As promised, my “thought journal” of Calvin’s Institutes. If you had read my entry on record-setting megamillions lottery, I also reveal here what I ended up doing for the office pool.
Elliott Kim.
Christian History II.
Pages read: 1 to 464
John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Volume I. Edited by John T. McNeill
Although I grew up in a Christian family, I cannot say that I’ve always had my doctrines right [if have any at all!]. My father was a pastor of a Full Gospel church, and I recall sitting in more meetings with adults than children. My step-father is a pastor of a PCUSA church, and the church that I grew up in for most of my adolescence was not only lacking in much theology, but lacking in numbers to justify a youth group leader. Moreover, I stopped going to church at the age of 17, intermittently attending Sunday services to see if I’d hear anything miraculous, and returned only 3 years ago after having been converted at the age of 25.
Hence, theology is not my strong suit. As I look upon my fellow seminarians with envy for having had been discipled well in biblical doctrines at a young age, sometimes even supplemented by a strong Christian undergraduate education, I realize that I am playing catch-up with most of my colleagues who so readily understand the issues at hand. I do feel handicapped at times, having to be introduced to the doctrine of Christology, anthropology, and soteriology, which are only mere indications of the total lack of biblical discipleship that I was denied in adolescence, all the while having to comprehend and explain the differences of positions throughout history across nations, millenniums, and denominations. It is not an easy exercise at that, but one that I am more than grateful to be expected to understand in any course of my seminary, particularly in the course of Church History.
Which is why I am more than particularly grateful for the reading of Calvin’s Institutes. Mark Noll’s survey of the most influential writer for theologians in his book, “Between Faith and Criticism,” revealed what I was starting to feel from my own limited readings: Calvin’s tour de force revealed in “Institutes of the Christian Religion” has been the most enriching of all my readings of the two semesters of seminary school. It’s easy to see why it was, by far, the most influential book for such said learned theologians. I labored to finish “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper. I merely understood doctrinal statements in Wayne Grudem’s “Systematic Theology.” But while Grudem helped me understand, Calvin helped me believe. Many a times I could not stop reading, wanting to find more answers that so resonated with me. Other times, I could not start reading, afraid yet again how Calvin may expose me of my wrong acts as well as my wrong thoughts. And still other times I would open up the Bible, knowing I had read before the same passages that Calvin referred to, yet not having received the same kind of messages that he had.
I do intend on finishing up this book, sooner rather than later, and will refer to it time and time again for my own edification as well as that of others.
“yet a person who has not much practice in it has good reason for some guidance and direction, to know what he ought to look for in it, in order not to wander hither and thither, but to hold to a sure path, that he may always be pressing toward the end to which the Holy Spirit calls him.” (6)
That’s me! Thank you, Calvin! I thank God for motivating Calvin to write such things with me in mind. What foresight!
“For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by his fatherly care, that he is the Author of their every good, that they should seek nothing beyond him – they will never yield him willing service.” (41)
Book I seems to revolve around this very point, over and over again. Although overbearing at times, I understand, and furthermore believe, the total depravity of men.
“Plato meant nothing but this when he often taught that the highest good of the soul is likeness to God, where, when the soul has grasped the knowledge of God, it is wholly transformed into his likeness.” (47)
Plato wrote in Theaetetus that to escape evil and attain true wisdom, men must “become like God… righteous, holy, and wise.” Heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1), and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. In my younger days, I neglected this call. I later rejected it. I realize what Calvin is saying now, only in light of the scriptures.
“All right knowledge of God is born of obedience… we ought to seek our conviction in a higher place than human reasons, judgments, or conjectures, that is, in the secret testimony of the Spirit… [who is] called both “seal and Guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22)” (72, 78, 80)
I believe this now, but sometimes I want to make sure that I don’t cross into sounding like a Mormon, harking the world to answer the call of the burning in their bosoms.
“He testifies that the church is “built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles.” (75)
I think the church history class would be so much easier if they simply affirmed this aspect of biblical teaching!
“Although I do not excel either in great dexterity or eloquence,” (79)
I see Calvin following the teachings of Jesus, just as Augustine followed Jesus’ teaching. I think CS Lewis is utterly wrong here (and so is Tim Keller, who quoted and agreed with Lewis) in saying that “”True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less.” In Calvin, and in Augustine, I see the exercise of true humility: “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3
“Read Demosthenes or Cicero; read Plato, Aristotle, and others of that tribe… Consequently, those for whom prophetic doctrine is tasteless ought to be thought of as lacking taste buds.” (82)
At first in my Christian life, I focused so much on Christian apologetics and focused much on natural theology and secular philosophy. I see now that I was then still lacking taste buds, just as atheists do, for the scriptures.
“But if through the Spirit it is really branded upon hearts…” (95)
I never thought about it this way. “Circumcision” of the heart is permanent, which Calvin describes as the “branding” of the heart. I recall the movie “Jarhead,” how a Marine so wanted to be branded as such. Do we have that same kind of zeal? To be known forever as the soldiers of God? Once a Marine, always a Marine. I think the branding clearly shows the same for Christian soldiers, and it’s permanent (1 John 2:19).
“God’s glory is corrupted by an impious falsehood whenever any form is attached to him… Man will be compelled to confess that he is a transient being, and yet he will want to be counted as God a piece of metal, to whose deity he himself gave origin….the first men to introduce statues of the gods removed fear and added error (Varro).” (100, 104)
This is an absolute defeat to any idolatrous religions out there. Should the humans worship the same idols that they made that also need their protection, they shall become like them (Psalm 115:8). If men make gods, what is man?!
Augustine: “Christ with respect to himself is called God; with respect to the Father, Son. Again, the Father with respect to himself is called God; with respect to the Son, Father…. In so far as he is called both Father with respect to himself, and Son with respect to himself, he is the same God.” (144)
“For from the time that Christ was manifested in the flesh, he has been called the Son of God, not only in that he was the eternal Word begotten before all ages from the Father, but because he took upon himself the person and office of the Mediator.” (151).
This is the best description of the deity of Christ that I’ve seen, concerning him being called the “Son.”
“And one reads in The Letter to the Hebrews…” (169)
I hope this isn’t an editorial change, but Calvin seems to refer here, as well as on several other occasions, to the “Author of Hebrews” as opposed to Paul. If so, this totally debunks the whole notion that atheists sometimes use, that “until recently, theologians thought that Paul wrote Hebrews.”
“We have been forewarned that an enemy [Satan] relentlessly threatens us, an enemy who is the very embodiment of rash boldness, of military prowess, of crafty wiles, of untiring zeal and haste, of every conceivable weapon and of skill in the science of warfare. We must, then, bend our every effort to this goal: that we should not let ourselves be overwhelmed by carelessness or faintheartedness, but on the contrary, with courage rekindled stand our ground in combat. Since this military service ends only at death, let us urge ourselves to perseverance. Indeed, conscious of our weakness and ignorance, let us especially call upon God’s help, relying upon him alone in whatever we attempt, since it is he alone who can supply us with counsel and strength, courage and armor.” (173)
“For if we have god’s glory at heart, as we should have, we ought with all our strength to contend against him who is trying to extinguish it. If we are minded to affirm Christ’s Kingdom as we ought, we must wage irreconcilable war with him who is plotting its ruin. Again, if we care about our salvation at all, we ought to have neither peace nor truce with him who continually lays traps to destroy it.” (174)
This is a long entry, but this is something that resonated with me deeply (Goosebumps!) partly due to my military background. What a battle cry not only for defending the faith but to go on the offensive! What a call to action!! Yes, this is why I am here, in seminary, to be trained for war!
“For that speculation of Augustine, that the soul is the reflection of the Trinity because in it reside the understanding, will, and memory, is by no means sound.” (190)
I remember asking a very similar question during my Systematic Theology II class to Professor Stephen Wellum. I suppose it makes me feel a little better knowing that a great man like Augustine erred just as I did. I asked if the trinity can be analogous to psychosomatic unity of men, and he echoes Calvin here, “I see what you are saying but it does not work. In us, we speak about our human nature as consisting of a material and immaterial part — body and soul, which forms one nature but which these parts are separable at death. Even in saying it like this, hopefully you can see that this is not what we mean by the Trinity. The Trinity consists of three persons, Father, Son, and Spirit, who subsist in one identical nature (which is immaterial or spirit). The three persons are acting subjects who are equally God and are not separable. The analogy of psychosomatic unity simply does not work.”
“the word “fate” is one of those words whose profane novelties Paul teaches us to avoid (1 Tim. 6:20).”
“Basil the Great has truly said that “fortune” and “chance” are pagan terms”
Augustine, paraphrased by Calvin: “nothing is more absurd than that anything should happen without God’s ordaining it, because it would then happen without any cause.” (208)
I affirm that Jehovah is the same God that created and continues to sustain the universe. He is active in every manner of life, from the sustainment of things ordinarily seen, and the enactment of things hardly seen. Through the resurrection of Jesus and the conversion of dead souls to everlasting life through the grace of the Holy Spirit, God acts, supernaturally to us yet perfectly natural to Himself, in ways that display his omnipotence and beneficence. The potentiality of his workings over and within the universe can never be in doubt, as the actuality of such is revealed through the daily manifestations of the works that can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit.
“For what is more absurd than to use this moderation toward our equals, that we prefer to suspend judgment rather than be charged with rashness; yet haughtily revile the hidden judgments of God, which we ought to hold in reverence?” (212)
Augustine, quoted by Calvin: “For it would not be done if he did not permit it; yet he does not unwillingly permit it, but willingly; nor would he, being good, allow evil to be done, unless being also almighty he could make good even out of evil.” (235)
Calvin totally dismantled, in 20 pages, my prior belief in the statement, “God only permits evil.” Calvin doesn’t solve the problem of evil in this book, I don’t think, but here is a valuable insight. We do so much credence to give “benefit of the doubt” to infinitely evil men, but how often do we say the same to the infinitely good God?
Augustine, quoted by Calvin: “Who does not tremble at these judgments, where God works even in evil men’s hearts whatever he wills, yet renders to them according to their deserts?” Calvin then paraphrases Augustine, “God does not inquire into what men have been able to do, or what they have done, but what they have willed to do, so that purpose and will may be taken into account.” (237)
My goodness. This is probably one of the hardest parts of the Institutes thus far for me. It was one thing to understand that God works in evil men’s hearts. But it was another thing for me to then realize the ramifications of such beliefs, that without God’s grace, the perseverance of my faith is NOT guaranteed. Calvin clearly shows that God does whatever pleases him, which is eternally good, and we are at his command. This puts a totally new perspective on the saying that “God is in control.” Is He ever… He is in total control of everything, including whether my name is to be discovered within the book of life. No wonder we must work out our salvation with trembling! (Phil 2:12)
“First of all, there is Augustine, who does not hesitate to call it “unfree.” (265) “The doctrine of free will is always in danger of robbing God of his honor.” (267) “Now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor. 3:17)” “Augustine: “Why do we presume so much on ability of human nature? It is wounded, battered, troubled, lost. What we need is true confession, not false defense.” (269)
This long struggle over the problem of free will and predestination, for me, has at last been put to rest. Predestination and free will are 2 different aspects of the grace that God gives me out of his own benevolence; free will deals with what I do, predestination deals with where I go. Without God’s grace, I have no freedom.
“The question of “free will” does not depend on whether we can accomplish what we will, but whether we can will freely.” (316)
“This is, conversely, true of the elect angels: although their will cannot turn away from good, yet it does not cease to be will.” (317)
I never thought about it this way. So easy to see the things to complain about, but knowing that I will have free will and cannot sin once I am in heaven is something I can definitely look forward to.
Augustine, quoted by Calvin: “When a certain rhetorician was asked what the chief rule in eloquence, he replied, ‘Delivery’; what was the second rule, ‘Delivery’; what was the third rule, ‘Delivery’; so if you ask me concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, first, second, third, and always I would answer, ‘Humility.’” (269)
“It is God,” says he, “who is at work in you, both to will and to work.” (Phil 2:13) (302)
“Cursed be everyone who will not abide by all things written in the book of the law” (Gal. 3:10; Deut. 27:26). Here he is obviously intimating, in fact assuming, that no one can so abide. (353)
Yet again, Calvin totally destroys my prior belief, that I had and continue to have some part in responding to God’s calling. I’m not the one that’s in control, I knew that. But now I realize what Paul meant when he said, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). True humility is complete and utter dependence on the only one who has any power to do otherwise, the only one who holds all the power and glory.
“This is like a shameless woman who brings in an adulterer before her husband’s very eyes only to vex his mind the more.” (383)
Here, Calvin illustrates what God meant when he said that I shall have no other Gods “before Him.” He translates that to “before my face,” and such imagery is so helpful to understand how defaming this is to God.
“We will duly obey this commandment, then, if, content with our lot, we are zealous to make only honest and lawful gain; if we do not seek to become wealthy through injustice, nor attempt to deprive our neighbor of his goods to increase our own; if we do not strive to heap up riches cruelly wrung from the blood of others; if we do not madly scrape together from everywhere, by fair means or foul, whatever will feed our avarice or satisfy our prodigality.” (409-410)
Simple command, “do not steal.” But Calvin takes this further and extrapolates what I think is so crucial for me to understand. It is so easy for me to want more money, for personal gain or otherwise, and be tempted by it, especially in light of the recent megamillions drawings. Thank you Lord, for prompting me with the will to resist such evils that are contrary to your statute, for it alone is my fountain.