Calvin's Exposition of the Ten Commandments

I really enjoyed and profited from Calvin's exposition of the Ten
Commandments. I believe his approach is true and helpful. It's also
interesting to see how much Calvin must've influenced the Westminster
Assembly. If you've ever read the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC)
section on the Ten Commandments, you can see a great deal of similarity
of thought. For each commandment, they address 1) the duties required
and 2) the sins forbidden. See
http://www.reformed.org/documents/wlc_w_proofs/WLC_091-150.html to read
the specific questions and answers for each commandment. The specific
commandments begin with Q. 103, though the stuff above that is excellent
reading on a biblical understanding of the uses of the law and the
proper interpretation of the Ten Commandments.

Reading Calvin also reminds me of the privilege of being pygmies
standing on the shoulders of giants. I believe the WLC provides a more
mature exposition of the commandments than Calvin did. While Calvin
demonstrates tremendous insight in his exposition, I was disappointed in
some ways by his handling of the 4th and 10th commandments.

Calvin has a rather odd view of the 4th Commandment. There is much to
commend, but some of it is confusing. He tells us that servants should
not be forced to work on Sunday. However, he also says that the day is
fulfilled in the rest we continually have in the gospel. He doesn't
explain clearly (at least to me) how the command continues to require us
to give servants rest while it is fulfilled in the gospel. In addition,
there are three aspects of the Sabbath data that he doesn't deal with
adequately. First, he doesn't sufficiently wrestle with the fact that
the Sabbath is rooted in creation. It is not simply a ceremony to be
set aside, and it is not merely a pointer to the gospel since it was
given before the fall. Second, he doesn't adequately deal with Jesus'
painstaking efforts to recover proper observance of the Sabbath from its
Pharisaical abuses. This makes little sense if the day as a day of rest
was to be done away with after his resurrection. Third, he doesn't
explain on what basis the apostles chose to establish weekly
gatherings. The view expounded in the WLC seems to do a better job with
all the biblical data.

I also felt that Calvin missed an important part of the 10th
Commandment. He seems to relate it entirely to the attitude of love
toward our neighbor that should possess our whole souls. He does not
show how it addresses our Godward disposition. I wonder if this relates
to a too-rigid imposition of the view that the commandments are divided
into two tables -- the first 4 Godward and the las 6 manward. But these
divisions are not so rigid that a commandment in the 2nd table says
nothing about a Godward disposition. The 5th commandment, for example,
speaks of our response to authority, which begins with God's authority.
The 6th commandment forbids murder, because it requires us to honor God
by honoring those in his image. Likewise, the 10th commandment
addresses our response to God's providence. I like what the WLC says:
"The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with
our own estate...." To allow the possessions or blessings of others to
generate discontentment in our hearts is to question God's goodness. It
says that we can do a better job than God in this area. In other words,
"covetousness...is idolatry." (Col. 3:5)

I continue to marvel at the biblical insight that God gave the man
Calvin. At the same time, I am reminded to read with discernment and to
recognize the wisdom of a multitude of counselors in the church.

Stan

keeping up with Calvin

I don't know about you, but I've found that keeping up with the Calvin
reading is a major challenge. It is relentless. Just when I get ahead
by a half day, I have a busy stretch for a couple of evenings. The next
thing I know, I'm looking at 20 pages to catch up on over the weekend.

That's one side of my experience. The other side is that this has been
some of the most edifying, heart-searching reading I've done in a long
time. Calvin's discussion of the spirituality of the law has caused me
to search my heart. It has revealed double-mindedness and hypocrisy. I
am seeing in a new way how good I am at dressing up the outside without
giving much concern for the inside. And Calvin reminds me that God sees
the inside just as clearly as he sees the outside. Who has become my
audience?

Calvin brings me back to the heart work that I need to do before the
all-seeing eye of God. Calvin reminds me that the law reveals my own
weakness and drives me to the one who supplies strength. I will make no
genuine headway at all until I come to the end of myself and look to
Christ who supplies all our strength in the power of the Spirit.

By God's grace, I intend to persevere in this reading and see what
further exhortation and encouragement I can glean from this gifted
servant of God.

Stan

Presence of the Curse

Calvin brings into clear focus the contrast of what man was created to be versus what he ended up being - "in place of wisdom, virtue, holiness, truth, and justice, with which adornments he had been clad, there came forth the most filthy plagues, blindness, impotence, impurity, vanity, and injustice" all due to what is termed as original sin, this being inherited by all mankind. Scripture is clear there can be no argument that we all find ourselves in this state that David so vividly described - "begotten by iniquities, and conceived by his mother in sin." (Psalm 51:5) 2.1.5

The beginning must truly start with Adam and Eve as the "root of human nature" as stated in Romans 5:12 - "As through man sin came into the world and through sin death, which spread among all men when all sinned." We must understand that our position or standing can only be recovered through Christ, by His transfusing into us the power of His righteousness. 2.1.6

Adam lost for all mankind the gifts given by God, "hence rotten branches came forth from a rotten root, which transmitted thrie rottenness to the other sprigs sprouting from them." It is here-in we find a continuing stream from parent to child. 2.1.7

Original sin defined by Calvin - "seems to be a hereditary depravity and corruption of our nature,diffused into all parets of our soul, which first makes us liable to God's wrath, then also brings forth in us those works which Scripture calls 'works of the flesh'". This nothing more than sin. We come into this world faulty and corrupt before a holy and righteousness God, who demands no less. This condition continues in us bearing fruit and is only changed when we are are drawn by God's Spirit to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, thereby walking daily - growing in His image.

Calvin's view of Scripture

I'm a little behind on commenting, but I couldn't help but be struck by the similarity of Calvin's language concerning Scripture and that of our confession.  Of course, I'm sure the authors of the Westminster (from which the 1689 was derived) leaned heavily on Calvin.  But it's amazing how well the confession digests Calvin's thought here.

I was especially struck by these:

4.  The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

There is much here to ponder.  Part of me finds this hard to swallow.  How can the authority of Scripture be Scripture?  How can it authenticate itself?  I wish I had more time to discuss this and to wrestle over it in this forum.  But in short, I found the following comments from Calvin helpful reminders:

Some worthy persons feel disconcerted, because, while the wicked murmur with impunity at the Word of God, they have not a clear proof at hand to silence them, forgetting that the Spirit is called an earnest and seal to confirm the faith of the godly, for this very reason, that, until he enlightens their minds, they are tossed to and fro in a sea of doubts.

Isaiah, moreover, while reminding us that the prophetical doctrine would prove incredible not only to strangers, but also to the Jews, who were desirous to be thought of the household of God, subjoins the reason, when he asks, “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1). If at any time, then we are troubled at the small number of those who believe, let us, on the other hand, call to mind, that none comprehend the mysteries of God save those to whom it is given.

No easy escape from false worship

As in his commentaries, Calvin is addressing the great lie of his time, false worship of images and service offered to false gods in the Roman Catholic church. I can have a tendency to read across those lines lightly since I'm not a part of that group. But I am still in this world and have as much or an even greater tendency to erect my own idols, images and false gods. I have been guilty of "render[ing] honor to God alone [with my lips], but undergo[ing] servitude for the others."

Simply not being among the primary targets at which Calvin aims is not a reason to wipe my brow and breath a sigh of relief, for there is no easy escape from this mad tendency of my corrupt heart. May God grant much grace in this day to render unto him not only honor, but service, as well. I am not tempted to give the nod to an image or a relic, but I am drawn to serve my selfish desires and my craving for recognition.

How good and merciful is our Father, remembering that we are made of the dust, to call us away from such and then also to give us his Word, illumined and empowered by His own Spirit to effectively change us? Thanks be unto God!

Christians Enamored of Christian Writing

Every day in the "Institutes" great conviction has been brought but especially in the reading of Thursday and Friday. I had to answer the question - what do I spend most of the time reading?
My answer, I must confess and repent, was in the books of men instead of "The Word of God".

As Calvin so clearly stated -
1.8.8 "If godly men take these things to heart, they will be abundantly equipped to restrain the barking of ungodly men; for this is a proof to clear to be open to any subtle objections."

1.8.9 "...the people themselves also had neglected the habit of reading it (The Word of God)."

I have been so humbled and reminded at the same time that the great resource of Christian writings we have today are not a bad thing unless I allow them to take first priority above reading "The Word of God."

May we continue in His Word so that "we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"(2Peter 3:18) "always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who ask you for a reason for the hope that is in you"(1Peter 3:15b) and to "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."(2Timothy 2:15)

suppressing the knowledge of God

Calvin makes a powerful argument concerning our inherent knowledge of God as
well as the suppression of that knowledge. I found this interesting:

> But to render their madness more
> detestable, David [Ps. 14:1] represents them as flatly denying God's existence; not
> that they deprive him of his being, but because, in despoiling him of his
> judgment and providence, they shut him up idle in heaven.

In other words, denying God may mean denying him in his attributes and not
just denying his being. If someone denies that God rules or that God is judge
over all, he has in effect denied that the true God exists.

I can't find the specific passage now, but somewhere in this week's reading he
makes the point that an individual can't at the same time acknowledge God in
his holiness, judgment, and power and then go on sinning against him. I see
that played out in my own life. When I am bent on sin, I have to view God as
far away, unconcerned, or less than perfectly good. In other words, even in a
single act of sin, it's impossible to view God for who he really is and at the
same time go on in sin. This encourages me to cultivate and meditate on a
true view of God. This will do far more to kill sin than fleshly methods of
sin avoidance.