JOC Calvin 04

For the final paper of the day we were joined by others for the public Lloyd-Jones Memorial Lecture. Sinclair Ferguson spoke very warmly and well on Calvin the man. Great to be there.

There were some reminiscences about Dr Lloyd-Jones and discovering Calvin as a boy and then these points

1. Early life

His birth and situation in Picardy. His "pious" mother who died when he was 6. Schooling. The sinecure that enabled a university education. Paris University aged 14. The great Latin teacher Cordelier. Calvin's brilliant Latin, so clear and brief. A college like a monastery and rather severe that led him to be extraordinarily self-disciplined. Hid father's excommunication and the shift from theology to law in Orleans and then Bourges. Still at this time stubbornly addicted to the Papacy.

2. Conversion
Heard the gospel in undergraduate days. By the time he was back in Paris he was being influenced by

1. The new humanism. (First work commentary on Seneca on clemency). Begins to see hiatus between NT and church.

2. He wanted certainty and he began to see that RC could never give that. Impossible for the ordinary believer. Assurance a great heresy for Rome.

Had converted friends - Cop, Robert, etc.
Conversion unexpected. What passage? Romans 1:18-32 (Battles), Philippians (losing, gaining idea)?

Night of the placards. any arrested and some even executed. By 26 a hunted man, on the run for his life. Yet all he wanted was to be a scholar. Eventually he came to see that he must use his gifts for the Lord. He began with a little paperback 1536 to help Christians and defend the faith.

3. Ministry

Trying to get to Strasbourg he ended up going through Geneva. There Farel detained him and he persuaded him to become a minister there. Geneva had left Rome but Rome had not left them. Tremendous struggle. Constant friction. Led to a crisis when Calvin and others refused communion to all. This led to exile. In Strasbourg Bucer did a Farel and convinced Calvin to stay as pastor to the French - perhaps the happiest period in his life. They tried to find him a wife - unsuccessfully at first but then to the widow Idelette de Bure. They were married 9 years and gave birth to children who died. She too died 1549. Many deaths in Strasbourg.

Besides growing as a pastor at this time he began writing commentaries (Romans first). Wrote other things eg Letter to Sadoleto. This led to an invitation to return to Geneva, which he eventually took up. He remained there the rest of his life. He lived under non-stop opposition as far at least as 1555. Many trials including case of Servetus, of the anti-predestinarian Bolsec (1551) etc. Prayer and the Word changed everything. Extremely busy. Eventually exhausted and given help. All sorts of medical problems.

Downside an irritable man. Also thought he was lazy!
4. Friendships

He was kept going by divine power. However, humanly speaking he was greatly helped by his friends - Cop, Daniel, Farel, Bucer, Viret, Melancthon, his brother Antoine, etc.

5. Lessons
1. The brotherhood principle
2. The apostolic principle
3. The godliness principle
4. The fruitfulness principle
5. The sovereignty principle