The Institutes Book 1, Chapter 10

The Institutes of the Christian Religion ^ | 1500's | John Calvin

[ksen]

BOOK 1:
Chapter 1 - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF OURSELVES MUTUALLY CONNECTED. - NATURE OF THIS CONNECTION.
Chapter 2 - WHAT IT IS TO KNOW GOD,--TENDENCY OF THIS KNOWLEDGE.
Chapter 3 - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD HAS BEEN NATURALLY IMPLANTED IN THE HUMAN MIND.
Chapter 4 - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD STIFLED OR CORRUPTED, IGNORANTLY OR MALICIOUSLY.
Chapter 5 - THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CONSPICUOUS IN THE CREATION, AND CONTINUAL GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD.
Chapter 6: THE NEED OF SCRIPTURE, AS A GUIDE AND TEACHER, IN COMING TO GOD AS CREATOR.
Chapter 7: THE TESTIMONY OF THE SPIRIT NECESSARY TO GIVE FULL AUTHORITY TO SCRIPTURE. THE IMPIETY OF PRETENDING THAT THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE DEPENDS ON THE JUDGEMENT OF THE CHURCH.
Chapter 8. THE CREDIBILITY OF SCRIPTURE SUFFICIENTLY PROVED IN SO FAR AS NATURAL REASON ADMITS.
9. ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF PIETY SUBVERTED BY FANATICS, WHO SUBSTITUTE REVELEVATIONS FOR SCRIPTURE.

[ksen]

Here is chapter 10. Are we getting burned out yet?

[Corin Stormhands]

Bookmarked. Not burned out. But waaaaaaaaay behind...

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

bookmarked, but probably a bad time for this, Maybe later this evening? Everybody seems to be tied up right now, sorry.

[RnMomof7]

Not burned out..but feeling the lack of completion..

Ping))))))))))

[ksen]

Not burned out..but feeling the lack of completion..

About what? Chapter 9? The whole series?

[RnMomof7]

I always feel things are kind of hanging....but I guess that is to be expected..

[ksen]

I always feel things are kind of hanging....

Hmmmm, I'll go back to chapter 9 and see what I haven't addressed there yet. Because you're right, we should try to have each chapter wrapped up as much as we can.

[RnMomof7]

The wisest plainly discover the vague wanderings of their minds when they express a wish for any kind of Deity, and thus offer up their prayers to unknown gods. And then, in imagining a manifold nature in God, though their ideas concerning Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Minerva, and others, were not so absurd as those of the rude vulgar, they were by no means free from the delusions of the devil. We have elsewhere observed, that however subtle the evasions devised by philosophers, they cannot do away with the charge of rebellion, in that all of them have corrupted the truth of God. For this reason, Habakkuk, (2: 20,) after condemning all idols, orders men to seek God in his temple, that the faithful may acknowledge none but Him, who has manifested himself in his word.

Some things never change. I believe that the desire for man to build a god of his own preference is a result of the fall. Adam and Eve desired to be their own gods, Cain desired to set the rules for sacrifice..From the earlist of time man has not wanted a relationship with the real God..

[editor-surveyor]

"Are we getting burned out yet?"

Can you say work? Kind of busy right now.

[ksen]

Adam and Eve desired to be their own gods, Cain desired to set the rules for sacrifice..From the earlist of time man has not wanted a relationship with the real God..

Did they want to be their own gods and throw off, what they may have perceived as, God's yoke? Or did they want to be LIKE God so they could, they thought, be that much closer to Him?

Ge 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

[RnMomof7]

Did they want to be their own gods and throw off, what they may have perceived as, God's yoke? Or did they want to be LIKE God so they could, they thought, be that much closer to Him?

Is it anywhere indicated that they wanted a 'closer" relationship with God? Their response to the sin was to hide from God.

How does God view those that seek equality with God?

Act 12:22   And the people gave a shout, [saying, It is] the voice of a god, and not of a man.

     Act 12:23   And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost

[ksen]

I agree that their response AFTER the sin was to hide from God. But what motivated them to sin in the first place? Not being satisfied with the place God had placed them in? Was Satan using the love they felt towards God as the lever to get them to sin? "Hey, if you eat this fruit will be just like God!"

I admit these are just speculations on my part. The bottom line was they ate the fruit and their relationship with God was broken.

.......That actually makes a bit of sense. Adam & Eve desired a closer relationship with God. Satan offered them a way to become as God, which appealed to Adam & Eve. So they took of the fruit and instead of becoming closer to God, they became alienated from Him. < /ramble >

When was the first sin commited? With the physical act of eating the forbidden fruit?

[RnMomof7]

Actually it makes more sense that they were seeking equality with God not seeking a nearness..

How does one hope to "get closer" to someone by a direct definance of their law?

  Rom 1:20   For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
  
  Rom 1:21   Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
  
***  Rom 1:22   Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, **
  
  Rom 1:23   And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
  
  Rom 1:24   Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
  
  Rom 1:25  *** Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. ***

[ksen]

How does one hope to "get closer" to someone by a direct definance of their law?

By being convinced by someone who is "more subtle than any beast of the field."

[RnMomof7]

But he did not tell them that this would make them more loved or closer to God..but rather they would be LIKE gods..

Rom 1:32  *** Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death**, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

(   Gen 3:3   But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it,** neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.**)


Man carries that mark

Eze 28:2   Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart [is] lifted up, and thou hast said, I [am] a God, I sit [in] the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou [art] a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

[ksen]

I'm not going to the mat on a speculation on my part so I'll drop it.

I had always thought that the guy referred to in Ez 28:2 was the Anti-Christ. Is that your impression?

[RnMomof7]

It is not an important point (the why of the fall) ..What is important is the result. I just do not see any indication that it was to be closer to God,and I do see lots of folks today that still want to be a god...the sin of Pride..Lust of the eyes and lust of the flesh and the pride of life...caused the fall IMO.....

I'm not going to the mat on a speculation on my part so I'll drop it.

(just do not preach a sermon on it OK ? :>)))))

How did we get on this anyway? I will go back and reread it tomorrow and see if there is more to say on this chapter.

[ksen]

I am not now adverting to the peculiar covenant by which God distinguished the race of Abraham from the rest of the nations.

I'm FINALLY getting around to actually reading this chapter.

Would Calvin be considered a Covenant Theologian? IOW, would Calvin preach that Israel has been set aside and that the Church is now the inheritor of all the promises?

[ksen]

Well, all in all this chapter just seems to be a recap of the previous 9. Calvin reiterates that God is known by His Creation, and God is more perfetly known through the witness of the Spirit in the Scriptures.