#286 Calvin and God

I've spent the last few months reading John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion (Battle's translation of the 1559 edition if you care). Calvin has long been a favorite theologian of mine. When I was in seminary, I read large portions of the Institutes, particularly in my systematic theology courses, but with workload limits and the need to read other authors as well, we didn't get through the entire work. So I decided now was the time to go through the whole thing. I tried not to read too much at a time—no more than a chapter in one sitting—so that I could absorb and learn from my reading as much as possible. This seemed to be a solid strategy, though it did mean it took me a while to get through the two volumes.

Looking back, I think the thing that stands out to me most is just how big Calvin's view of God is. Calvin emphasizes God's control over all things, how He rules all events with His good will. And Calvin also stresses the immensity of God's grace, explaining salvation as only God's work from beginning to end. Now Calvin certainly isn't alone in thinking this way, but you can't help but notice how absolutely unwilling Calvin is to take anything away from God's greatness. Calvin would rather talk about God working out His purposes than about human freedom because he won't let us think our choices are able to thwart or be outside of God's plans. He'll emphasize our sinfulness and weakness again and again so that we don't trust ourselves in the least but only look to Christ to forgive us and make us new.

Hearing that we're broken and fallen and not in control, that we deserve death and hell for our sins is not pleasant. But hearing that God doesn't leave anything to chance, that He loves human beings and adopts them as His own just because He wants to, that He'll never let anything snatch His people out of His hands is beyond comforting. Such a big God is mysterious and mind-boggling, but only such a big God can give us the assurance that we are secure in Him, no matter what may come. Only such a big God can guarantee eternal salvation for mortal and morally deficient people. As further evidence of His love, this God stoops down to our level and communicates with us again and again in terms we can understand through the Scriptures and the sacraments. Only this great and gracious, infinite and tender God could be worth giving our selves to and living our lives for. Calvin talks about God in a way that fills us with awe and love and trust and devotion. I hope that my life and my teaching reflect such a high view of God.

Grace and peace,

BMH