Reading Through the Institutes of the Christian Religion #3

Thoughts and reflections on the following areas.1.11.1-1.13.0


 Thus far Calvin has spoken on the topics of God and his relation to man, man and his relation to God, creation, and scripture. He now takes a short detour and talks about a subject that he briefly spoke about
earlier which is idolatry.


"Hence we may infer, that the human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols. "

-John Calvin

Calvin says that mans mind is similar to that of a manufactures building that creates idols. Setting aside three chapters to the topic of idolatry Calvin begins to unload with both barrels on what many would call a sensitive subject. In prior chapters we witness the utter folly of man as he is unable to come to a true knowledge of God due to the depravity of his mind. As a result, their decent in further acts of unrighteousness and ungodleness is seen and they spirals down further as is depicted by paul in romans where he writes, 

"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened  
 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God  into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things."

At the beginning of Exodus 20 God declares that hes a jealous God and that all worship and honor is his alone since he alone is worthy. The prophet Isaiah tells us also that, God will share His glory with no one (42:8), summarizing  these two statements nicely Calvin writes,


"But God, in vindicating his own right, first proclaims that he is a jealous God, and will be a stern avenger if he is confounded with any false god; and thereafter defines what due worship is, in order that the human race may be kept in obedience. Both of these he embraces in his Law when he first binds the faithful in allegiance to him as their only Lawgiver, and then prescribes a rule for worshipping him in accordance with his will."


"Corporeal images are unworthy of the majesty of God, and that, because they diminish reverential fear and encourage error," Calvin states, and goes on to utter how bizarre this act is as it reduces the immense and incomprehensible Deity to the size of a few feet. This act being natural to mans fallen nature defiles Gods majesty by an absurd and indecorous fiction which is explained by Calvin, "...when he who is incorporeal is assimilated to corporeal matter; he who is invisible to a visible image; he who is a spirit to an inanimate object; and he who fills all space to a bit of paltry wood, or stone, or gold. "

Man flies headling in the pursuit of idols with the utmost of speed similar to water bursting forth voilently from and abundent stream. The multitude of stars in the skies was equlivant to the number of Gods man devises and imagined to be as well as every filthy animal that walks the earth. "Visible shapes made for the purpose of representing him are false and wicked fictions;" Calvin declares," and all, therefore, who have recourse to them for knowledge are miserably deceived."

The longing for a visible form of God has been in the sinful heart of man for ages and in their futile attempts to ascend to god by their own strength they bring down and fashion him with their hands using gold,silver,wood,stone or other dead and corruptible matter. Calvin asserts, "The human mind, stuffed as it is with presumptuous rashness, dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity; as it labors under dullness, nay, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God. To these evils another is added. The god whom man has thus conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly. The mind, in this way, conceives the idol, and the hand gives it birth. That idolatry has its origin in the idea which men have, that God is not present with them unless his presence is carnally exhibited.." With ears and eyes men create idols, a visible representation of the invisible God beseeching  aid, prostrating themselves as suppliants in an act of prayer before the most reprehensible images clad in the dress of men and beast shamefully displayed while others Calvin recounts as having, "...confound the sexes, and form a compound out of different bodies, giving the name of deities to objects, which, if they were met alive, would be deemed monsters."


Now, here's where things get a bit sticky....In contemporary art visible representation of God or Jesus Christ are regularly seen. Such images are "purported" to be a representation of Jesus or God so the question is if some act of sacrilege was committed on a picture would one consider it offensive. If so, would that person be treating that image as an object of worship,reverence, honor, while holding pious feelings for it? The text of the Second Commandment forbids not only the worshiping of God by images, but the making of images purporting to be of God and since Jesus is God that kinda complicated the whole children's book issue. To be sure, this is a debate that is on going and will continue till Christ returns again. 
Calvin weighs in on this subject quite nicely,

"I am not, however, so superstitious as to think that all visible representations of every kind are unlawful. But as sculpture and painting are gifts of God, what I insist for is, that both shall be used purely and lawfully,--that gifts which the Lord has bestowed upon us, for his glory and our good, shall not be preposterously abused, nay, shall not be perverted to our destruction. We think it unlawful to give a visible shape to God, because God himself has forbidden it, and because it cannot be done without, in some degree, tarnishing his glory. And lest any should think that we are singular in this opinion, those acquainted with the productions of sound divines will find that they have always disapproved of it. If it be unlawful to make any corporeal representation of God, still more unlawful must it be to worship such a representation instead of God, or to worship God in it. The only things, therefore, which ought to be painted or sculptured, are things which can be presented to the eye; the majesty of God, which is far beyond the reach of any eye, must not be dishonored by unbecoming representations. Visible representations are of two classes--viz. historical, which give a representation of events, and pictorial, which merely exhibit bodily shapes and figures."

" Let it suffice to remember, that whatever offices of piety are bestowed anywhere else than on God alone, are of the nature of sacrilege."John Calvin
.

Wealth and Poverty from God’s View

Let us never give way to the common idea that people are to be valued according to their income, and that the person who has most money is the one who ought to be the most highly esteemed. There is no authority for this notion in the Bible. The general teaching of Scripture is flatly opposed to it. “Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called” (1 Cor. 1:26). “Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he knows and understands me” (Jeremiah 9:24). Wealth is no mark of God’s favor. Poverty is no mark of God’s displeasure. Those whom God justifies and glorifies are seldom the rich of this world. If we would measure people as God measures them, we must value them according to their grace.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke volume 2 , [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1986], 212. {Luke 16:19-31}

Reading Through the Institutes of the Christian Religion #2

2013 Calvin Reading Group

 Thoughts and reflections on the following areas.1.6.2-1.10.1.

***A quick re-cap to bring us up to speed.***

#1- God is the principle being, the(principum essendi), the essential foundation of all existence, knowledge, and being. All our knowledge of God is derived and has its origin in God himself. Thus, Bavinck says, " What we nee to understand about God must be taught by himself, for this cannot be known except by the author himself."  God, who is personal, having perfect  knowledge of himself and self consciousness freely and truly revels himself to man.This relationship between Gods own self knowledge and ours of him are archetypal and ectypal. The relation between our knowledge being ectypal of Gods archetypal knowledge is understood further as Bavinck writes," Our knowledge OF God is the imprint of the knowledge God has of himself but always on a creaturly level and in a creaturely way. The knowledge of God present in his creatures is only a weak likeness, a finite, limited sketch, of the absolute self consciousness of God accommodated to the capacities of the human or creaturely consciousness."

#2- Similar to Psalms 19: 1-2, Calvin states that "God for the first time was arrayed in visible attire when, in the creation of the world, he displayed those glorious banners, on which, to whatever side we turn, we behold his perfections visibly portrayed." Creation, elegant in its structure and bursting forth with beauty is as Calvin says, ".. a kind of mirror, in which we may behold God, though otherwise invisible.."The firmament and the heavens, the Psalmist says, shows his handiwork speaking loudly and testifying of Gods existence. when ever one gazes on the things that were made Calvin states that, "....we cannot open our eyes without being compelled to behold him."

#3- Knowledge of Gods existence not only is visible outwardly in all that has been created but also within man who is as well a creation of God. Calvin was aware of this sense of deity or (sensus divinitatis) that resided in the bosom of men quite well and the effects that this inward testimony had on men when he expresses that,"All men of sound Judgment will therefore hold, that a sense of Deity is indelibly engraven on the human heart. And that this belief is naturally engendered in all, and thoroughly fixed as it were in our very bones..."Also stating that, "That there exists in the human minds and indeed by natural instinct, some sense of Deity, we hold to be beyond dispute, since God himself, to prevent any man from pretending ignorance, has endued all men with some idea of his Godhead, the memory of which he constantly renews and occasionally enlarges, that all to a man being aware that there is a God, and that he is their Maker, may be condemned by their own conscience when they neither worship him nor consecrate their lives to his service."

#4- Unfortunately,because of mans depravity the glorious display of creation, although shining clearly, and the inward testimony of God which is unable to be erased bears no fruit and is stifled. Calvin writes,"... scarcely one in a hundred is found who cherishes it in his heart, and not one in whom it grows to maturity so far is it from yielding fruit in its season. Moreover, while some lose themselves in superstitious observances, and others, of set purpose, wickedly revolt from God, the result is that, in regard to the true knowledge of him, all are so degenerate, that in no part of the world can genuine godliness be found."

#5-Man, when he looks toward God as the true standard of righteousness and virtue instead of himself, sees within himself a world of misery and depravity. Having seen the beauty of God he turns his thoughts to the true standard of virtue and righteousness hes compelled to revere and honor God. "Our mind cannot conceive of God, without rendering some worship to him", Calvin states,but man can not take one step without falling into error."the human mind..",Calvin says is prone " to lapse into forgetfulness of God, how readily inclined to every kind of error, how bent every now and then on devising new and fictitious religions." Instead of worshiping the creator man prostrates himself before the meanest objects in fictitious worship as an act of reverence to God.

I begin this entry's reflections with where i left off by quoting Calvin.

 "Therefore, though the effulgence which is presented to every eye, both in the heavens and on the earth, leaves the ingratitude of man without excuse, since God, in order to bring the whole human race under the same condemnation, holds forth to all, without exception, a mirror of his Deity in his works, another and better help must be given to guide us properly to God as a Creator."

Calvin turns his attention to scripture or special revelation after coming to the conclusion that the general revelation found in creation and inward is insufficient to bring men to a true knowledge of God. The way that the knowledge of God reaches us is God's revelation in a general sense. This principle is the (principium cognoscendi) and in regards to the topic that Calvin is now speaking about namely scripture being the self revelation of God is the external cognitive foundation of knowing (principium cognoscendi externum).

"God gives his elect a better help to the knowledge of himself--viz. the Holy Scriptures. This he did from the very first."-Calvin, John

At the beginning of 1.6.1 Calvin writes,"Not in vain, therefore, has he added the light of his Word in order that he might make himself known unto salvation, and bestowed the privilege on those whom he was pleased to bring into nearer and more familiar relation to himself".  General revelation leaves the reprobate without an excuse and reveals Gods wrath  as it supplies all men with the knowledge of Gods existence and some of his attributes. For the elect, those whom God had predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son before the foundations of the earth, the scriptures  were given to guide them into a full knowledge of himself. the scriptures  were given to guide them into a full knowledge of himself. Calvin states that the common proofs of Gods existence in general revelation with the addition of his word now directly leads his church into a surer,truer knowledge of him. True knowledge is revealed to the elect from God of himself not only as creator to his elect but also as redeemer in the person of Christ the mediator. If we look closely we analyze whats being said we can see that the unregenerate knows and at the same time does not know God. They know God externally and internally but do not know him in a way thats salvific and equates to eternal life as the regenerate does.

"Before proceeding farther, it seems proper to make some observations on the authority of Scripture, in order that our minds may not only be prepared to receive it with reverence, but be divested of all doubt."-Calvin, John

Having touched on scripture (the bible) as God special revelation, Calvin proceeds to argue for its authority and refutes various objections. Calvin begins chapter 7 saying, "But since no daily responses are given from heaven, and the Scriptures are the only records in which God has been pleased to consign his truth to perpetual remembrance, the full authority which they ought to possess with the faithful is not recognised, unless they are believed to have come from heaven, as directly as if God had been heard giving utterance to them."

"our faith in doctrine is not established until we have a perfect conviction that God is its author. Hence, the highest proof of Scripture is uniformly taken from the character of him whose Word it is."-Calvin, John

The Bible is self-authorizing, self-verifying, and self-attesting. God doesn’t need the “OK” from man or from the evidence within creation to be the Word of God. It is objectively true; it needs no other witness but itself. Calvin puts things into perspective concerning scripture when he writes,

"Let it therefore be held as fixed, that those who are inwardly taught by the Holy Spirit acquiesce implicitly in Scripture; that Scripture, carrying its own evidence along with it, deigns not to submit to proofs and arguments, but owes the full conviction with which we ought to receive it to the testimony of the Spirit. Enlightened by him, we no longer believe, either on our own Judgment or that of others, that the Scriptures are from God; but, in a way superior to human Judgment, feel perfectly assured--as much so as if we beheld the divine image visibly impressed on it--that it came to us, by the instrumentality of men, from the very mouth of God."

Unregenerate men who vehemently oppose the authority of the scriptures as being self-authorizing many times desire external proof for its authority. What must be held firm and conveyed is the fact God is the ultimate authority, and when God speaks the truth concerning his word there are no external standards of truthfulness to ensure the truthfulness of His Word. Gods speaking is the final and ultimate authority in all things and if one appeals to an external source to prove the validity of Gods words then Gods words aren't the final and ultimate authority. That external source becomes the final authority of all things. The notion that scriptures authority depends on the decision of the Church or man is quickly refuted by Calvin many places in chapter 7 on of which stating that, "Nothings therefore can be more absurd than the fiction, that the power of judging Scripture is in the Church, and that on her nod its certainty depends." Further proofs and examples for its authority are given  historical validity, transmission, miracles and prophecies, the wondrous providence of God in the preservation of the sacred books, and it’s own internal consistency with itself.


In chapter 10 Calvin comes full circle back to where he began concerning the knowledge of God the creator and writes,"We formerly observed that the knowledge of God, which, in other respects, is not obscurely exhibited in the frame of the world, and in all the creatures, is more clearly and familiarly explained by the word. It may now be proper to show, that in Scripture the Lord represents himself in the same character in which we have already seen that he is delineated in his works." In scripture (special revelation)we met with the same God who is the author of creation. With the scriptures at their disposal the elect gain a deeper,richer knowledge of  the one true God and his attributes as opposed to the many false deities worshiped by the heathen. With the spectacles of scripture God is not only creator, but redeemer, provider, sustainer, and righteous judge just to name a few.

"The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation," (Ex. 34:6, 7).

There is no word or truth of greater importance than the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are full of many messages, the least among them being more valuable than the combined wealth of the world and more important than the greatest thoughts ever formed in the mind of man. If the very dust of Scripture is more precious than gold, how can we calculate the worth or importance of the gospel?1 Even within the Scriptures themselves, the gospel message has no equal. The story of creation, though lined with splendor, bows before the message of the cross. The law of Moses and the words of the prophets point away from themselves to this singular message of redemption. Even the second coming, though full of wonder, stands in the shadows of the gospel. It is no exaggeration to say that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the one great and essential message, the acropolis of the Christian faith, and the foundation of the believer’s hope.

Washer, Paul (2012-10-12). The Gospel’s Power and Message