Feel better soon, Harley. Drink lots of fluids.
The great thing about Calvin is that he knew men were not stupid. OTC, men are devious, arrogant, stubborn and self-deceived. So here Calvin reiterates the Scriptural truth that men are "without excuse."
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: 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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" -- Romans 1:19-22 "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Earlier Paul tells us God's judgment on this willful disobedience...
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" -- Romans 1:18
And who "...hold(s) the truth in unrighteousness"?
All men, unless and until they are given the righteousness of Christ mercifully and freely imputed to them, according to the purpose ordained by God from before the foundation of the world.
All men were made in the image of God, and all men are stained with the sin of Adam's fall from grace. However the reality of the Triune God's existence and majesty is so self-evident that men's fallen human nature must be depraved indeed still to deny His Lordship over all, and to be ungrateful for all He's given us.
It's like Satan. Satan knows God is God. He knows God created him and all existence. But Satan does not glorify, worship nor show gratitude to God. Even Satan is without excuse.
So in the excerpt from Calvin we don't find a loophole for perseverence of the saints. We see Calvin repeating Paul's teaching that unless God grabs hold of us and knocks us to the ground to wake us from our death sleep of self-worship to permit us to actualy believe and love the truth and be grateful for it, we will be left with our own corrupted egos, freely enjoying our rebuke of God's active presence on earth by the working of the Holy Spirit.
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 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." -- Romans 1:28-32"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Without God's free grace and the new birth by the Holy Spirit, men are left in their fallen state, given over to a reprobate mind which actually enjoys its disobedience.
And adding the tag that goes without saying for Mr. Rogers, God is the first cause of who will believe. God names His family not because to their own good work of faith; but for His good pleasure alone He covers them by the good work of Christ, giving us faith in He who "will do it."
"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." -- 1 Thess. 5:24
Perseverence of the saints is also addressed when Calvin highlights Augustine...
The definition which Augustine somewhere gives, - viz., that it is obstinate perverseness, with distrust of pardon, continued till death, - scarcely agrees with the words of Christ, that it shall not be forgiven in this world. For either this is said in vain, or it may be committed in this world. But if Augustine's definition is correct, the sin is not committed unless persisted in till death.
"...sin is not committed unless persisted till death."
Wow. What greater declaration of POTS? Contrary to papist teaching that says each sin is weighed, measured and eternally scars us, Calvin and Augustine recall Paul's teaching that the children of God have already been acquitted of their sins by Christ on the cross.
Thus at a time of God's choosing the children of God will repent and believe before they die, while the reprobate will languish in the love of their disobedience and their willful denial of the work of the Holy Spirit unto the grave.
And that fact gives us astounding hope for all men everywhere and leads us to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
Ah, nuts. Why is it always the long ones that get double-posted? Mea culpa.
All of that sounds wayyyyy too complicated to be the message of Christ. God did not intend to have each of stand before him at final judgment with a lawyer to explain our case. Jesus spoke in simple language to simple, uneducated people. If you can't explain it to children in simple parables and language similar to the Beatitudes you got it wrong.
Dr E “Earlier Paul tells us God’s judgment on this willful disobedience...”
Good to see you’re moving in the right direction. Paul DOES tell us of God’s judgment on this willful disobedience - not on a predetermined list of names.
Dr E “And who “...hold(s) the truth in unrighteousness”? / All men, unless and until they are given the righteousness of Christ mercifully and freely imputed to them, according to the purpose ordained by God from before the foundation of the world.”
“1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter...” - Acts 10
Just to repeat, “ “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.”
“17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” - Mark 10
Notice - the rich young ruler did not convert, and yet Jesus “ looking at him, loved him”. And also notice: “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” But how can that be, if God has picked the name in advance, and irresistibly draws him? How can wealth affect election?
“8For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.” - Luke 7
Was the Centurion born again before Jesus “marveled at him”, and commended him?
Dr E “God names His family not because to their own good work of faith; but for His good pleasure alone He covers them by the good work of Christ, giving us faith in He who “will do it.”
Scripture please, not assertions. Only PDs call faith a work...but as Jesus noted, if that is work, then God requires it!
Paul wrote, “ 12To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.” - 1 Cor 7
Does this teach salvation by family relation, or does it show that the godly example of a wife or parent affects the husband or child?
And thank you so much for sharing your insights and those beautiful Scriptures, dear sister in Christ!
"...sin is not committed unless persisted till death."
Wow. What greater declaration of POTS?
That's pretty interesting. I guess I read this passage in a completely different way. (It's all Calvin's fault for not being clear of course. :)
I read this as Calvin disagreeing with Augustine. My paraphrase of Calvin would go something like this: "Augustine says that unforgivable sin is a sin that persists until death. That is clearly wrong because it disagrees with Christ who said that the unforgivable sin CAN be committed during life, and doesn't have to wait until death. But if Augustine is right, then the unforgivable sin cannot be committed during life because it requires death for it to become unforgivable. That contradicts Christ, so Augustine is wrong."
So, this is part of the reason why I thought Calvin might be ripping against POTS. But who knows. I struggle with Calvin's phrasing and sentence structure all the time. Same with Matthew Henry. :)