Magyar Egyház, 1959 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1959-10-01 / 10. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 The True and False Church Compared John Calvin The following excerpts are from the “Institues of the Christian Religion” by John Calvin, Book 4, selective chapters and paragraphs. “We have already stated the importance which we ought to attach to the ministry of the word and sacraments, and the extent to which our reverence for it ought to be carried, so as to account it a perpetual mark and characteristic of the church. That is to say, that wherever that exists entire and uncorrupted, no errors and irregularities of conduct form a sufficient reason for refusing the name of a church.” Calvin here refers to his statement made in the previous chapter: “For wherever we find the word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ, there, it is not to be doubted, is the Church of God.” “But as soon as falsehood has made a breach in the fundamentals of religion”, — Calvin continues —, “and the system of necessary doctrine is subverted, and the use of the sacraments fails, the certain consequence is the ruin of the church, as there is an end of a man’s life when his throat is cut, or his heart is mortally wounded. And this is evident from the language of Paul, when he declares the church to be built ‘upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief comer stone’ “If the foundation of the church be the doctrine of the prophets and apostles, which enjoins believers to place their salvation in Christ alone, how can the edifice stand any longer, when that doctrine is taken away? The church, therefore, must of necessity fall, where that system of religion is subverted which alone is able to sustain it.” “As this is the state of things under the Papacy, it is easy to judge how much of the Church remains there. Instead of the ministry of the word, there reigns a corrupt government, composed of falsehoods, by which the pure light is suppressed or extinguished. An execrable sacrilege has been substituted for the supper of the Lord. The worship of God is deformed by a multifarious and intolerable mass of superstitions. The doctrine, without which Christianity cannot exist, has been entirely forgotten or exploded. The public assemblies have become schools of idolatry and impiety. In withdrawing ourselves, therefore, from the pernicious participation of so many enormities, there is no danger of separating ourselves from the Church of Christ. The communion of the Church was not instituted as a bond to confine us in idolatry, impiety, ignorance of God and other evils; but rather as a mean to preserve us in the fear of God, and obedience of the truth. I know, that the Papists give us the most magnificent commendations of their Church, to make us believe that there is no other in the world; and then, as if they had gained their point, they conclude all who dare to withdraw themselves from that Church which they describe, to be schismatics, and pronounce all to be heretics, who venture to open their mouths in opposition to its doctrine. But, by what reasons do they prove theirs to be the true church? They allege from ancient records what formerly occured in Italy, in France, in Spain; that they are descended from those holy men, who by sound doctrine founded and raised the churches in these countries, and confirmed their doctrine and the edification of the church by their blood; and that the Church, thus consecrated among them, both by spiritual gifts, and by the blood of martyrs, has been preserved by a perpetual succession of bishops, that it might never be lost.” “To those who are willing to attend me in a brief examination of these allegations, I will clearly show, that they are frivolous and manifestly ridiculous.” Then Calvin points out that not the uninterrupted succession of the Roman Popes is the most essential characteristic of the church, but the true and uncorrupted doctrine of the Bible, not the ceremonies which they have but the preaching and hearing of the word of God. He states that the heretics and schismatis are not the ones whom the Romanists call and would like to name, but they themselves who filled the Church with vain glitter and empty ceremonies. “Now”, — continues Calvin —, “however the Papists may extenuate their vices, let them deny, if they can, that the state of religion is as corrupt and depraved among them, as it was in the kingdom of Israel, in the time of Jeroboam. But they practice a grosser idolatry, and their doctrine is equally, if not more, impure. God is my witness, and all men who are endued with moderate judgement, and the fact itself declares, that in this I am guilty of no exaggeration.” “The principal bond of their communion is certainly the mass, which we abominate as the greatest sacrilege.” John Calvin concludes this chapter in his Institues with the statement that there still remain some marks of the church, those which neither the devil nor the malice of men can ever destroy.----------------0O0---------------BISHOP BÉKY EARNS DOCTOR OF DIVINITY DEGREE Bishop Zoltán Beky has received his diploma of Doctor of Divinity from the Midwestern Graduate Bible School in Indianapolis. Indiana. Bishop Beky earned his degree with his studies on Calvin just recently published; “Calvin and Barth”, and “Calvin and the Contemporary Reformed Theology in Hungary”. Zoltán Beky began his theological training at the Reformed Theological Academy of Sárospatak, Hungary. Following the agelong custom of theological education in Hungary he went abroad for his postgraduate studies. Attending seminaries in New Brunswick, N. J. and Philadelphia. Pa. he obtained his Bachelor of Divinity degree in addition to his Hungarian pastoral qualification. Later Zoltán Beky was made an Honorary Professor of his Alma Mater at Sárospatak. We are all pleased to learn the good news and congratulate Dr. Beky for his fine achievement.----------------0O0----------------SUFFERING ANYWHERE SHOULD BE THE CONCERN OF CHRISTIANS EVERYWHERE
