Calvin at 500

Yesterday, July 10th, was the 500th birthday of John Calvin. Calvin is one of those enigmatic figures in church history. People either love him or hate him but very few people who know of him are passive about him.

John Calvin was only 8 years old when Martin Luther posted his 95 Thesis on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany (October 31st, 1517). While Luther went on to lead the way in the Reformation, it is Calvin's name that is most often associated with "reformed theology."

Calvin's chief contribution to the Reformed cause was his magnum opus, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. This monumental book explained, in clearest terms, the doctrine of the Protestant Reformers. The original version of the book followed the outline of the Apostle's Creed. It was revised and updated several times before it's final edition was released. It is still widely read among Christians today. My own copy is within easy reach of my right hand as I type these words. Calvin was a Christian model of piety, hard work, zealousness, evangelical passion, and study of the divine word. As John Piper describes it, Calvin's two chief passions were the majesty of God in the word of God and the glory of Christ in salvation. These two thoughts were the foundations of everything he taught and wrote.

Many people charge that Calvinistic theology kills an evangelistic impulse in the people who hold it. In other words, if you are a Calvinist, then you will not want to win people to Jesus. Yet Calvin trained hundreds of evangelists. More than 500 were sent back into Calvin's native France, where many were martyred for the faith. Others travelled to other European countries carrying the Reformed doctrine with them. Calvin maintained a correspondence with almost all of them.

But Calvin's zealousness also surrounded him with controversy. Chief among these was the infamous burning of the heretic Michael Servetus. Servetus denied the Trinity and was condemned by the Catholic Church and sentenced to be executed. But he escaped from his captors and made his way to Geneva to confront Calvin. Calvin recognized Servetus and had him arrested. The city leaders also condemned Servetus and sentenced him to be burned at the stake. Calvin argued that Servetus should be beheaded, but to no avail. Calvin spent much time arguing with Servetus trying to get him to profess faith in the Trinity, thus changing his method of execution, but also to no avail. The day Servetus was executed, Calvin spent in private prayer for Servetus' salvation. History however, has laid the blame for Servetus' death at the doorstep of Calvin.

Calvin spent much time also in conflict with the city leaders and with the libertines in the city (those who loved their sinful lifestyles). They would threaten his life and do things to frighten him and confuse him. They would play loud music outside his house, or fire guns over the roof of his house.

Calvin's writings have influenced western thought in the areas of education, government, philosophy, charity, finances .... in fact, it is hard to think of an area of life that has not been touched by Calvinistic thinking. Now, many sources report that Calvinism is having a resurgence in the church and the world. Time magazine has reported that the resurgence of Calvinism is one of the top ten influences shaping 21st century life in the United States.

At 500 years Calvin is still relevant to the Church and to the world. This is not something that is easily done. We often say in church what God could do with one man who has the devote and zeal of an Apostle Paul. Calvin was one such man. 500 years after his birth, he still touches our lives. One man, utterly devoted to the majesty of God in the word of God. One man, utterly devoted to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ in the salvation of sinners. One man, 500 years old, still being used mightily of God. Would that we all had a little bit of Calvin in us.

"His God Is God."

"His god is God." That was quote from Yul Brenner in the movie "The Ten Commandments." God had just defeated the Egyptian army and Yul Brenner as the Pharaoh Ramses was lamenting to his wife the defeat of his army. He summed up the entire battle with those four words.

Over and over in the Bible we are told that there is but One True God. Only One. There is no other God but Him. He is not like anything that exists. He is totally 'other' than His creation. He is so different that men are forbidden to make any image and either call it "God" or say that it is a likeness of God. Nothing we can image, in any medium, could capture the image and essence of the Person of God. In this, God is perfectly holy. Holiness is the quality of being separated and God is completely separate from His creation. As I said, He is totally "other."

God is also a mystery to us. All that we know of Him is what He has chosen to reveal to us. He describes Himself to us in human forms and word pictures. We call these "anthropomorphism's." It means to give some non-human human like qualities. We speak of leaning on God's everlasting arms. But God does not have arms like we do. We speak of His eyes looking into the hearts of men. But He does not have eyes like we do. But God uses terms like these because we humans could not even begin to comprehend what He is really like. Even in giving us holy Word, the Bible, God uses words we can understand. He has to accommodate Himself to us. Otherwise, we would not know Him at all.

His Being is a mystery to us. He is three Persons. They are co-eternal, co-existent, and co-substantial. Each One is 100% God. Yet, the Three together are the One True God. That is One God, not three gods. How can this be? Who can tell? Yet, it is the teaching of the Bible. We do not understand it. But we believe it. Al Mohler said it well when he said that a god who could be comprehended by men wouldn't be a God at all.

His knowledge and power are mysteries to us. He saw all the creation in His mind and then spoke it into existence. And, there it was, from quarks to for flung massive galaxies, all in one moment and all right on the first try. He is truly a God who is "worthy of worship, worthy of praise."

For all this, He is not a God who is far off, but the Bible presents Him to us as "our" God. Especially the God of His people. But of course, He is the God of all the world, all the universe. But He is our God. Feel the weight of that ... our God.

Try out that word "God." Feel it a moment. There is a weight to it. You just don't banter it around. It has meaning. It has substance. And not just "God," but "Our God." My God. Like Thomas' pronouncement at the appearance of Jesus ... "My Lord and my God!" It is an awesome thing to claim to be a disciple, a follower of a God. It is more awesome to be a follower of the One, True and Living God. He is God! You just don't call on Him, pray to Him, speak for Him ... lightly and without reverence and devotion.

When Isaiah saw God he saw Him "high and lifted up." Our churches and our Christians are going to be powerless, weak and mediocre until we once again see the Lord God for ourselves "high and lifted up." When we start to worship for Who He really is, then we will see the fire and the power return to our lives and our churches.

Most people today worship a god who is a lot like themselves. Even many professing Christians enjoy a god who conforms himself to them instead of One who calls them to conform themselves to Him. May we all pray that God will open all our eyes to the reality of His true Person. May we all be transformed by the true sight of Him.

The Christian's Warfare and Weapons

In light of some recent news events, I thought this was a timely post. It is reposted from August 17th, 2008. I think it speaks to some current events.

Some people just don't get it. I am thinking of two groups of people. One group of people would try to further Christianity and slow the spread of evil by trying to get the right people elected into political office. The other group would try to slow the spread of evil by killing or bombing those they think perpetrate it. Both instances are groups of so called Christian people.

But in all seriousness, we cannot win the world by taking up the weapons of the world. Politics has proven it's inability to help the Church. Not too many years we had a Republican Congress and a Republican President. These were people who all said the right things that Evangelical voters wanted to hear. I was there. I was moved by the rhetoric. But years later, nothing in the nation had really been changed.

Then when you look at the people who think that killing abortionists or blowing up abortion clinics is the way to fight that particular evil. But we still (as a nation) put to death over a million babies a year. And violence has only further hardened the world to the message of new life in Jesus Christ. But even discounting that, for all the ones that have been killed, and the clinics that have been blown up, nothing has really changed.

I recall a quote that said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Obviously, using the world's ways has accomplished nothing. Perhaps it is time we started to fight with the weapons that God has given to His Church.

The Church's only weapon against the evil of this world is the Holy Bible. God's Holy Word is truth. The gospel is our message. It is the "power of God unto salvation." We seem willing to trust everything else except the scriptures. We are quick to trust our own wiles and our own power and ignore God's wisdom and God's power. We engage the culture through argument and debate. We write, we teach, we discuss, we debate and we hammer home the truth contained in the scriptures.

Christian, if you feel the need to be armed against the world, don't take up a gun, take up your Bible. The power of the word preached backed up by a holy lifestyle is an argument the devil himself can't refute. We Christians are in a war. We are in combat every minute of every day. Charles Spurgeon once told his church that the Christian life was a battlefield not a playground. We are only given two weapons by God to help us win in our combat, prayer and the preaching of the word. Pity that so few use them.

Still Learning

I mentioned in the my last post that I have been accepted into the PhD program at Whitefield Theological Seminary in Christian Education. http://www.whitefield.edu/ The amount of work required is staggering. It has been a few years since I have been in school and I am having to re-learn how to write again. Writing for a grade I mean. Also, even though I am working on a PhD I am listening to lectures from people who are, without question, smarter than I am. I have a lot to learn.

Lighthouse Baptist Church is doing well. Last Sunday we baptized three people. There is so much to do and so much to teach. I have been involved in ministry now for over 18 years and I still feel like a novice sometimes. Indeed, I have a lot to learn.

Last week, I spent the day in my doctor's office being given a glucose test. This past Tuesday I found out I am diabetic. Today, I stuck myself with a needle for the first time in my life. If you know me, you know what a coward I am when it comes to getting shots. I have a book to read describing the lifestyle changes I will have to go through. I have classes to attend and new medications to deal with.

I joke with my wife that I am a life long student. I love school, being in school, studying, ... it is something I am really good at. The Lord teaches me that no matter how old I get, I really am a life long learner. Some days I think I am an "old dog" but God humbles me and shows me I am just a "pup" after all. Till my next post, here I am ... still learning.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Since my last post I have been extremely busy.

First, my son came down from North Dakota for a visit. It was a good time. I had not seen him in nearly three years. Mostly we were separated by distance and the ability to afford to visit each other. Today, the day this posts, it is his birthday. He is 21 years old now. He told me he joined the Army National Guard. Nutcase. At least I had the good sense to join the Air Force. Oh well. But don't be fooled. I am proud of him. Just surprised. His visit was too brief. But we hope to do better at seeing each other as the future unfolds, God willing.

On a side note, last Friday was his sister's birthday. My daughter turned 20. It was odd. She was born two days before Stephen's first birthday. So, for two days of the year, they are the same age. On Friday, they were both 20. Same on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Stephen turned 21. Now I have no children who are in their teens anymore. Wow. Paradigm shift here.

I have been working through the application process and late last month was notified that I have been accepted into the PhD program in Christian Education at Whitefield Theological Seminary. One former student described the program as read - read - read then write -write -write. As I look over the material they sent me, I can see why. I will produce hundreds of pages of material before I ever get to my dissertation. I look forward to the challenge.

On top of that I have been mentoring a young woman who is preparing for her GED test. Her test date is July 11th. We still have a lot to do but I am optimistic she will pass.

Now, my mother has come down from St. Louis to visit me for two weeks. She takes a lot of attention but we are still having a good visit.

So, there is a great deal going on. Be patient my friends, I will be back blogging soon. I just need to let my schedule settle down and see how it will all shake out in practice. God be with you all.

My Christian Rights

I have seen this quote in a couple of different places. But I am not sure who was the one who first said it. And this may be more of a paraphrase than a true quote but it will get the original point across.

"My Christian rights are to be treated exactly and precisely as the world treated my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ... and nothing else." - Unknown

It makes you think, doesn't it?

Above All ... Have Christ!

I will tell you what bothers me. Paul says in 1 Cor. 4:7 "For who maketh thee to differ [from another]?" The implied answer there is that it is God who makes us to differ, one person from another. Yet there are many people, who by their theology, end up answering that it is they, themselves, that make them to differ. And that bothers me.

Now, if you are a follower of my blog, you will know that I call myself a Calvinist. More accurately, I am a Reformed Baptist within the Southern Baptist Convention. I am SBC because I am convinced that it is the best vehicle available to us for reaching every corner of the world with the good news of Jesus Christ. The missions imperative and the sweet fellowship of like minded brothers and sisters in Christ makes me Southern Baptist.

But my views on God, Christ, salvation, indeed the whole world ... make me Reformed. Mostly, I am reformed because it makes me know who it was that made me to differ from other men. I am no better than anyone and worse than many. On my own I could not, ever, make myself different from the people around me. I know who made me to differ.

But, there are others, people who are NOT reformed, who also know who made them to differ. Now, there are many I have met, that I mentioned in my first paragraph, whose theology makes them answer that they made themselves to differ. But I am not talking about these folks right now. I am talking about those folks, who not being reformed, still know that their salvation is of the Lord, who have no hope of redemption apart from Christ alone. I am talking about those folks who know that faith is a gift from God and that apart from the finished work of Christ on the cross that there is nothing they have to offer towards their salvation. In short, I am talking those non-reformed people whose faith is in Christ alone.

As important as I think Calvinism is, I think it is more important that one be a Christian. What good is correct theology if you are wrong about Christ? What good is it to know all good doctrine about Christ if Christ does not know you? A system of theology, any system of theology, is nothing more than a way to put the doctrines of the Bible into an understandable way of thinking and by doing so, lead us closer to Christ. Any doctrine that does not draw you closer to Jesus is not worth the time it takes to explain it. Beloved friends ... listen to me ... have good doctrine, yes, even the best doctrine ... but have Christ first!

As for me, I am always against those people whose theology causes them to claim for themselves some of the credit for the work of God and thereby robbing God of some of His glory. I am always against those folks who teach heretical doctrines and teachings that lead Christians away from sound doctrine and true piety in Christ. But my hand of Christian fellowship is always extended to those who know who it is that made them to differ. To every person who knows their only hope is in Christ alone, I am a brother and a friend. A brother or sister in Christ is no bother to me at all.