Banner Leicester 09

The first main session of Wednesday was Derek Thomas on Calvin's preaching on the pastoral epistles. He told us that Calvin preached just over a hundred sermons on the pastoral epistles (55 on 1 Timothy, 31 on 2 Timothy and 17 on Titus). He preached these mainly in 1554 and 1555. These were Sunday sermons. In the week he was on Job and Deuteronomy. A commentary on the pastorals had appeared six years before. Two lone sermons appeared two years after. In 1579 an English version of the sermons was published (republished by Banner). There is also a collection of about 20 sermons in modern English (Forbes SDG) and another slightly different one by EP. In a serendipitous look, Dr Thomas went on to point up these five things 1. That Calvin took an organic view of Scripture It is human and divine. There is asymmetry, however - the divine being predominate. He was aware of the charge of bibliolatry but denied it. He also taught the infallibility of Scripture and its self-authenticating character. He encourages us to develop a taste for Scripture. He masterfully teaches the profitability of reading Scripture. He has a very high view of Scripture and so of preaching. He sticks very closely to the text and scarcely using an illustration or topical reference. 2. The way that Calvin preached the gospel Calvin complains in one place that people want music rather than preaching. We need to hear the gospel every day, however. We need to see that salvation is in Jesus Christ. He sees the OT and NT gospel as one. He preaches the gospel not only to sinners but saints too. When he talks about justification he often goes beyond what we think of as such. We need to continually hear the gospel. It occurs again and again in these writings. 3. Some issues peculiar to Calvinism He talks about the apparent double will in God in one place. He rebukes believers for their lack of evangelism. He raises the subject of why some are converted and others not. He particularly denies universalism and understands the all of "God wants all men ...." as meaning all kinds and conditions of men. God's desire does not imply ability in all. We must distinguish God's desire and will. God accommodates our understanding in speaking of this. He is very positive about election, of course, and sees it as there for the comfort of believers. 4. His emphasis on the majesty of God He speaks of the unique unborrowed immortality of God. He talks of the incomprehensibility of God and the depths in him. Such considerations leave us in awe, our mouths closed. We know God only because he reveals himself. "He is not a draught half drawn". 5. His recognition that the Christian life is a fight Good Christians are good soldiers. Calvin leads the charge that is followed by Bunyan and other Puritans later, who saw the Christian life in these terms. Calvin speaks often of union with Christ and sees it in terms of fighting the good fight he fought. This was again a very competent and interesting look at Calvin the preacher.