Why Calvin Wrote His Institutes

By Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo

 

Why did Calvin write his Institutes? There were 2 reasons: (1) to teach the Biblical foundations of the Christian Faith to sincere believers, and (2) to defend the Christian Faith from the attacks of those who were opposed to it. Calvin wrote concerning his primary purpose, “My purpose was solely to transmit certain rudiments by which those who are touched with any zeal for religion might be shaped to true godliness … very many of whom I knew to be hungering and thirsting for Christ: but I saw very few who had been duly imbued with even a slight knowledge of him. The book itself witnesses that this was my intention, adapted as it is to a simple and, you may say, elementary form of teaching.”

Another reason why Calvin wrote his Institutes, and no doubt an equally important reason, was to defend the Christian Faith from the false accusations of certain madmen who wanted France to be purged of Calvin and all who believed in the doctrines of divine grace and faith. Calvin wrote, “But I perceived that the fury of certain wicked persons has prevailed so far in your realm that there is no place in it for sound doctrine. Consequently, it seemed to me that I should be doing something worthwhile if I both gave instruction to them and made confession before you with the same work. From this, you may learn the nature of the doctrine against which those madmen burn with rage who today disturb your realm with fire and sword. And indeed I shall not fear to confess that here is contained almost the sum of that very doctrine which they shout must be punished by prison, exile, proscription, and fire, and be exterminated on land and sea.”

The enemies of Christ and His Gospel had leveled many false and malicious accusations against the reformers before the king. Calvin wrote, “Indeed, I know with what horrible reports they have filled your ears and mind, to render our cause as hateful as possible to you. … [this doctrine] has in part been violently rejected by the partisanship and power of its opponents, and in part insidiously and fraudulently oppressed by their falsehoods, subtleties, and slanders. It is sheer violence that bloody sentences are meted out against this doctrine without a hearing; it is fraud that it is undeservedly charged with treason and villainy. … for dreadful reports are being spread abroad among the people. … Who can now wonder that public hatred is aroused against it, when these most wicked accusations are believed? This is why all classes with one accord conspire to condemn us and our doctrine.”

It can be seen that Calvin faced no small opposition and persecution in his day. What lies were spread to stir up hatred against Calvin and the reformers! The lies were no doubt meant to silence the truth and cause the general populace to hate the truth even before hearing it.

False Charges Refuted

The false charges of the antagonists against the Reformed doctrine were these: It is (1) a new doctrine, (2) a theory, (3) unsupported by miracles, (4) not taught by the Church Fathers, (5) not the custom of the majority, and (6) schismatic.

(1) A New Doctrine

Calvin argued that by calling the Reformed doctrine new, his opponents “do great wrong to God, whose Sacred Word does not deserve to be accused of novelty.” Calvin preached the same Jesus Christ whom the Apostle Paul preached, that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification according to the Scriptures (Rom 4:25, 1 Cor 15:3-4). Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone and in Christ alone. Calvin went on to argue that it was “new” to the detractors because they were blind to the truth and that the fault rested solely on their impiety. The light has always been shining and is not new, but the people were just too blind to see it.

(2) A Theory

Calvin’s detractors charged him for teaching something that was “doubtful and uncertain” (ie, a theory and not dogma). Calvin replied that they were ignorant, and repeated the complaint of the Lord through His prophet Isaiah, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider” (Isa 1:3). Why did those who professed Christ not hear His voice, nor believe in His words? Did not Jesus say this of those who rejected His Truth, “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:26-27). Calvin testified that believers of the Reformed Faith were very sure of whom and what they had believed, and were not at all afraid to suffer and die for their Faith.

(3) Unsupported by Miracles

Calvin denounced as dishonest those who demanded miracles in support of the Reformed Faith. Calvin explained, “For we are not forging some new gospel, but are retaining that very gospel whose truth all the miracles that Jesus Christ and his disciples ever wrought serve to confirm.” The ministry and message of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles have been authenticated by numerous miracles as recorded in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, but they would not believe (Mark 16:20, Acts 2:22, Heb 2:4, Rom 15:18-19).

Calvin went on to argue that true doctrine is not dependent on miracles. Truth is not ascertained by performance of miracles but by the infallible principle of the glory of God. Calvin wrote, “Yet, if one does not tend to seek men’s glory but God’s (John 7:18; 8:50), this is a mark of true doctrine, as Christ says.” Calvin went on to warn against counterfeit miracles, lying wonders and deceitful tricks that seek to mislead the simple-minded and the untaught. Did not Jesus say, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” (Matt 16:4)?

(4) Not Taught by the Church Fathers

Calvin refuted this charge by arguing that great men of God in the past were nonetheless men and therefore fallible. The infallible Christ and His inerrant words should be the believers’ sole and supreme authority of faith and practice. Calvin wrote, “Now, these fathers have written many wise and excellent things. Still, what commonly happens to men has befallen them too, in some instances. For these so-called pious children of theirs, with all their sharpness of wit and judgment and spirit, worship only the faults and errors of the fathers. The good things that these fathers have written they either do not notice, or misrepresent or pervert. You might say that their only care is to gather dung amid gold.”

Calvin said that those who quote human authorities “will have nothing certain in religion, inasmuch as these holy men were ignorant of many things, often disagreed among themselves, and sometimes even contradicted themselves.” To those who used Proverbs 22:28 to prove their point, Calvin replied that the text dealt with the boundaries of fields, and not the obedience of faith. Calvin went on to show how his enemies had fallaciously interpreted and applied the Scriptures, “But if they love to allegorise so much, why do they not accept the apostles (rather than anyone else) as the ‘fathers’ who have set the landmarks that it is unlawful to remove (Prov 22:28)?”

If believers reject the sole and supreme authority of the infallible Christ and His inerrant words, and begin to depend on the ever-changing comments and opinions of fallible men, they will only end up having a most unstable and vulnerable faith, “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph 4:14).

(5) Not the Custom of the Majority

Calvin refuted this false charge by pointing out that the majority is no determiner of the truth for the majority are usually pleased with error than with truth. Calvin argued, “But, granting public error a place in the society of men, still in the Kingdom of God his eternal truth must alone be listened to and observed, a truth that cannot be dictated to by length of time, by longstanding custom, or by the conspiracy of men. … Even though the whole world may conspire in the same wickedness, he has taught us by experience what is the end of those who sin with the multitude. This he did when he destroyed all mankind by the Flood, but kept Noah with his little family; and Noah by his faith, the faith of one man, condemned the whole world (Gen. 7:1; Heb. 11:7).”

Truth is truth no matter what the majority say. What is Truth? God’s Word is Truth (John 17:17). The truth will always prevail. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Cor 13:8).

(6) Schismatic

Calvin’s enemies charged the Reformed doctrine for creating schisms and divisions in the church. These charges were unjust. Calvin said, “The blame for these evils is unjustly laid upon it, when this ought to have been imputed to Satan’s malice.”

Calvin observed that Satan becomes most destructive when God’s kingdom of light is gaining ground against his kingdom of darkness. Satan’s usual strategy to halt the advance of God’s kingdom is to raise up evil and wicked men to oppress the saints and suppress the truth. Calvin wrote, “With violent hands of men he tries to uproot that true seed, and seeks (as much as lies in his power) to choke it with his weeds, to prevent it from growing and bearing fruit. But all that is in vain, if we heed the Lord our monitor, who long since laid open Satan’s wiles before us, that he might not catch us unawares; and armed us with defenses firm enough against all his devices. Furthermore, how great is that malice that would ascribe to the very word of God itself the odium either of seditions, which wicked and rebellious men stir up against it, or of sects, which imposters excite, both of them in opposition to its teachings! Yet this is no new example. Elijah was asked if it was not he who was troubling Israel (1 Kings 18:17). To the Jews, Christ was seditious (Luke 23:5; John 19:7 ff.). The charge of stirring up the people was laid against the apostles (Acts 24:5 ff.). What else are they doing who blame us today for all the disturbances, tumults, and contentions that boil up against us? Elijah taught us what we ought to reply to such charges: it is not we who either spread errors abroad or incite tumults; but it is they who contend against God’s power (1 Kings 18:18).”

Reformation Continues

In the 21st century, believers and defenders of the truth of the immutable and impeccable Christ (Heb 13:8), and His verbally and plenarily preserved words (Ps 12:6-7, Matt 5:18) continue to face the same wicked strategies of Satan to attack and destroy the Faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). Calvin has set for us a good example of what it means to earnestly contend for the Faith. He was no man-pleaser, no fence-sitter, no coward, not lukewarm, not a compromiser, but valiant in the battle for truth, and faithful to His Lord till the very end. Calvin offered to the Lord a heart on fire for Him, “prompte et sincere in opere domini,” “promptly and sincerely in the work of the Lord.” The Rev Dr Timothy Tow testifies, “Through Calvin’s inspirational teaching … this writer has found a new, radiant confidence for living in perilous end-times like these. For, Calvin has taught, as no other theologian, that ‘salvation is of the Lord’ (Jonah 2:9).”

May the Lord raise up more Calvins today to the glory of His Name!