By Matthew Everhard
Theology
Theology
As I suggested in my previous post (see part 1 of 3) Calvin’s theology is nothing short of
brilliant—not for its innovation, but rather for its fidelity to God’s Word. We
might be able to summarize his theology accurately under four primary headings.
First, as a basic presupposition, Calvin held that the Bible is the very Word
of God. While we may take this for granted today, it was not at all certain
among those living in the 1500’s! Church tradition, the authority of the Pope,
and even “the dreams of fanatics” (a phrase he often used to deride his
heretical opponents) all battled for authority against the sacred text of
Scripture. He often relied heavily upon this doctrine, “Sola Scriptura,” with
his many conflicts against the Roman Catholics as well as against outright
heretics like Michael Servetus. If the Bible was not seen to be the Word of
God, common ground would be impossible. Calvin worked tirelessly to overthrow
all rivals to Scripture itself.
Secondly, Calvin was absolutely consumed by the glory of
God. For Calvin, God was the supreme ruler over the entire universe. God is the
creator of all things, the writer of all history, and the planner of all
events. For this reason, Calvin was consumed by the providence of God as an
explanation for all events, including the salvation of the soul. Calvin rightly
recognized that, due to the fall of man, human beings are simply incapable of
being saved by their own work or efforts. God Himself would have to intervene.
God’s chosen way of intervention to redeem humanity was to become a human being
Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ’s perfect life and death on the
cross as a substitutionary sacrifice afforded mankind the only hope of
salvation by grace, through faith. Calvin insisted, as all evangelicals rightly
do today, that “salvation is found in no one else; for there is no other name
given under heaven among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Because of Calvin’s passion for the sovereignty of God, he
firmly taught the biblical doctrine of election (or predestination) found in
such Biblical texts as Ephesians one and Romans nine. This, for Calvin, was an
essential that must be understood, for apart from divine grace through
election, mankind was simply unable to “choose” God on his own without God
intervening first, to give new birth to the heart. Salvation then, for Calvin,
was entirely a matter of God’s work. True, mankind must repent and believe the
gospel, this much is certain, but without God’s work through the power of the
Holy Spirit to change our hearts (conversion) and give us new life
(regeneration) we are simply too blind to recognize the danger of our sinful
condition or the necessity of saving faith in Jesus Christ on our own. God
would have to do the work of conversion!
Thirdly, Calvin placed a tremendous stress on Christian
piety, or holy living. Having been redeemed by grace through faith alone, man
can do no other thing that respond in joy and obedience. Having been saved,
Christians ought to determine to live lives of joyful obedience and mission.
The Law in the Old Testament, Calvin taught, still had three primary purposes
for the believer that must be put into effect. First, the Law shows us our
weaknesses. Like looking at our dirty faces in the mirror, the commands of the
Scripture show us where we constantly need to repent and improve. Second,
Calvin taught that the commands of the Bible (especially the Ten Commandments)
show us how to live in harmony and unity as the covenant people of God. Even
unbelievers ought to be restrained by the promises of a harmonized society and
the dangers of punishment for disobedience! But thirdly and most importantly,
Calvin stressed that the precepts of the Lord show us how we can truly live
lives that please and glorify God! This, Calvin would insist, ought to be the
purest motivation for Christian obedience.
A fourth primary heading of Calvin’s theology might be
summarized by his ardent stress on the nature of the Church and the mandate of
Christian witness in the world. For Calvin, the true Church was defined as a
covenant community of believers where the Scripture are proclaimed faithfully
as the authoritative Word of God, and the Sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s
Supper are rightly administered. Surprising to some who are new to Calvin’s
works, his longest chapter in the Institutes is not about predestination, but
rather on prayer! Yes, the Church and her people, empowered by the Holy Spirit,
are to be the primary vehicle by which the Kingdom of God
is triumphantly proclaimed in the world. For this reason, Calvin’s successors
would be ardent missionaries, planting hundreds of churches in France and
beyond! Calvin urged his parishioners to live boldly together as the people of
God must: bound in submission to the Word of God, yet free to live as
Spirit-empowered witnesses in a broken and hurting world.
Because of Calvin’s powerful passion for the unrivaled glory
of God, it is no wonder that many of his hearers would rather die for their
faith in Jesus Christ than recant their new found passion for the saving grace
of God!
Calvin’s later followers would summarize his teaching in the
compact acronym called “TULIP.” While Calvin himself did not invent or use this
device, those who read and value his writings have held this to be a faithful
representation of his work for several centuries.
See part 3/3.
Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow him on Twitter @matt_everhard
See part 3/3.
Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow him on Twitter @matt_everhard
Yes, it is truly when I realized and repented that I knew that on my own I can never choose God--the Holy Spirit must work in me first-so that I may know God. It was such a beautiful revelation to me when I learned that at the age of 25.
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