Calvin’s Institutes
Week 3: Scripture
Dr. Tim Sisemore
Book 1, chapters 6-10
August 30, 2015
In Our Last Episode…
• We learned that people have a sensus divinitatus
• A natural awareness that there is a God
• From nature
• Human nature
• A sense of Someone being in control over the universe
• Yet, suppress it
• Saying no god
• Or worshipping false gods
• For Calvin, this based on Romans 1 and
• Presupposes Scripture…to which we now turn
Nature Not Enough
• Though it should be enough to challenge people’s ingratitude
• And show forth our corruption
• It is not
• We need “another and better help” to direct us to who the
Creator is
• So, God gives us His Word so God can be known unto salvation
• Recall Calvin’s basic division: God as Creator; God as Redeemer
Three Metaphors
• 1. Spectacles
• “Just as old or bleary-eyed men
and those with weak vision, if you
thrust before them a most
beautiful volume, even if they
recognize it to be some sort of
writing, yet scarcely can construe
two words, but with the aid of
spectacles will begin to read
distinctly; so Scripture, gathering
up the otherwise confused
knowledge of God in our minds,
having dispersed our dullness,
clearly shows us the true God.”
Three Metaphors
• 2. Thread through a labyrinth
• The splendor of God’s
countenance “is for us like an
inexplicable labyrinth unless
we are conducted into it by the
thread of the Word; so that it is
better to limp along this path
than to dash with all speed
outside it.”
• Enables us to avoid wrong
turns by uprooting error from
our hearts and replacing it with
true knowledge.
Three Metaphors
• 3. Teacher/school
•
The heavens declare the glory
of God,
and the sky above proclaims his
handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals
knowledge. (Psalm 19:1-2 ESV)
• Nature is not enough. “Since God
in vain calls all peoples to himself
by the contemplation of heaven
and earth, [His Word] is the very
school of God’s children.”
• Note the progression of Psalm
19…
Thus…
• Psalm 19 moves from talking of creation to speaking of God’s Word (note rhythm
of what it IS and what it DOES):
• The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
What do YOU Say?
• Why do you believe the Bible is true?
Scripture Must Be Confirmed by the
Witness of the Holy Spirit
• Background:
• The issue of the canon of Scripture:
• How were the books of the Bible determined?
• Catholics argued by the acknowledgement of the Church
• Calvin sees the inspiration as direct from God
• Affirmed by the Holy Spirit, NOT by the Church
• And thus NOT by the decision of men
• This played role in Catholic Church’s maintaining authority in Calvin’s Day
• But also, contra some charismatic approaches
• God no longer sends “daily oracles from heaven”
• His truth is hallowed to remembrance for all time in the Bible
Which Came First?
• Catholics claimed the Church
gave authority to the books it
chose
• Calvin, citing Ephesians 2:20
(that the church is built on
the foundation of the
prophets and apostles), says
the Word gives authority to
the Church
• But then HOW?
Authority of Scripture
• “Scriptures obtain full authority among believers only when men
regard them as having sprung from heaven.”
• And who convinces us of this?
• The Holy Spirit
• The Holy Spirit works by and with the Word in the heart to confirm the
Bible is God’s Word
How is God Seen Speaking in Scripture?
• Internal divine indicia
• That is, indicators of God’s authorship inside the Bible
• Westminster Confession 1.5:
•
•
•
•
•
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Heavenliness of the matter
Efficacy of the doctrine
Majesty of the style
Consent of all the parts
Scope of the whole (to give glory to God)
Full disclosure of it only way to salvation
Yet, Bible Not Believed Because of Proof
• “The highest proof of Scripture derives in general from the fact
that God in person speaks in it.”
• “They who strive to build up firm faith in Scripture through
disputation are doing things backwards.”
• Rational proofs are not the answer
• Nor is it opinion alone, as unbelievers say (and how true in
American pluralism today!!!!)
• “The testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason.”
• “The Word will not find acceptance in men’s hearts before it is
sealed by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit.” (Isaiah 59:21)
To Be Clear
• Bible is not accepted through
convincing
• “The only true faith is that
which the Spirit of God seals in
our hearts.”
• Begins with willingness to listen
to, not judge, Scripture:
• “What is the beginning of true
doctrine but a prompt eagerness
to hearken to God’s voice.”
• “Only those to whom it is given
can comprehend the mysteries
of God.”
1 Corinthians 2: 1-13
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For
I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and
much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit
and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are
doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is
written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For
who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of
God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we
might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught
by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
That Being Said…
• Calvin offers some proofs
from Scripture for Scripture
that establish believability of
the Bible, so far as human
reasoning goes. (His indicia)
• Content is grand and wiser
than human wisdom
• “Those for whom prophetic
doctrine is tasteless ought to be
thought of as lacking taste buds.”
• No human writings affect us
the same way
• Antiquity of Scripture
• Honesty of Scripture in
showing the flaws of the
characters
• Miracles
• Were public and authors would
have been refuted if not true
• Confirmations of prophecies
• This prior to modern critical
scholarship which tries to show
that Isaiah, e.g., wrote after
some things he allegedly
prophesied
What of Biblical Criticism?
• Efforts in recent times to
analyze Scripture as mere
writings
• Calvin marvelously predicts it
• “I know what certain rascals
bawl out in corners in order to
display the keenness of their
wit in assailing God’s truth. For
they ask, Who assures us that
the books that we read under
the names of Moses and the
prophets were written by
them?”
• Yet, here is the secret
• “The law of Moses was
wonderfully preserved by
heavenly providence rather
than by human effort.”
And Despite the Catholics…
• No reason to deny that in God’s providence the church of every
age has accepted the Bible and agreed to obey it steadfastly
• The canon received through the Spirit, not the Church imposing
authority on the books it wanted.
• SCRIPTURE IS THUS SELF-AUTHENTICATING
And What of “Tolerance”?
• Even some Evangelicals are now touting the idea that God is too
loving not to accept anyone sincere in seeking God
• No matter whether religious or of another religious belief
• “Those who, having forsaken Scripture, imagine some other way
or other of reaching God, ought to be thought of as not so much
gripped by error as carried away with frenzy.”
And What of Current Prophecies?
• Montanus in the early church argued one couldn’t “chase the Holy
Spirit into a book”
• Today, some folks argue for private, “spiritual” religion where they
discern God for themselves
• And some charismatics think their personal encounter with God is
more convincing than Scripture. (Or at least a personal sense that
God told them such and such)
• Calvin responds: “Of late, certain giddy men have arisen who, with
great haughtiness exalt the teaching office of the Spirit, despise all
reading and laugh at the simplicity of those who, as they express it,
still follow the dead and killing letter.”
• He goes on to say it is ridiculous to call this the Spirit of Christ, for that is who
inspired the words of Scripture
Old vs New
• The Holy Spirit then seals the old doctrines to us, and doesn’t
overrule them by teaching new ones today.
• So, we seek the Spirit through the Bible
• “We ought zealously to apply ourselves both to read and to hearken to
Scripture if indeed we want to receive any gain and benefit from the
Spirit of God.”
• The Spirit “is the Author of the Scriptures: he cannot vary and
differ from himself.”
The Word and Spirit are Inseparable
• Jeremiah 31:33
• For this is the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the
Lord: I will put my law within
them, and I will write it on their
hearts.
• “The letter … is dead, and the
law of the Lord slays its readers
where it both is cut off from
Christ's grace and, leaving the
heart untouched, sounds in the
ears alone.”
• So Word and Spirit joined
together in a “mutual bond”
In Contrast
• But if through the Spirit it
[Scripture] is really branded
upon hearts, if it shows forth
Christ, it is the word of life.”
Pulling It All Together
• Scripture affirms what nature teaches
• Up to the point of Christ as Redeemer which only comes through Scripture
• And the knowledge of God given to us is accommodated to us
•
The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third
and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7
• God shows himself “not as he is in himself, but as he is toward us.”
Key Attributes We Should Know
• “but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and
knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love,
justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I
delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:24
• So important to consider:
• Steadfast love (hesed), or mercy
• Justice
• Judgment (doing righteousness in the earth)
Scripture…
“… invites us first to fear God, then to trust in him.”
That is … seeing God as powerful and mighty first
Through nature
Through His Word (Knowledge of God the Creator)
Then we trust Him for what He has done in Christ (Knowledge of
God the Redeemer)
Pulling It All Together
Flitting in our heads
Branded on our hearts
• Do we have thoughts of God and
use them as mere system of
thoughts?
• Or as something to challenge
others?
• Or excuse our lack of biblical
knowledge and obedience because
we claim the Spirit shows us
otherwise?
• Humbly listening to what the Bible
teaches
• Openness to changing our thought
based on what we learn
• Which leads to changing our
behavior
• See the Power of God
• And learning to trust this God
Applications
• How do I take Scripture for granted?
• Respond to the errors of those who misunderstand?
• See the role of the Spirit in my Bible reading?
• Formalism in our Bible reading; lack of seeking God
• Contemplate the attributes of God toward us
• E.g. mercy, judgment, justice?
• Allow my heart to be branded?
• PRAYER:
• Thanking God for revealing himself in the Word
• Asking guidance to change things we need to in our use of the Word
This Week
• Pray whenever you come to the Bible (Psalm 119: 17-18):
• Deal bountifully with your servant,
• that I may live and keep your word.
• Open my eyes, that I may behold
• wondrous things out of your law.
In Our Next Episode
• We’ll break for Labor Day
• September 14: The Trinity vs. False Gods
• Book I, Chapters 11-13