calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapter 9

 

 

 

Chapter 9: The subverted piety of replacing Scripture with revelations

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A fantastic chapter on the divine marriage of Word and Spirit, where Calvin tackles a heresy of his day in the teaching of the Libertines.  

calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapter 8

 

 

Chapter 8 The credibility of Scripture

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We need our assurance of the truth of Scripture to come from an authority higher than our own judgement; nonetheless, there are proofs to its truth and trustworthiness:

calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapter 7

 

 

Ch 7: The Spirit and the Church in relation to Scripture

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How can we know that the Word of God is the Word of God?

calvin’s institutes: book 1, chapter 6

 

Ch 6: The need of Scripture, as a guide and teacher, of God as Creator.  

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We need more than the heavens and earth to guide us properly to God.  So, to this God added the light of his Word, to make himself known unto salvation.  

He bestowed this privilege on the elect.  “For, seeing how the minds of men were carried to and fro and found no resting place, he chose the Jews for a peculiar people, and then hedged them in that they might not, like others, go astray.”  In the same way he retains us in his knowledge – if he didn’t, even those who appear the strongest among us might fall away.  

 

The Scriptures work like spectacles.

calvin’s institutes: book 1, chapter 5

 

Ch 5: Knowledge of God – in creation and governance of the world.

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True blessedness is found in knowing God.  So, that none may be excluded, God has been pleased “to daily place himself in our view, that we cannot open our eyes without being compelled to behold him.”

“His essence indeed is incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought; but on each of his works his glory is engraven in characters so bright, distinct, and illustrious that none, however dull & illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse.”  (see Romans 1:20).  The heavens and the earth (and the human body, as a “miniature world” in this respect) give innumerable proofs for even “the most illiterate peasant”, indeed for anyone with the gift of sight!  

But if, in order to apprehend God, we need not look further than even our own human bodies, “what excuse can there be for the sloth of any man who will not take the trouble of descending into himself that he may find him?”

calvin’s institutes: book 1, chapter 4

Bk 1, Ch 4: The knowledge of God stifled by men

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Calvin argues here that even “though experience testifies that a seed of religion is divinely sown in all, scarcely one in a hundred is found who cherishes it in his heart.  Some lose themselves in superstitious observances, and others, of set purpose, wickedly revolt from God.”  In other words, as a pastor recently pointed out , sinful people always tend towards one of two things: either being a Pharisee, or a rebel.  

an introduction to apologetics (pt 2)

From Chris Sinkinson, speaking at UCCF Joint South Team Days, April 2008.  

 

Apologetics in Practice

 

Some boundaries (or presuppositions, if you like!) as we begin:

- Apologetics & evangelism: need to be so together that they are one and the same thing.

- Apologetics & faith: we can’t create faith, but we can create the conditions favourable to faith.

- Apologetics & evidence: there is evidence there to be used.

 

“I believe in Christianity in the same way as I believe the sun has risen – not just because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” – C.S. Lewis

 

If dealing with apologetics we must consider C.S. Lewis – not because it’s the right thing to do (!) but because he’s so influential.  He is the singlemost best read Christian apologist among non-Christians.  He quite naturally mixed evidentialism, presuppositionalism etc and didn’t see a problem with that.  Take the above quote as an example: why did he believe in God?  Partly because evidence suggests it; partly because his faith makes everything else make sense.  

 

1. Why does God allow suffering?

an introduction to apologetics (pt 1)

From Chris Sinkinson, speaking at UCCF Joint South Team Days, April 2008.  

 

1. What is Apologetics?

Apologia = ‘a word back’.  In 1 Peter 3:15, and Acts 10:3-5.  Was used in a legal context, in reference to giving a defence.  

In evangelism, are we just about winning people’s hearts?  Some argue this, and say apologetics is too intellectual.  But often in Scripture, the heart = the thinking part of us (when used in context such as “heart & soul & strength”).  So we are about winning hearts, but that means their thinking!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  This and 1 Peter show the two sides of apologetics: negative & positive; defence & offence.  Apologetics = “the task of commending Christianity to thinking people as needed truth”. – Jim Packer

 

2. Different Methods of Apologetics

 

This is an issue that is divisive among evangelicals, especially in the US.  

calvin’s institutes, book 1, chapters 1-3

Book 1, Ch 1: Knowledge of God and ourselves is mutually connected

Wisdom, in its entirity = knowledge of God + knowledge of ourselves.  

Which comes first?

about this blog

This blog is primarily a collection of my notes of my ongoing theological study.  

I don’t have a great theological mind.  I do, however, get to listen to many other great theological minds, and I take very good notes.  People often ask to photocopy my notes because they’re so neat.  

Unless they photocopy them, nobody ever gets to read my notes, and much as I intend to, I never read them myself; they just get filed somewhere for future non-reference.  

It dawned on me recently that I am in a very privileged position to get to listen to many great theological minds.  It would be selfish to keep it to myself, and it would be foolish to not consider it further.  Hence, this blog gives friends the opportunity to study with me, and gives me a reason to type up my notes, which will make me read them again! 

A bit of a disclaimer:

There are many great theologians in the blogging world; I am not one of them.  There are also a great many narcissists in the blogging world; and I don’t want to be one of them.  So I will genuinely try not to talk about myself, and I will certainly fail to present any intelligently original theology. 

Apologies to any speakers who don’t want talks published like this – I hope I’m not breaking any copyright laws!