Calvin divides chapter 2 into three parts: I. A brief
explanation of certain matters pertaining to the doctrine of Faith, sections
1-14. II. A full exposition of the definition given in the seventh
section, sec. 14-40. III. A brief confirmation of the definition by the
authority of an Apostle. The mutual relation between faith, hope, and charity,
sec. 41-43.
Calvin begins the first section of chapter 2 by summarizing
the state of man before God. Man in his
fallen state cannot adhere to the demands of the Law and is therefore by divine
judgment deserves punishment. Man, under his own strength and power, has no
hope to overcome his sinful nature and therefore no ability to save himself.
Out of the goodness and mercy of our Father we are spared the judgment we
rightfully deserve. Through the redemption accomplished by our Lord, Jesus
Christ we are saved. Salvation is not received by all, rather it is given as a
free gift to those who confess their sins, call upon the Lord as Savior, and receive
the gift of faith in Christ.
This overview of the state of man, his need for salvation,
and God as Creator and Redeemer is not simply a review of the Calvin’s previous
two books, but it also leads us to the correct understanding that the only
object of true faith is faith in Christ alone. Therefore this first section lays
the foundation on which we can properly describe the object of faith (section
1), refute improper objects of faith (sections 2-6), define faith (section 7),
and understand various meanings for the term faith (sections 8-13).
No earthly power has the authority and power to accomplish
our salvation. Only the saving work of Christ is able to save man from God’s
judgment. Faith in anything other than Christ’s redemptive work is misdirected
and meaningless. Calvin rails against the medieval Schoolmen who taught that
only the Church had sure understanding of God’s redemption and that man himself
could never fully know his redemption. The Church therefore acted as man’s
substitute for saving faith. Man only needed to believe in the power of the
Church acting as God’s representative in order to seek his salvation. Not so,
says Calvin in section 2. “Faith consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge—knowledge
not of God merely, but of the divine will.” We do not forfeit our knowledge of
God to the Church, but “By this knowledge, I say, not by the submission of our
understanding, we obtain an entrance into the kingdom of heaven” (3.2.2).
Carl
Trueman delivers an excellent summary of sections 7-10 and notes how this
true object of faith delivers a firm and certain assurance of our salvation. By
acknowledging Christ alone as our object of faith, we have no need to fear for
our salvation. Victory has already been achieved and Christ alone can promise
to sustain our salvation to the end (more on this in an upcoming post).
Calvin goes on to note how Scripture describes implicit
faith. By implicit faith we understand Scripture to say that it can be as “…the
seed of a hidden faith, which lay as it were dead in their hearts, then burst
forth in vigor.” (3.2.4). Calvin wonderfully describes implicit faith using
Biblical examples of the disciples (3.2.4) and the nobleman of John 4:53
(3.2.5). Calvin is correct in clarifying that this type of Biblical implicit
faith always identifies Christ as Savior.
“With faith understanding is conjoined,” says Calvin
(3.2.3). Faith, Calvin says in section 6, is not only a knowledge of God, but
it is the pursuit and understanding of his revealed will toward us. As the Holy
Spirit regenerates our hearts to follow God’s redemptive call, at the same time
God reveals himself to us through his Word. Faith encompasses a pursuit of God
through his revealed will to man in his Word.
Therefore, a definition of true faith, says Calvin, “is a
firm and sure knowledge of the divine favor toward us, founded on the truth of
a free promise in Christ, and revealed to our minds, and sealed on our hearts,
by the Holy Spirit” (3.2.7).
In the following part, Calvin will give a full exposition of
this definition of faith.
Two thoughts on these sections.
ReplyDelete1)
Reading through the first section of this chapter I was reminded of the Fourfold State of Man. As scholars note, Calvin was heavily influenced by Augustine’s writings. On the matter of faith, however, the two monumental theologians differ. For Augustine, faith included some manner of both works and merit. Calvin goes to great lengths to counteract the misconception that there is anything, such as works and merit, that is necessary or can contribute to our salvation. As he will expound upon later in the Institutes, Calvin explains that works in and of themselves in the Christian life do not earn our salvation, but are the result of God’s grace. Works are not a source of our justification. Rather, we are justified in faith alone through Christ. God, through this saving faith, will sanctify us and thereby produce in us fruits of righteousness.
Calvin himself made reference to Augustine’s misstep on faith in the Institutes. As Larry D. Sharp in “The Doctrines of Grace in Calvin and Augustine” quotes Calvin as saying, “For that matter, Augustine's view, or at any rate his manner of stating it, we must not entirely accept. For even though he admirably deprives man of all credit for righteousness and transfers it to God's grace, he still subsumes grace under sanctification, by which we are reborn in newness of life through the Spirit” (3.11.15 in Ford Lewis Battles Translation).
2)
A faith pointing to anything other than the accomplished redemptive work of Christ is no saving faith at all. Even the slightest attempt emphasize an individual’s contribution to his salvation will inevitable point away from Christ.
Contemporary Christianity is in danger of emphasizing the individual’s work in his salvation. Aren’t we prone today into misdirecting the object of our faith? Aren’t we at risk to thinking that a certain pietism must be exuded to demonstrate a contribution to our salvation?