystery of divine revelation and as such should not be seen as being a product of human speculation.

God’s election is not limited to salvation; this can be seen within the overall context of life.

Predestination helps to shed light on the fact that some respond positively to the message of the Gospel and some do not.

God is not circumscribed by law rather; it is His sovereign will that is the “foundation of existing conceptions of morality.”

Ultimately predestination lies within the realm of “the inscrutable judgments of God.”

The Church and the State:Marks of true church: Word of God preached

and Sacraments ministered.The Church is the divinely established body of

God.Church exists for the sanctification of the

people.Church is necessary because God has instituted

it as an outward means whereby we can understand the Gospel.

The Church is a “communion of saints” where the members practice sharing.

Unlike Luther, he sees the Church as being “mother.”

The pastoral ministry is very important within the Church. God has called human leaders to lead the Church and we ought to obey them.

A suffering Church; this is due to the fact that the “Gospel provokes controversy.”

Manifestations of the church Visible: Community of believers good and bad Invisible: Fellowship of saints and company of elect

known only to God. Church Organization: Four major positions

Pastors: Preach word, administer sacraments Elders: Oversee life and discipline Doctors: Instruct in sound doctrine Deacons: Administration and welfare duties

Role of the state finds its foundation in Divine ordination.

State is ordained by God as a means of preserving human well-being; state is not a punishment given by God to afflict humankind.

State has the God-given authority to “shed human blood in the public interest.”

State is responsible for promoting human good and restraining “human wickedness.”

Obedience to the state is not “on the grounds of human necessity, but on the grounds of obedience to God.”

God, at times, may use “tyrannical rulers … as a means of punishment” for the sins of Christians.

The Sacraments:Identity giving; sacraments give form to the

Christian churchDefined as being “an external symbol by which

the Lord seals on our consciences his promises of good will towards us in order to sustain the weakness of our faith.”

“Visible sign of scared thing, or a visible form of an invisible grace.”

God’s gracious accommodation to our weaknesses, adaptation to our limitations.

Sees a close connection between the “symbol” and the thing that is symbolized so that it is possible to “easily pass from one to the other.”

Two SacramentsBaptism:

Public demonstration of allegiance to God Sign of initiation into society of the Church

Communion: Divine promise of assurance that Christ’s sacrifice is

for them Receiving Christ’s body Participates by faith in the benefits of Christ’s work.