Calvin Synod Herald, 2009 (110. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2009-11-01 / 11-12. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 7 What Does It Mean - to be a Calvinist? Before we can enter into answering this question, we must examine the meaning of the word Calvinist and on what it is based. Calvinists are the Protestant Christians who follow the teachings and theological interpretation of John Calvin. It would be sad indeed, if we Christians or believers following Martin Luther (1483-1546), John Calvin (1509-1564), Theodore Beza (1519-1605), Ulrich Zwingly (1484-1531), John Knox (1505?- 1572) and John Wesley (1703-1791) would be fundamentally and drastically different from each other. We have the same heavenly Father, Savior, Holy Scriptures, and all of us believe in the Holy Trinity. Two Bible quotations should substantiate this assumption: ‘‘For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ” (1 Corinthians 3:11) and “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ” (Philippians 2:9-10). How would we be able to pray the Lord’s Prayer together - “Our Father, who art in heaven” - if the various denominations had different Gods? When the dialogue between our Savior and Nicodemus took place (see John 3:1-15) Christ did not specify for which denomination He had given the information and/or the instruction. Neither did Apostle Paul make a distinction among the denominations when he wrote to the Corinthians: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The second important consideration when we examine what it means to be a Calvinist is as follows: a concept, or viewpoint, or interpretation does not mean the same for everybody. A few examples will shed light on the issue. Medical science is not exactly same for the physicians and their patients. Pedagogy is not identical for the teachers and their students, nor is military science the same for generals and the foot soldiers. Likewise, when we talk about theology we should ask whom do we have in mind - the seminary professors and the clergy, or the believers and the congregants? And finally when we examine what it means to be a Calvinist we should also ask: what were the motivating forces or reasons behind the Reformation? When we consider the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th and 16th centuries, we must remember that basic general knowledge as well as the Bible were not available for everyone. Additionally, the Catholic Church was dominant all over Western Europe. Thus the Catholic clergy had felt they could do whatever they had thought was right or beneficial for the church. Reformation came as a reaction to the ecclesiastical practices of that time. Not only the Reformers, but others such as Savonarola (1452-1498) who was burned at the stake for his views, also had objected the un-Biblical actions of the Roman Catholic. One of the main concerns of John Calvin was the sovereignty of God. Seeing what was going on, Calvin simply declared that God cannot be manipulated, influenced, or be obliged with good deeds, gifts, magnificent church buildings, or elaborate liturgical services. God is God. Above everything He had created; and His creation, including the crown of creation - the thinking man - has no privilege to force Him to answer or act as His children would expect it. From the concept of God’s sovereignty came the well-known expression Soli Deo Gloria. That is - Glory to God Alone. Therefore, for the Clergy, Calvinism should mean at least these three teachings: SOLA FIDE - that only by faith we are saved: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. ” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We know what Apostle James had written in the second chapter if his letter, however, he is not speaking against faith only wishes to emphasize that true faith should be alive, active, and fruitful. Please read James 2:14-25. SOLA GRATIA - that is, only by divine grace: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ’’ (2 Corinthians 12:9). Also: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. ” (1 Corinthians 15:10). SOLA SCRIPTURA - that is, the Bible alone is the only written divine revelation. Only from the Bible do we learn who is God to us and what Christ had done in our behalf. Reading the Holy Scriptures we find out who we are and what are expected of us. For the Believers, who are also church members, who did not study more theology than taking confirmation, I would say these are the main points of Calvinism: SIMPLICITY - or being a puritan. Calvin did not permit decorations or ornaments in the sanctuaries. He preferred the simple, ordinary way of life. Simplicity should not mean only living in a modest way, but also thinking the way the Bible teaches us and not allowing ourselves to be overcome by the harmful influence of the world. SERIOUSNESS - that is, taking our Christian calling very seriously knowing that once we will appear before our Maker. Irresponsibility, negligence, carelessness, and setting ourselves above others are against seriously practicing our faith. We should remember Apostle James words: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27). SANCTITY - that is, life is sacred and we have no privilege to ruin God’s gift: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. ” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Predestination, as one of Calvin’s teachings, is not so much in the center of the interest today. If we know that God is sovereign, in him there is no past, present, and future. Also, for Him the thought also means action - and we should accept that He knows the future and with His Continued on page 8
