Calvin on the Rocks

McNeill Edition of the Institutes, p. 255 A Calvin Crack-Up

MAN HAS NOW BEEN DEPRIVED OF FREEDOM AND CHOICE...

“The Perils of this topic: point of view established, I

1. We have now seen that the dominion of sin, from the time it held the first man bound to itself, not only ranges among all mankind, but also completely occupies individual souls. It remains for us to investigate more closely whether we have been deprived of all freedom since we have been reduced to this servitude; and, if any particle of it still survives, how far its power extends. But in order that the truth of this question may be more readily apparent to us, I shall presently set a goal to which the whole argument should be directed. The best way to avoid error will be to consider the perils that threaten man on both sides. (1) When man is denied all uprightness, he immediately takes occasion for complacency from that fact; and, because he is said to have no ability to pursue righteousness on his own, he holds all such pursuit to be of no consequence, as if it did not pertain to him at all. (2) Nothing, however slight, can be credited to man without depriving God of his honor, and without man himself falling into ruin through brazen confidence. Augustine points out both these precipices.”

Sumpter: Do you get what J.C. is saying? Two points of a dilemma. 1) You tell man he is broken, crushed, rebellious and tied up in knots, dead in sin—an altogether true biblical maxim. Man, then, says, “what gives…why try for God then?...it’s all doubt, so let’s sack out… I’m done, wake me up when it’s over….” To reverse paraphrase Robert Schuller, old Crystal Cathedral Bobby, of the 80s, “Since man is all scars, then, forget the stars.” That’s dilemma side one. Now, 2. If you tell men about seeking God; if you grab a kettle and metal spoon and start clanging into the tomb and Lazarus rolls over and hits the snooze button to get up and listen for the VOICE, then----you give man some brownie points. He’ll say, “Look, the water is not that bad after all… and….. “Look Mom, no hands…” or “Whadda mean depravity…I can hear the voice of God blindfolded with one hand tied behind my back….” J. C. says, give man an eyelash of self-generated strength and he’ll take the industrial strength biceps of Ray Lewis of the Ravens for good-credit, heaven-bound righteousness …. “…nothing can be credited to man without depriving God of his honor.”

So how does Calvin fix the problem?

“Here, then, is the course that we must follow it we are to avoid crashing upon these rocks: when man has been taught that no good thing remains in his power, and that he is hedged about on all sides by most miserable necessity, in spite of this he should be instructed to aspire to a good of which he is empty, to a freedom of which he has been deprived.”

Preach man’s utter depravity, and that his will is bound. Preach that he aspire to which he is empty, to a freedom he doesn’t have.

So, YES—preach depravity and duty. Men must be told, you are D.O.A., and they must be told, “Come forth!” and “Get up, the Master is calling for you.”

I crack-up—it’s no dilemma with Calvin. Aspire to a good of which you are empty, O Man. You have nothing, so there and ninner, ninner; come to Christ!

G. Mark Sumpter