February 2009 Archives

Calvin wraps up his discussion of the demons with section 19, showing that demons are real and not impulses or inspirations that God arouses in our minds (cf. section 9 on the reality of angels). Moving on to creation, Calvin... continue

Section 12 concludes Calvin's discussion of angels with the plea--certainly relevant today!--that unless we see the angels as leading us to God, we are being misled in our understanding. In sections 13-19 Calvin will now look at what Scripture teaches... continue

In section 6 Calvin shows that God often dispenses and administers his goodness to us through his angels. Do we each have a guardian angel (section 7)? Calvin doesn't know. He does know from Scripture that the protection of an... continue

We now move into chapter 14, on creation of the world and man (sections 1-2), the role of angels (sections 3-12) and demons (sections 13-19), and the lessons we should learn (sections 20-22). Today we look at the first five... continue

In these final sections of chapter 13 Calvin considers two arguments against the Trinity. Theologically, the anti-Trinitarians argued that Christ's subordination to the Father was counterevidence to the Trinity (section 26). Historically, they appealed to the Church Fathers against the... continue

Let me conclude this week's blogs on the Institutes with a general plug for the value of thinking about God in a Trinitarian way.  We  rightly talk about having a personal relationship with God, so we need to realize that... continue

These sections on the Trinity are especially valuable to Christians, who are greatly helped if we can begin to think of God and salvation in explicitly Trinitarian terms.  It has been observed that while the liberals worship only God the... continue

In the opening section, Calvin concludes his defense of Christ's deity.  This last assertion of deity arises from Christ's miracles.  He takes it as self-evident that the miracles display the deity of Christ.  Therefore, the bulk of the section is... continue

In these sections, Calvin proves the deity of Christ over against those who would deny it.  The argument here provides a good instance of Calvin's proof-texting.  We generally hear of proof-texts only in negative terms today.  But Calvin's approach reminds... continue

Having defended the use of technical theological language as an aid to our understanding of Scriptural doctrines like the Trinity, Calvin in 1.13.4 argues that accurate theological terminology helps us to "unmask false teachers."  Precise terminology nails us down as... continue