It's John Calvin's Birthday -- July 10

The great Reformer was born this day in Noyen , France -- 1509 . He would be 498 years old today ! But since departing for Glory "he being dead yet liveth and speaketh" as they say .

A number of folks here who hold to the doctrine of grace have said they are not that familiar with his works . I believe them . Their beliefs stem from Bible study , not the study of Calvin's Institutes and Commentaries .

As is my habit as the snippet-king I will give some select tidbits to show Calvin's actual beliefs ( as opposed to some error-filled opinions about the man ) .

First up will be some snips from : The Doctrine Of Election . His text was 2 Timothy 1:9,10 .

However , let us hold fast that which is here taught us: God having chosen us before the world had its course , we must attribute the cause of our salvation to His free goodness ; we must confess that He did not take us to be His children , for any deserts of our own ; for we had nothing to recommend ourselves into His favor . Therefore , we must put the cause and fountain of our salvation in Him only , and ground ourselves upon it : otherwise , whatsoever and howsoever we build , it will come to nought .

... if they attribute faith to man's free will , they blaspheme wickedly against God , and commit sacrilege . We must come to that which the scripture showeth ; to wit , when God giveth us faith , we must know that we are not capable of receiving the gospel , only as he hath framed us by the Holy Ghost .

... Why is faith given to one and not to another ? St. Luke showeth us : saying , "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed" ( Acts 13:48 ) . There were a great number of hearers , and yet but few of them received the promise of salvation . And what few were they ? Those that were appointed to salvation . Again , St. Paul speaketh so largely upon this subject , in his epistle to the Ephesians , that it cannot be but the enemies of God's predestination are stupid and ignorant , and that the devil hath plucked out their eyes ; and that they have become void of all reason , if they cannot see a thing so plain and evident .

... God hath fore-ordained that He would save us ; seeing we were lost and cast away in Adam . There are certain dolts , who , to blind the eyes of the simple and such as are like themselves , say , the grace of salvation was given us because God ordained that His Son should redeem mankind , and therefore this is common to all .

 

Snips From His Commentary On Eph. 2:8,9

This applies to none but believers . As the descendants of Adam , they were wicked and depraved ; but by the grace of Christ , they are spiritually renewed , and become new men . Everything in us , therefore , that is good , is the supernatural gift of God . The context explains his meaning. We are his work , because we have been created , not in Adam , but in Christ Jesus , -- not to every kind of life , but to good works .
What remains now for free-will , if all the good works which proceed from us are acknowledged to have been the gifts of the Spirit of God ? Let godly readers weigh carefully the apostle's words . He does not say that we are assisted by God . He does not say that the will is prepared ,and is then left to run by its own strength . He does not say that the power of choosing aright is bestowed upon us , and that we are afterwards left to make our own choice . Such is the idle talk in which those persons who do their utmost to undervalue the grace of God are accustomed to indulge . But the apostle affirms that we are God's work , and that everything good in us is his creation ; by which he means that the whole man is formed by his hand to be good . It is not the mere power of choosing aright , or some indescribable kind of preparation , or even assistance , but the right will itself , which is his workmanship ; otherwise Paul's argument would have no force .

 

Give God the glory for the gift of John Calvin to His Church .

 

HAPPY B-D . JD ! ( Mine is coming up on the 19th ) .

You didn't know you shared a birthday with the Genevan ? Even if you haven't read any of his works that does seem odd .

Nevertheless , reading his commentaries and sermons ( special treat ) will fast acquaint you with how valuable a servant of the LORD he was . The Institutes Of The Christian Religion is in a class by itself . Get Calvin's letters as well .

 

I paged through it at the bookstore . I want it badly . Also , Robert Reymond has written a book on Calvin along the same lines I think .