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REMEMBER THE REFORMATION OF JOHN CALVIN On the eve of
All Saints Day, Oct. 31, 1517, Dr.
Martin Luther went to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany and posted his 95
theses on the church door. This was
the normal process used to ask for an academic debate on a theological question.
Luther was to resolve the problem of indulgences – the practice of
paying the church for forgiveness and sacraments.
He sought to reform a sick church.
Luther protested that the Church must return to
“Scripture along” as its authority. He
also argued that the Church must return to “justification by faith alone;”
we are justified (declared righteous) in God’s eyes only because of
what God did through Christ. John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509. This
year is the 500th anniversary of his birth.
John Calvin was trained as a
lawyer, had a conversion experience at age 24 and followed Luther’s protests.
In 1536, Calvin left the Catholic Church in France and moved to
Switzerland as a religious exile. He
was invited to help reform Geneva. He
pastured the St. Pierre Church, write Bible commentaries, devotional and
doctrinal pamphlets. He married a
young widow, and they had a son. Sadly,
his wife died young, as did their son. Calvin worked to make Geneva like the Kingdom of God on
earth. His teaching influenced the
school and the city; every citizen of Geneva had to accept his confession of
faith that had been adopted by the city council. Calvin’s Institute’s was the only book to state
Protestants’ (those who protested against the Catholic Church’s teaching)
views so clearly. He believed that
we are saved only through God’s grace (“grace alone,” Ephesians 2:8-9).
He also taught predestination which was controversial, and that God is
sovereign. Calvin’s reputation as an energetic reformer spread, and
John Knox brought Calvin’s teaching to Scotland.
Calvin’s teachings were later taken to Poland, the Netherlands (where
my Christian roots came from), and Scottish Presbyterians took the faith to
America. Later pioneers and
missionaries brought the faith to Oklahoma. John Calvin’s logo was a hand holding a burning heart,
with the prayer, “My heart I offer to Thee, Lord, promptly and sincerely.”
This logo was reprinted on the worship bulletin of my home church for
many years. Let’s offer our hearts
to Christ our Savior. Let Him be
your Master. There’s a statue of John Knox in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Knox stands holding an open Bible in one hand, while pointing to the
Bible with his other hand. This is a
great image of the centrality of the Bible as God’s Word. I believe these images of the burning heart and the
centrality of the Bible are
wonderful symbols of the Reformed/Presbyterian heritage.
Let’s renew our faith by offering our hearts to Christ and learning
from the Bible as God’s Word. Our
community and our unsaved friends need Christians who trust the Lord and His
Word. Reformation Day is Sunday, Oct. 25.
Let’s remember and live the Reformation themes – Scripture alone,
grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, and to God be the Glory! In Christ’s service, Pastor Randy |