Calvin says some pretty strong words on sin. He says anyone who doesn’t acknowledge they are a sinner are an anathema. Cursed by God, should be removed from his presence and the church community. What does the scripture say?
This is part of my series on Calvin’s Institutes.
Quote
Have done then with such frivolous absurdities, and let us receive the true meaning of the apostle, which is plain and simple;
first, That we are to deposit our infirmities in the breasts of each other, with the view of receiving mutual counsel, sympathy, and comfort; and,
secondly, That mutually conscious of the infirmities of our brethren we are to pray to the Lord for them.
Why then quote James against us who so earnestly insist on acknowledgment of the divine mercy? No man can acknowledge the mercy of God without previously confessing his own misery.
Nay, we pronounce every man to be anathema who does not confess himself a sinner before God, before his angels, before the Church; in short, before all men.
“The Scripture has concluded all under sin,” “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God,” that God alone may be justified and exalted (Gal. 3:22; Rom. 3:9, 19). (Calvin, Instit. 3.4.6)
Comment
In the wider context Calvin is speaking about repentance and the Christian life. Here he is focussing on sin in the life of the believer and the arguments he is having with the probably the Roman Catholic church.
He says those who acknowledge the divine mercy (God’s forgiveness presumably) should also confess their own (sinful) misery. In strong words he says those who do not confess themselves to be sinners before God should be anathema. Accursed, shut out from the presence of God and his people.
He then quotes Gal 3.22; Rom 3.9 and Rom 3.19 to argue his point.
I agree and disagree with Calvin here. Scripture compels me to.
I agree that every person, including myself and excepting God, has sinned. James 3.2 and 1 John 1.8 are clear enough and it would be silly to deny it. The world is full of sin and its desires. Myself included, believers always need to resist the temptation to sin for all their lives and will occasionally succumb to it. This of course stresses our need to repent, for the cross of Christ and God’s forgiveness which flows from it.
Furthermore I acknowledge that no one, excepting God, is perfect and Christians will never be perfect this side of Jesus’ return. Christians sin. I also acknowledge that if we were to define a ‘sinner’ as a person who sins, then yes we are all sinners.
But I don’t think the scriptures understand what a ‘sinner’ is this way. See my word study.
“The term tends to be used in particular of those regarded as outside God’s covenant of grace, whose sins are therefore not forgiven.” (Manser, M.H., 2009. Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies, London: Martin Manser.)
One of my main concerns is the definition of what a ‘sinner’ is. Calvin seems to have imposed his own definition on what a ‘sinner’ is, over that of scripture. Luke 15.7 makes a distinction between ‘the righteous’ and the ‘sinner’. If one reads scripture they will see this distinction works it way throughout scripture.
Another main concern is that Calvin is very selective in the passages he chooses. He highlights what’s evil in a believer and ignores the good. For example Mt 7.15-19 and 1 Jn 3.4-10 both highlight believers are healthy, bear good fruit, are righteous and make a practice of righteousness.
Honesty swings both ways. If we are honest with ourselves we should acknowledge our behaviour is a bit of a mixed bag. We do good and evil. There are times when our walk with God seems to be going well. There are other times when we lapse into some form of sin and we need to repent and ask for forgiveness.
Bear in mind our thoughts of ourselves are inherently subjective. There are righteous people who think they are sinful (Dan 9.20,23; cf. Eze 14.14,20). There are sinful people who think they are righteous (Lk 18.9-12). Scripture is the only objective and thus reliable guide describing what we should expect for God’s people.
If I am to be true to the reformation call of Sola Scriptura then I have to affirm scripture’s authority to speak into my identity, thoughts and actions. So the question shouldn’t be, what do believers think about themselves (introspective conscience), it ought to be what do the scriptures say about believers?
If I am to believe what the whole scripture says then I have to affirm the good things scripture says about me and believers as well as the bad. It means I have to affirm good things about myself even though at times I might feel and think otherwise. I acknowledge that everyday I struggle with sin and need forgiveness. But I also recognise I’m not sinning all the time. Sometimes I do what is good and right. Nonetheless, I have to affirm and believe the entirety of what scripture says about me, the good and the bad.
So if we consider the good things scripture says about God’s people, I ought to believe Christ has made me healthy, that I am righteous, that I do good things, and I make a practice of righteousness. I also should keep checking to see if my faith and walk is worthy of the gospel and therefore genuine because scripture commends that as well (2 Cor 13.5).
If I apply this reasoning to the sinner – righteous distinction which runs right through scripture, I must deny I am a sinner in the way scripture uses the term because I believe I am one of God’s people and scripture says God’s people are good and righteous. Clearly I was not put in this state through my own work, but through the work of Christ and the Spirit. There is no room for pride in this, only fidelity to God’s word.
I find Calvin and most reformed are quite selective in their use of scripture. They highlight the bad and ignore the good. I can believe neither Calvin nor the reformed alone, as it is clear that they have erred on this repeatedly and contradicted themselves.
Romans 5.19 says those who have been justified are no longer sinners, they are made righteous. Luke 1.5-6 says Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God. In Gen 7.1 God acknowledges Noah as righteous before him. 1 John 3.7 says the righteous are those who make a practice of righteousness. I find I have to believe scripture when it says some people are righteous and not sinners rather than what Calvin argues.
I disagree with Calvin’s understanding of Gal 3.22, Rom 3.9 and Rom 3.19.
With respect to Gal 3.22, believers are no longer under the dominion of sin. They have been set free. Romans 6 is big on this. The passages which refer to being set free from sin are mentioned in Rom 6.7,18; 8.2 and Paul says of believers this has already occurred. Calvin doesn’t seem to acknowledge Christ and the Spirit’s work in setting believers free from sin.
Romans 3.9 and 3.19 both concern the implication the Jews are sinners just as Gentiles. Paul says in Romans 3.19 ‘whatever the law says it speaks to those under the law’. Paul refers to the law as the body of scripture which describes the story of Israel. Which is why the cantina of passages he refers to as the law come from Psalms and Isaiah describing sinners among the Jews.
In context Paul is about to announce God’s gracious justification of those all who believe. Believers are therefore no longer sinners, nor under the dominion of sin, because of God’s gracious justification through the redemption in Christ (Rom 3.24). Calvin does not seem to acknowledge Christ’s work in putting all those who have sinned, right.
Throughout his book, Calvin adopts a miserable sinner understanding of Christianity. It’s hard to think he believes anyone is righteous. Rather it seems more like to him, everyone is a sinner and no one practices righteousness or keeps God’s commands. He only focusses on sin and refuses to look the general practice and behaviour of people, which is what the authors of scripture do.
This is the pessimistic heart of the reformation which refuses to acknowledge scripture which says otherwise. It’s a core hermeneutic for determining the meaning of the scriptures and especially what Paul means by his justification expressions.
This I believe is a root problem in reformed theology and it works its way through Calvin’s Institutes.
God commanded us not to call someone common, what he has made clean (Acts 10.15).
I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I find I have to believe scripture rather than what Calvin argues. Calvin is engaging in false teaching here. Getting his readers to believe something contrary to scripture.
Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound. God help me.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2017. All Rights Reserved.
