Calvin Synod Herald, 2009 (110. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2009-11-01 / 11-12. szám
10 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Toward Christian Maturity According to John Calvin Suppose we were to regard each of the 27 Calvin Synod congregations as laboratories in which a Spirit-led experiment were to take place; namely, to seek as a body and as persons to grow in Christian grace, virtue and good works. What warrant might there be in such a proposal? In terms of current church life one often finds congregations encouraged to “write a mission statement.” Could “to grow in Christian grace, virtue and good works” not be a portion of the mission? More importantly, St. Paul and other New Testament writers, acting as pastors and teachers, point toward such progress in Christian life and work. For example, in one of his later personal confessions, St. Paul says “... for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. ... I can do all things in him who strengthens me.’T Is this the St. Paul of Romans 7? Has he not matured in faith since the Roman letter? Promising maturity in faith to the Corinthian Christians, St. Paul exults, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another ....” Other texts of this sort abound. Given then the New Testament basis for moving on from milk toast diets to become spiritual carnivores, the experiment may seek out pastors and teachers in the tradition who further elucidate these growth in faith themes. One of these is John Calvin (1509-1564), the founder of the Reformed branch of the Reformation. It is indubitably clear that this pastor/teacher of Geneva brought distinctive focus on growth in Christian life and work. His inspiration, while not faultless, resounds today. Speaking as biblical scholar, John Calvin uses scripture analogically to forward the theme of Christian maturity. He compares the man fallen among thieves on the Damascus Road, and now recovering in the inn, to the prospect of our own improvement in spiritual health. Speaking as theologian, Calvin says, “This work of God is not perfected when it commences its operations in us, but gradually increases; and, making daily advancement, is brought by little and little to its completion.” Speaking as pastor/teacher, Calvin encourages, “No one will travel so badly as not daily to make some degree of progress, though it be slight. Therefore, let us not cease so to act that we may make some continual progress in the way of the Lord.” In choosing John Calvin as a Reformation guide regarding spiritual development, one detours from Martin Luther (1483- 1546), who once said, “And so you must not imagine that the Christian life is a standing still and a state of rest. No, it is a passing over and a progress.... Nevertheless, Richard Niebuhr, commenting on the Lutheran Reformation, states, “The conscience is made uneasy about the taint of sin in all human enterprise; but the conviction that any alternative to a given course of action would be equally tainted, and that in any case the divine forgiveness will hallow and sanctify what is really unholy, eases the conscience prematurely.” So that Luther’s message tends to embody the words of the popular song, “Though it makes him sad to see the way we live, he’ll always say, T forgive.’” This is what Niebuhr calls the Lutheran danger of “supramoralism, not to say, antinomianism.” It is the emphasis of Calvin on progress in life and work that leads to what Niebuhr sees, “... as new moralism and legalism,” puritanism being the strongest caving in to that hazard. To these twin Lutheran and Calvinist hazards the pastor/ teacher may well attend. In the above proposed laboratory John Calvin points to the two divine acts of divine grace, justification (dikaisis) and sanctification (hagasmos). Commenting on a Roman passage, “For the law of the Sprit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death,” Calvin says, “The grace of regeneration is never disjoined from the imputation of righteousness.” We might say that the impartation of new-ways-ness coincides with the imputation of right-ways-ness. At this point the manuscript disagreement over Romans 5:1 takes on a both/and theological significance. By imputation, “we have peace with God” and by impartation, “Let us have peace with God,” in an increasing fashion. On this matter Calvin enters into a polemic with Rome which source inspired the notion that monks could arrive at perfection no longer requiring the continual grace of justification. Equally, he vehemently argues with the “enthusiasts” who taught “that through union with Christ our inward corruption could be destroyed and angelic perfection attained in this life.” In these arguments Calvin warns against any teaching of progressive or instantaneous human merit. For the pastor/teacher seeking to lead his or her parishioners in increased ways of grace, virtue and good works, John Calvin offers a pastoral theology by which we may mature in the Christian life. He presents the sources, the site and the signals of Christian maturity. The consummate source is the sanctified Christ who provides the saints with holiness. Beginning with the apostles: “For their sake I consecrate myself, that they may be consecrated in truth.” Moving to Hebrew Christians: “For by a single offering he has perfected all those who are sanctified.” And moving out to the wider church: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people. . . .” So Calvin says that Christ “has been sanctified in order that we might be truly regenerated to serve God and walk in uprightness of life.” Christ living within us enables us to become increasingly conformed to his image. The enabling source is the Holy Spirit who ministers the Christ blessing to believers. The whole Christ-Event provides the Father the eyes to see us through the Son and also enables “the gradual impartation of the actual holiness which dwelt in Christ.” In Calvin’s own graphic words, “. . . the Spirit of God sprinkles us with the holiness of Christ and makes us partakers of it.” Nor is this a mere imputation. The Spirit imparts to the open-hearted believer the virtues derived through the life, death and resurrection of the Lord. The site of the holiness making experience is the Church, the Body of Christ. No doubt discussion arises immediately as to
