When men like John Calvin and the civil authorities in Geneva look to God’s infallible Word in order to construct just laws for the nation, that is hardly moral relativism. When they read in God’s Law-Word that heretics and blasphemers are worthy of death, and carry out such punishments after due process, that is hardly moral relativism.
Moral relativism is using the antinomian views of the Enlightenment filtered through several hundred years of developing political correctness to judge men who in their day stood firmly on the Word of God. It is quite common today, even among Christians who ought to know better. But Christianity is infected by antinomianism (moral relativism) as well. Just watch all the smiley faces on misnamed "Christian TV" or read any of the numerous Christian "self-help" books.
Your friend Servetus was an anti-trinitarian blasphemer who got exactly what he deserved. His problem was that he lived in a day when Christian men were men and they took God’s Law seriously.
If he were alive today, no doubt he would have his own TV show and Christians would be sending him money.
"And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death." (Lev. 24:16)
Where in God's word does it state that it is up to the Church to burn heretics at the stake?
You guys crack me up. You claim that Calvin's Total Depravity doctrine is "front and center" and yet you refuse to acknowledge Calvin's own depravity in the Servetus mess. Instead you try to rationalize it as if Calvin himself was never once a victim of his own natural depravity. Let me make this clear CALVIN WAS A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE! His own sin is clearly on display and has been a wound to the Reformation movement since before he died.
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23 KJV)
When they read in God’s Law-Word that heretics and blasphemers are worthy of death, and carry out such punishments after due process, that is hardly moral relativism.
Those were the same laws used to execute Jesus.
Your friend Servetus
Servetus is not my "friend". He was a rank heretic. He should not have been burned at the stake. BTW Calvin himself was considered a rank heretic by the Catholic Church, who instituted the practice of burning heretics at the stake.
"And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death." (Lev. 24:16)
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. (Leviticus 20:9 KJV)
You really want to go there?
Jos 1:18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death:
Seems to me Calvin may have rebelled against God's commanment to "Love your Enemies".
Should Calvin have been burned at the stake because he hated Servetus?