Doug Wilson on Calvin, the Bible, and the Western World | DG 2009
Doug Wilson is sort of speaker stirs up laughter…even after he stabs you with conviction.
Wilson was in full character when speaking on John Calvin’s relationship to scripture and what that relationship did for the Western World.
Consider the following story.
A school mom named Enlightenment is teaching a class. She administers an exam to the Book of Mormon, the Qur’an, and the Bible. The Book or Mormon scores a 17. The Qur’an scores a 52. The Bible scores a 97.
We all would want to go up to the teacher and argue for the 3 points. Isn’t the Bible inerrant?
But there is a more fundamental problem. Ms. Enlightenment has no business doing the grading. The Bible is not after the 3 points from her. The Bible is after her job.
The Scriptures do not meet standards, they set standards.
They are not a possession of ours to put in the world’s balance to be weighed. But rather, the scriptures are the balances of God on which he places all the peoples and nations.
“Yet they who strive to build up firm faith by disputation are doing so backwards,” Calvin wrote, “…the testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason.”
Scripture is self-authenticating, therefore it is not needed to set it against proof and reasoning. Calvin said it is vain to fortify the Scripture by argument.
Finding reason’s proper place in the Christian’s life.
Neither Wilson nor Calvin reject human reason, but emphasize putting reason in its proper place. The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge, and that order is key.
How John Calvin Mastered the Bible [an example for us to follow]
Calvin started where God tells us to start: With God stooping to reveal Himself to us. God reveals Himself by special revelation, natural world, and in personal and work of Christ.
Remember, a skepticism and unbelief do not refute God’s revelation. Blind men do not refute the existence of the sun, and deaf men are not considered a refutation of Mozart.
Next, Calvin refused to divide God from His Word, he refused to set God at odds with his word. He did not separate the Speaker from the spoken. “We owe to the scripture the same reverence we give to God, because it is from God alone, with no part of man mixed in.” (Calvin, paraphrased)
Calvin’s was devoted to scripture on the practical level, and doggedly supported it on the theological level. But how could Calvin write deep, rich commentaries on the Bible that defy modern research assets? We have more information available to us, yet we can’t get as far as Calvin did.
Why?
Doug Wilson offered great insight here. “Calvin’s great resource was his great familiarity with the Bible and his mastery of its contents.”
Calvin mastered the Bible by being in it daily. He treasured it, because the Word of God brought Calvin to know the God of the Word. What’s your plan for mastering the Bible?
Guest writer Daniel C. Wilson is covering the Desiring God National Conference.
Related posts:
2 Comments to Doug Wilson on Calvin, the Bible, and the Western World | DG 2009
Holy moly, this is a smoking good session. Wilson is an insightful man. No wonder Hitchens respects him.
September 30, 2009
[...] 3. Doug Wilson: How Calvin mastered the Bible [...]
Leave a comment
Search
Recent Posts
Get Updates | Subscribe
Somewhat Essential
Categories
Archives
September 26, 2009