John Calvin, Humorist

I'm continuing to read John Calvin's Institutes. Here's a rather pointed but humorous section, as part of his chapter opposing the use of images/icons in worship and in church buildings--you know, the statues that are barely clothed. He writes:
"The pictures or statues that they dedicate to saints--what are they but examples of the most abandoned lust and obscenity? If anyone wished to model himself after them, he would be fit for the lash. Indeed, brothels show harlots clad more virtuously and modestly than the churches show those objects which they wish to be thought images of virgins. For martyrs they fashion a habit not a whit more decent. Therefore let them compose their idols at least to a moderate decency, that they may with a little more modesty falsely claim that these are books of some holiness!" (Institutes, I:10:7)

Why do we believe the Bible?

Here is another gem from John Calvin on Scripture:
"... credibility of doctrine is not established until we are persuaded beyond doubt that God is its Author. Thus, the highest proof of Scripture derives in general from the fact that God in person speaks in it. The prophets and apostles do not boast either of their keenness or of anything that obtains credit for them as they speak; nor do they dwell upon rational proofs. Rather, they bring forward God's holy name, that by it the whole world may be brought into obedience to him."
Genesis begins: "In the beginning God..." It does not begin with a proof for God, but with the conviction that God is. And by continuing in that vein, God's Word brings us to obedience to him.

More Gems from Calvin

"For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by his fatherly care, that he is the Author of their every good, that they should seek nothing beyond him--they will never yield him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him." (Institutes, II:2.1)

"Here indeed is pure and real religion: faith so joined with an earnest fear of God that this fear also embraces willing reverence, and carries with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed in the law. And we ought to note this fact even more diligently: all men have a vague general veneration for God, but very few really reverence him; and wherever there is great ostentation in ceremonies, sincerity of heart is rare indeed." (Institutes, II:2.2)

A note on references to the Institutes: The Institutes are divided into 4 "books," each of which is in turn divided into "chapters," and each chapter is divided into "sections" (sections are around a page in length). Thus, "II:3.4" (or sometimes 2.3.4) denotes Book 2, chapter 3, section 4.

Knowledge of Self Leads to God

"From the feeling of our own ignorance, vanity, poverty, infirmity, and--what is more--depravity and corruption, we recognize that the true light of wisdom, sound virtue, full abundance of every good, and purity of righteousness rest in the Lord alone. To this extent we are prompted by our own ills to contemplate the good things of God; and we cannot seriously aspire to him before we begin to become displeased with ourselves. For what man in all the world would not gladly remain as he is--what man does not remain as he is--so long as he does not know himself, that is, while content with his own gifts, and either ignorant or unmindful of his own misery? Accordingly, the knowledge of ourselves not only arouses us to seek God, but also, as it were, leads us by the hand to find him."
--John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, I:1.1

One-year Institutes

John Calvin was born July 10, 1509--which makes his birth 500 years ago. You could do worse this year than reading his most important work--the Institutes of the Christian Religion--in a year. If you would like to do so, and have a copy but need a schedule, here it is (PDF). If you don't have your own copy, and would like to do so on the Internet, you may do so here. What makes this especially remarkable is that it is done by Princeton Seminary. So even if you can't read it all this year, pray for those at Princeton Seminary who do. Maybe God will use John Calvin's writings to lead people who are skeptical about the Bible to John Calvin's Savior.