2011 Issue 5 - Calvin's Doctrine of Biblical Law - Counsel of Chalcedon

8/12/2019 2011 Issue 5 - Calvin's Doctrine of Biblical Law - Counsel of Chalcedon

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calvins doctrine ofbiblical law

by joseph morecraft III

I. THE INEXORABLENESS AND SUFFICIENCY OFGODS MORAL LAW IN

THE BIBLE

God identies Himself as theLawgiver in the preface tothe en Commandments in

Exodus 20:1-2Ten God spoke allthese words, saying, I am the LORD your God, who brought you out ofthe land of Egypt, out of the house ofslavery.

Calvins two basic presupposi-tions about the moral Law ofGod in the Bible are that it isinexorable and all-sufficient.

A. THE INEXORABLENESS OF

GODS LAW IN THE BIBLE

By inexorable, he meant that itsauthority is universal, unyielding,inexible, non-negotiative and abso-lute. By absolute authority we meanperfect authority that is complete,pure and unmixed with human opin-ion, not limited by exceptions, total,not dependent on anything else, not

to be doubted or questioned, the ulti-mate basis for all morality and ethics.It authority is inexorable for one rea-son: the origin of the written morallaw in the Bible is God not man.

Te above preface to the Deca-logue identies the lawgiver as God,Elohim, the creator of the universe,

who is also Jehovah, the covenant Lordand Savior of His people. Terefore,Biblical laws are moral absolutes foreveryone everywhere that has God ashis creator; and those who have Himas their Lord and Savior in Christ aredoubly accountable to its comprehen-


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Counsel of Chalcedon Issue 5 201116

Calvins Doctrine of Biblical Law

sive authority. A paraphrase of Calvinsunderstanding is as follows:

God our Creator has the preroga-tive as Father and Lord to demand

of us whatever He will. Terefore,we owe Him all honor, love, rever-ence, fear and obedience. We haveno right to follow the changing im- pulses of the human mind wherev-er it leads us. But, since we are to-tally dependent upon His will, weought to stand rm in that whichis pleasing to Him, knowing that

righteousness, or obedience to Hisrevealed will in the Bible, is pleas-ing to Him. He hates all evil andall disobedience to Him. Terefore,unless we would turn our backs onour Creator in ingratitude, and justly incur His wrath, we mustcherish righteousness all our life.

It is only when we prefer His willover our own that we render to Himthe reverence due Him. Terefore, itfollows that the only lawful worship ofHim is the observance of righteousness,holiness and purity. We cannot use theexcuse that as fallen creatures we nolonger have the ability to obey Godslaw. However, like bankrupt debtors,who are unable to pay their debts, westill are obligated to pay them in full.

It is not tting for us to measurewhat God demands of us by ourown abilities; for whatever we mayhave become, God remains what He always has beena friend ofrighteousness and a foe of unrigh-teousness. Whatever God requiresof us (because He can require onlywhat is right), we must obey out ofnatural obligation as Gods crea-tures. What we cannot do is ourown fault, and does not absolveus of complete obedience to Gods

revealed will in the Bible, i.e., Bib-lical Law.- INS I U ES, II, viii, 2

B. THE SUFFICIENCY OF GODS

LAW

When we speak of the sufficiency ofGods Law we are saying it is a completerevelation of Gods will for us. As theWestminster Confession of Faith, 1.6,states : Te whole counsel of God con-cerning all things necessary for His own glory, mans salvation, faith and life, is

either expressly set down in Scripture, orby good and necessary consequence maybe deduced from Scripture; unto whichnothing at any time is to be added,whether by new revelations of the Spirit,or traditions of men

Proverbs 30:5-6 sets forth the suf-ciency of Gods moral law in the Bible

for ethics, when it says: Every word ofGod is tested; He is a shield to those whotake refuge in Him. Do not add to Hiswords, lest He reprove you and you be proved a liar. Tis proverb is based onDeuteronomy 4:2 You shall not add tothe word which I am commanding you,nor take away from it, that you maykeep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

...the Lord, in giving the rule of perfect righteousness, has referredall its parts to His will, thereby showing that nothing is more ac-ceptable to Him than obedience.Te more inclined the playfulnessof the human mind is to dream upvarious rites with which to deservewell of Him, the more diligentlyought we to mark this fact. In allages this irreligious affectationof religion, because it is rootedin mans nature, has manifesteditself and still manifests itself; for


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17Counsel of Chalcedon Issue 5 2011


men always delight in contriving some way of acquiring righteous-ness apart from Gods Word.- II,viii, 5.

Tere is no doubt that the perfectteaching of righteousness that the Lordclaims for the law has perpetual valid-ity. Not content with it, however, we la-bor mightily to contrive and forge goodworks upon good works. Te best rem-edy to cure that fault will be to x thisthought rmly in mind: the law has beendivinely handed down to us to teach usperfect righteous; therefore no otherrighteousness is taught than that whichconforms to the requirements of Godswill; in vain therefore do we attempt newforms of works to win the favor of God,whose lawful worship consists in obe-dience alone; rather, any zeal for goodworks that wanders outside Gods law isan intolerable profanation of divine andtrue righteousness.- II, viii, 5.

II. THE IMPOSSIBILITY OFSALVATION BY L AW

Te Gospel makes unmistakablyclear that salvation by obedience toGods laws is a total impossibility. Ro-mans 3:19-22 says: Now we know thatwhatever the Law says, it speaks tothose who are under [in] the Law, thatevery mouth may be closed, and allthe world may become accountable toGod; because by the works of the Lawno esh will be justied in His sight; for

through the Law comes the knowledgeof sin. But now apart from the Law therighteousness of God has been mani-fested, being witnessed by the Law andthe Prophets; even the righteousness ofGod through faith in Jesus Christ forall those who believe And Galatians

2:16 declares: nevertheless knowingthat a man is not justied by the worksof the Law but through faith in ChristJesus, even we have believed in ChristJesus, that we may be justied by faithin Christ, and not by the works of theLaw; since by the works of the Law shallno esh be justied.

Some have tried to evade the forceof these words by making the phrasethe works of the Law apply to circumci-sion, the dietary laws and the SaturdaySabbath, as the badges that once identi-

ed the covenant people, but which nolonger do so. However, Paul makes clearwhat he means by this phrase in Gala-tians 3:10For as many as are of theworks of the Law are under a curse; forit is written, Cursed is every one whodoes not abide by all things written inthe Book of the Law, to perform them.

Tis verse contains a quote from Deu-teronomy 27:26, which is concernedwith obedience to the entirety of themoral law of God, and not merely theceremonial rites.

3. Te law renders us inexcusableand drives us into despair. But, inorder that our guilt may arouse

us to seek pardon, it behooves us,briey, to know how by our in- struction in the moral law we arerendered more inexcusable.- Cal-vin, Institutes, II, vii, 3.

Terefore if we look only upon thelaw, we can only be despondent,confused, and despairing in mind,

since from it all of us are con-demned and accursed, Gal. 3:10.- II, vii , 4.

the [perfect] observance of thelaw is impossible.I call impossible what has never been, andwhat Gods ordination and decree


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prevents from ever being I fur-ther say that there will be no onehereafter who will reach the goal oftrue perfection without sloughingoff the weight of the body.- II, vii, 5.

III. THE THREEFOLDPURPOSE OF BIBLICAL LAW

A. THE LAW DRIVES A PERSON

TO CHRIST

Te rst function of the moral lawof God is explained in Galatians 3:22-26But the Scripture has shut up allmen under sin, that the promise by faithin Jesus Christ might be given to thosewho believe. But before faith came, wewere kept in custody under the law, be-ing shut up to the faith which was laterto be revealed. Terefore the Law hasbecome out tutor to lead us to Christ,that we may be justied by faith. Butnow that faith has come, we are no lon-ger under a tutor. For you are all sons ofGod through faith in Christ Jesus.

while it shows Gods righteous-ness, that is, the righteousnessalone that is acceptable to God, itwarns, informs, convicts and lastlycondemns, every man of his ownunrighteousness. For man, blindedand drunk with self-love, must becompelled to know and to confesshis own feebleness and impurity. Ifman is not clearly convinced of hisown vanity, he is puffed up with in- sane condence in his own mental powers, and can never be inducedto recognize their slenderness aslong as he measures them by ameasure of his own choice. But as soon as he begins to compare his powers with the difficulty of thelaw, he has something to diminishhis bravado.- II, vii, 6.

Te law is like a mirror. In it wecontemplate our weakness, thenthe iniquity arising from this,and nally the curse coming frombothjust as a mirror shows us the

spots on our face.- II, vii, 7. It remainsto the law to arm Godswrath for the sinners downfall, forof itself the law can only accuse,condemn and destroy.- II, vii, 7.

[Having been convicted and bro-ken by the Law of God, dismiss-ing the stupid opinion of theirown strength, they [sinners] cometo realize that they stand and areupheld by Gods hand alone; that,naked and empty-handed, they eeto his mercy, repose entirely in it,hide deep within it, and seize uponit alone for righteous and merit. ForGods mercy is revealed in Christ toall who seek and wait upon it withtrue faith. In the precepts of the law,God is but the rewarder of perfectrighteousness, which all of us lack,and conversely, the severe judge ofevil deeds. But in Christ his face shines, full of grace and gentleness,even upon us poor and unworthy sinners.- II, vii, 8.

Augustinewrites..:

Te law bids us as we try to fulll its requirements, and becomewearied in our weakness underit, to know how to ask the help of grace.Te usefulness of the lawlies in convicting man of his inr-mity and moving him to call upon

the remedy of grace which is inChrist.Te law commands; grace supplies the strength to act.Godcommands what we cannot dothat we may know what we oughtto seek from him.Te law was given to accuse you: that accused you might fear; that fearing you


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might beg forgiveness; and that youmight not presume on your own strength.Te law was given forthis purpose: to make you, being great , little; to show that you do

not have in yourself the strength toattain righteousness, and for you,thus helpless, unworthy, and desti-tute, to ee to grace.- II, vii, 9.

B. THE LAW RESTRAINS SIN IN

SOCIETY

Te second function of Gods Law

is explained in I imothy 1:8-11Butwe know that the Law is good, if oneuses it lawfully, realizing the fact thatlaw is not made for a righteous man,but for those who are lawless and rebel-lious, for the ungodly and sinners, forthe unholy and profane, for those whokill their fathers or mothers, for mur-derers, and immoral men and homo-sexuals and kidnappers and liars andperjurers, and whatever else is contraryto sound teaching, according to the glo-rious gospel of the blessed God, withwhich I have been entrusted.

Te second function of the law isthis: at least by fear of punishment

to restrain certain men who areuntouched by any care for whatis just and right unless compelledby hearing the dire threats in thelaw. But they are restrained, notbecause their inner mind is stirredor affected, but because, beingbridled, so to speak, they keep theirhands from outward activity, and

hold inside the depravity that oth-erwise they would wantonly haveindulged. Consequently, they areneither better nor more righteousbefore God. Hindered by fright or shame, they dare neither executewhat they have conceived in theirminds, nor openly breathe forth

the rage of their lust. Still, they donot have hearts disposed to fearand obedience toward God. In-deed, the more they restrain themselves, the more strongly are they

inamed; they burn and boil with-in, and are ready to do anythingor burst forth anywherebut forthe fact that this dread of the lawhinders them. Not only thatbut so wickedly do they also hate thelaw itself, and curse God the Law- giver, that if they could, they wouldmost certainly abolish him, for

they cannot bear him either whenhe commands them to do right, orwhen he takes vengeance on the despisers of his majesty. All who are still unregenerate feelsome moreobscurely, some more openlythatthey are not drawn to obey thelaw voluntarily, but impelled by aviolent fear do so against their will

and despite their opposition to it. But this constrained and forcedrighteousness is necessary for the public community of men, for whosetranquility the Lord herein providedwhen he took care that everything benot tumultuously confounded. Tiswould happen if everything were permitted to all men.- Calvin, IN-S I U ES, II, vii, 10.

C. THE LAW IS A PERFECT RULE

OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE

CHRISTIANS LIFE

Te third function of Gods Lawis explained in such texts as Ezekiel 36

and Romans 8. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, weread the prophecy of the accomplish-ments of Christ in the New CovenantMoreover, I will give you a new heartand put a new spirit within you; andI will remove the heart of stone from your esh and give you a heart of esh.


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And I will put My Spirit within youand cause you to walk in My statutes,and you will be careful to observe Myordinances. Romans 8:1-4 tells us thepurpose of our redemption in ChristTere is therefore now no condemna-tion for those who are in Christ Jesus.For the law of the Spirit of life in ChristJesus has set you free from the law of sinand of death. For what the Law couldnot do, weak as it was through the esh,God did: sending His own Son in thelikeness of sinful esh and as an offer-

ing for sin, He condemned sin in theesh, in order that the requirement ofthe Law might be fullled in us, who donot walk according to the esh, but ac-cording to the Spirit.

Te third and principal use, which pertains more closely to the proper purpose of the law, nds its placeamong believers in whose heartsthe Spirit of God already lives andreigns. For even though they havethe law written and engravedupon their hearts by the nger ofGod, Jer. 31:33; Heb. 10:16, that is,have been so moved and quickenedthrough the directing of the Spiritthat they long to obey God, they still prot by the law in two ways.

Here is the best instrument forthem to learn more thoroughlyeach day the nature of the Lordswill to which they aspire, and toconrm them in the understand-ing of it.For no man has hereto- fore attained to such wisdom as to

be unable, from the daily instruc-tion of the law, to make fresh prog-ress toward a purer knowledge ofthe divine will.

Again, because we need not onlyteaching but also exhortation, the servant of God will also avail him-

self of this benet of the laws: by frequent meditation upon it to bearoused to obedience, be strength-ened in it, and be drawn back fromthe slippery path of transgression.

In this way the saints must presson; for, however eagerly they may inaccordance with the Spirit strive to-ward Gods righteousness, the list-less esh always so burdens themthat they do not proceed with duereadiness. Te law is to the eshlike a whip to an idle and balkyass, to arouse it to work. Even for a

spiritual man not yet free from theweight of the esh the law remainsa constant sting that will not lethim stand still.- II, vii, 12.

So then, the Lord instructs by HisLaw those who read His Law to obeyit, having instilled within them by HisSpirit the readiness to obey. Further-

more, as David tells us in Psalm 1, thelife of a righteous man is a continualmeditation upon the law, therefore it isjust as applicable to every age, even tothe end of the world.- II, vii, 13

IV. THE ABROGATION OFTHE LAW

Calvin speaks of the abrogation ofGods Law. ( o abrogate is to abolish orannul by legitimate authority.) But, heis very careful to distinguish in whatsense the law abrogated and in whatsense it is not. And, just as Calvin wasno legalist, so he was no antinomian.

A. THE LIBERATION IN

CHR IST FROM THE L AWS

CONDEM NATION .

Now, the law has power to ex-hort believers. Tis is not a powerto bind their consciences with a


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curse, but one to shake off their sluggishness, by repeatedly urgingthem, and to pinch them awaketo their imperfection. Terefore,many persons, wishing to express

such liberation from that curse, say that for believers the [moral]lawhas been abrogated. Not thatthe law no longer enjoins believersto do what is right, but only thatit is not for them what it formerlywas: it may no longer condemnand destroy their consciences by frightening and confounding them.

Paul teaches clearly enough such an abrogation of the law, Rom. 7:6 But to avoid stumblingon the same stone, let us accurate-ly distinguish what in the law hasbeen abrogated from what still re-mains in force. When the Lord tes-ties that he came not to abolishthe law but to fulll it and that un-

til heaven and earth pass awaynot a jot will pass away from thelaw until all is accomplished, Mat.5:17-18, he sufficiently7 conrmsthat by his coming nothing is goingto be taken away from the obser-vance of the law. And justlyin-asmuch as he came rather to rem-edy transgressions of it. Terefore

through Christ the teaching of thelaw remains inviolable (impreg-nable to assault or transgressionin that neither can overturn it);by teaching, admonishing, reprov-ing and correcting. It forms us and prepares us for every good work, IIim. 3:16-17- II, vii, 14.

15. Te law is abrogated to the

extent that it no longer condemnsus. What Paul says of the curse un-questionably applies not to the or-dinance itself but solely to its forceto bind the conscience. Te lawnot only teaches but forthrightlyenforces what it commands. If it benot obeyedindeed, if one in any

respect fail in his dutythe lawunleashes the thunderbolt of itscurse. For this reason the apostle says: All who are of the works ofthe works are under a curse; for

it is written Cursed be everyonewho does not fulll all things, Gal.3:10; Deut. 27:26. He describes asunder the works of the law thosewho do not ground their righteous-ness in remission of sins, throughwhich we are released from the rig-or of the law. He therefore teachesthat we must be released from the

bonds of the law, unless we wish to perish miserably under them. But from what bonds? Te

bonds of harsh and dangerous re-quirements, which remit nothing ofthe extreme penalty of the law, and suffer no transgression to go unpun-ished. O redeem us from the curse, I say, Christ was made a curse for

us. For it is written: Cursed be ev-ery one who hangs on a tree, Gal.3:13; Deut. 21:23.- II, vii, 15.

Te apostle Paul teaches us thatChrist was made subject to the Lawthat He might redeem those under thelaw so that we might receive by adop-tion the right of sons, Gal. 4:4-5. What

does this mean? Tat we should not beborne down by an unending bondage,which would agonize our conscienceswith the fear of death. Meanwhile thisalways remains an unassailable fact: nopart of the authority of the law is with-drawn without our having always toreceive it with the same veneration and

obedience.- II, vii, 15.B. THE CEREMONIAL LAW

Terefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or inrespect to a festival or a new moon orSabbathsthings which are a mere


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shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

Te ceremonial laws of the Oldestament, which had as their

purpose to teach by symbols themeaning of Christs redemption of His people have been abrogatednot in effect but only in use. Christby his coming has terminatedthem, but has not deprived them ofanything of their sanctity; rather,he has approved and honored it. Just as the ceremonies would have

provided the people of the OldCovenant with an empty show ifthe power of Christs death andresurrection had not been dis- played therein; so, if they had notceased, we would be unable todayto discern for what purpose theywere established. Consequently Paul, to prove their observance not

only superuous but also harm- ful, teaches that they are shadowswhose substance exists for us inChrist, Col. 2:17. Tus we see thatin their abolition the truth shines forth better than if they, still far offand as if veiled, gured the Christ,who has already plainly revealedhimself.- II, vii, 16.

C. THE EXPLANATION OF CAL

VIN OF ROMANS 6:14 15

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, butunder grace. What then? Shall we sinbecause we are not under law but un-der grace? May it never be!

Because this text is so frequentlyused to refute Calvins view of the abid-ing authority of Biblical Law for Chris-tians, we would do well to hear Calvinsexplanation of it:

It seems to me, that there is hereespecially a consolation offered,by which the faithful are to be strengthened, lest they should faint in their efforts after holiness,

through a consciousness of theirown weakness. He had exhortedthem to devote all their facultiesto the serve of righteousness, v. 12-13; but as they carry about themthe relics of the esh, they cannotdo otherwise than walk somewhatlamely. Hence, lest being brokendown by a consciousness of their

inrmity they should despond, he seasonably comes to their aid, byinterposing a consolation, derived from this circumstancethat theirworks are not now tested by the strict rule of the law, but that God,remitting their impurity, does kind-ly and mercifully accept them

Hence, not to be under the lawmeans, not only that we are notunder the letter which prescribeswhat involves us in guilt, as weare not able to perform it, but alsothat we are no longer subject to thelaw, as requiring perfect righteous-ness, and pronouncing death onall who deviate from it in any part. In like manner, by the word grace,we are to understand both parts ofredemptionthe remission of sins,by which God imputes righteous-ness to us,--and the sancticationof the Spirit, by whom he forms usanew unto good works

Te sense now is clear; for the Apostle intended to comfort us,lest we should be wearied in ourminds, while striving to do whatis right, because we still nd inourselves many imperfections. Forhow much soever we may be ha-rassed by the stings of sin, it can-not yet overcome us, for we are en-


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abled to conquer it by the Spirit ofGod; and then, being under grace,we are freed from the rigorous re-quirements of the law. We must further understand, that the Apos-

tle assumes it as granted, that allwho are without the grace of God,being bound under the yoke of thelaws, are under condemnation.

[v. 15] As the wisdom of the esh isever clamorous against the myster-ies of God, it was necessary for the Apostle to subjoin what might an-ticipate an objection: for since thelaw is the rule of life, and has been given to guide men, we think thatwhen it is removed all disciplineimmediately falls to the ground,that restraints are taken away, ina word, that there remains no dis-tinction or difference between goodand evil. But we are much deceivedif we think, that the righteousnesswhich God approves of in his lawis abolished, when the law is abrogated; for the abrogation is by nomeans to be applied to the preceptswhich teach the right way of living,as Christ conrms and sanctionsthese and does not abrogate them;but the right view is that nothing istaken away but the curse, to whichall men without grace are subject.-Calvin, CALVIN COMMEN AR- IES, Vol. XIX, p. 232-234.

V. THE RELATION OF LAW AND LOVE

When Jesus was asked what was the

greatest commandment, He answered:And He said to him, You shall lovethe Lord your God with all your heart,and with all your soul, and with all yourmind. Tis is the great and foremostcommandment. And a second is like it,

You shall love your neighbor as your-self.- Matthew 22:36-40.

Te Bible does not set love and lawover against each other. It denes loveas the fullling of the law, Galatians5:14; Romans 13:10. As one has said:Law is the eye of love and without lawlove is blind; love is the soul of law andwithout love law is dead.

Calvin gives us a concise explana-tion of what Jesus meant by this answer:

And obviously, since men wereborn in such a state that they areall too much inclined to self-loveand, however much they deviate from truth, they still keep self-lovethere was no need of a lawthat would increase or rather en-kindle this already excessive love. Hence it is very clear that we keepthe commandments not by lovingourselves but by loving God andneighbor; that he lives the best andholiest life who lives and strives for himself as little as he can, andthat no one lives in a worse or moreevil manner than he who livesand strives for himself alone, andthinks about and seeks only hisown advantage.- II, viii, 54.

VI. THE LAW OF GOD ANDTHE STATE

A. THE ENFORCEMENT OF BOTH

TABLES OF THE LAW

Te Reformers of the 16th centurybelieved that the purpose of the state is

to obey and enforce both tables of theLaw, i.e., all ten of the en Command-ments. Te rst table of the Law, i.e., therst four commandments, protectedthe purity of public worship, called forthe outlawing of idolatry and upheldthe sanctity of Gods name. Te second


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table of the Law, i.e., the last six com-mandments, protected human life,family, property, liberty and reputation.John Calvin made it unmistakable clearin the last chapter of his INS I U ESOF HE CHRIS IAN RELILGIONthat the civil magistrate is to be theguardian of pure worship and the de-fender of the Christian Faith, and thathe should govern in the name of Jesus.Calvin wrote:

I admit that it is good to show mod-eration, and that not too muchrigor is neither good nor useful be-cause it is necessary to accommo-date ceremonies to the simplicityof the people. But one must not letthat which comes from Satan andthe Antichrist [the Roman Catho-lic Church] be accepted under this principle. Tis is why Holy Writ,when praising those kings who hadattacked idolatry but failed towipe it out altogether notes it as a shame that nevertheless they hadnot cast down the small templesand places of deranged devo-tion.- quoted by Carlos Eire, WAR AGAINS IDOLS, p. 269.

In 1544, Calvin gave similar adviceto the King of Poland: In this letter, Cal- vin says that kings should not hesitate towipe out idolatry in their land, becauseGod has set them on high for this pur-pose of enlightening their people. Calvinfurther warns the Polish king that unlesshe calls his subjects away from the lthydissipation of Popery to the obedienceof Christ, he shall incur serious blamebefore God.- Eire, p. 269

In another letter to the same king,Calvin wrote that: If such concern foran outward form of worship was un-dertaken by this ancient Jewish king[David], then how much more should

not the spiritual worship of God absorba Christian monarch in the presentday?- quoted by Eire, p. 269-270.

In the last chapter of his INS I-U ES, Calvin writes:

this civil government is designed,as long as we live in the world, tocherish and support the externalworship of God, to preserve the pure doctrine of religion, to defendthe constitution of the church,to regulate our lives in a mannerrequisite for the society of men, to

form our manners to civil justice,to promote our concord with eachother, and to establish general peace and tranquility.- IV,xx,2(Allen edition).

its [the civil magistrates] objectsalso are, that idolatry, sacrilegesagainst the name of God, blasphe-

mies against his truth, and otheroffences against religion, may notonly appear and be disseminatedamong the people; that the publictranquility may not be disturbed;that every person may enjoy his property without molestation;that men may transact theirbusiness together without fraud

or injustice; that integrity andmodesty may be cultivated amongthem; in short, that there may bea public form of religion amongChristians, and that humanitymay be maintained among men.- IV, xx,3 (Allen edition).

when David exhorts kings and

judges to kiss the Son of God, hedoes not command them to abdi-cate their authority and retire to private life, but to submit to Christthe power with which they are in-vested, that he alone may have the preeminence over all .- IV, xx, 5.


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If the Scripture did not teach thatthis office [of civil magistrate] ex-tends to both tables of the laws, wemight learn it from heathen writ-ers; for not one of them has treated

of the office of magistrates, oflegislation, and civil government,without beginning with religionand Divine worship. And thus theyhave all confessed that no govern-ment can be happily constituted,unless its rst object be the pro-motion of piety and that all lawsare preposterous which neglect the

claims of God, and merely provide for the interests of men. Terefore,as religion holds the rst placeamong all the philosophers, andas this has always been regardedby the universal consent of allnations, Christian princes andmagistrates ought to be ashamedof their indolence, if they do not

make it the object of their seriouscare. We have already shown thatthis duty is particularly enjoinedupon them by God; for it is rea- sonable that they should employtheir utmost efforts in assertingand defending the honor of him,whose vicegerents they are, and bywhose favor they govern. And the

principal commendations given inthe Scripture to the good kings are for having restored the worship ofGod when it had been corruptedor abolished, or for having devotedtheir attention to religion, that itmight ourish in purity and safetyunder their reigns.- IV,xx,9.

B. THE CASE LAW STATEMENT

AND THE ANABAPTISTS

In the INS I U ES, IV, xx, 14,Calvin says that commonwealths shouldbe ruled by the common laws of nationsand not by the civil laws of the Mosaiclegislation. He exact words are:

Tere are some who deny that acommonwealth is duly framedwhich neglects the political sys-tem of Moses, and is ruled by thecommon laws of nations. Let other

men consider how perilous and seditious this notion is: it will beenough for me to have proved it false and foolish.

Tis strong statement must be seenin the light of its context, both histori-cally and in the INS I U ES, IV, xx.

First, Calvin is referring to theradical Anabaptists who wantedto impose the literal civil laws ofthe Moses legislation on societ-ies even if it meant violence andauthoritarian rule. Te concernof many Anabaptists was not theunderlying equity, or moral prin-ciple illustrated in the civil laws

(case-laws), but the imposing ofthe literal laws themselves withlittle regard for the differencesbetween their immediate histori-cal and cultural context and thehistorical and cultural context ofthe 16th century. Calvin opposed such unwise strategies and appli-cations of the Bible. As Gary North

has written: Calvin did make statements against the legalistic,communistic Anabaptists thatmade him appear to be hostile tothe Mosaic Law. Was Calvin aTeonomist? Preface, HE COV- ENAN ENFORCED: SERMONSON DEU ERONOMY 27 AND28 (By John Calvin), ( yler, X:

Institute for Christian Economics,1990), p. xxiv.

In the 16th century there were twokinds of Bibliocrats, i.e., who wantedBiblical Law to be the source of all forthe state, and for all of Christendom:revolutionary Bibliocrats and refor-


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mational Bibliocrats. Te Reformerswere the latter. Te Anabaptists werethe revolutionary Bibliocrats. Teymaintained that political revolutionwas Gods way of bringing about socialchange; and that Christian should rebelagainst all governments that were notChristian or theocratic. Calvin stoodstrongly against such rebels. So then,in his statement in IV, xx, 14, Calvin isnot criticizing the reformational Bib-liocrats who wanted to see Gods lawenthroned in society, but they believed

that preaching and education are theonly means to bring such a thing topass.- James Jordan, Was Calvin aBibliocrate? in PRESBY ERIAN HER-I AGE, Vol. I, No. 3.

Second, Calvin believed that thecivil magistrate had the God-given dutyto obey and enforce both tables of the

Decalogue, or as Calvin said it: this of-ce extends to both tables of the law,IV, xx, 9. Here are Calvins own words:

And thus all have confessed thatno government can be happily es-tablished unless piety is the rstconcern; and that those laws are preposterous which neglect Gods

right and provide only for men. And we have already shown thatthese duties are especially en- joined upon them by God; and itis tting that they would labor to protect and assert the honor of Him whose representatives theyare, and by whose grace, they gov-ern.Also, holy king are greatly

praised in Scripture because theyrestored the worship of God whenit was corrupted or destroyed, ortook care of religion that underthem it might ourish pure andunblemished.Tis proves the folly of those who would neglect theconcern for God and would give

attention only to rendering justiceamong men. As if God appointedrulers in His name to decidedearthly controversies but over-looked what was of far greater im-

portancethat He Himself shouldbe purely worshipped according tothe prescription of His law.

Tird, the common laws of na-tions in European Christendom inthe 16th century were generally basedon Biblical Law. Proof of this is seen inKing Alfred the Greats codication of

the laws of the Anglo-Saxon, much ofwhich was taken from the Mosaic lawsin the Penteteuch.

Fourth, although Calvin tried topersuade the Genevan authorities not toburn Servetus at the stake for his capitalcrime of teaching and encouraging idola-try, he did believe that, after a trial nding

him guilty, Servetus should be executed,but by a less torturous method, becauseCalvin believed in the continuing obliga-tion of the state to enforce Leviticus 24:16and Deuteronomy 13:1-11, and to treatidolatrous heresy as a capital crime. Cal- vins own words are these:

God commands the false prophetsto be put to death, who pluck upthe foundations of religion, andare authors and leaders of rebel-lion.God might, indeed, do with-out the assistance of the sword indefending religion; but such is not His will. And what wonder if God should command magistrates tobe the avengers of His glory, when He neither wills nor allows thatthefts, fornications, and drunken-ness should be exempt from pun-ishment.Capital punishment shall be decreed against adulter-ers; but shall the despisers of Godbe permitted with impunity toadulterate the doctrines of salva-


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tion, and to draw away wretched souls from the faith?- CALVINCOMMEN ARIES, Vol. II, p. 76.

But it is questioned whether thelaw pertains to the kingdom ofChrist, which is spiritual and dis-tinct from all earthly dominion;and there are some men, not oth-erwise ill-deposed, to whom it ap- pears that our condition under theGospel is different from that of theancient people under the law; notonly because the kingdom of Christis not of this world, but becauseChrist was unwilling that the be- ginnings of His kingdom should beaided by the sword. But, when hu-man judges consecrate their workto the promotion of Christs king-dom, I deny that on that accountits nature is changed. For, althoughit was Christs will that His Gospel should be proclaimed by His dis-ciples in opposition to the power ofthe whole world, and He exposedthem armed with the Word alonelike sheep among wolves, He didnot impose on Himself an eternallaw that He should never bringkings under His subjection, nortame their violence, nor changethem from being cruel persecutorsinto the patrons and guardiansof His Church.- CALVIN COM- MEN ARIES, Vol. II, p. 77.

Christ, indeed as He is meek,would also, I confess, have us tobe imitators of His gentleness, butthat does not prevent pious magis-trates from providing for the tran-quility and safety of the Churchby their defense of godliness; sinceto neglect this part of their duty,would be the greatest perdy [de-liberate breach of faith, calculatedviolation of trust, treachery] andcruelty. And assuredly nothing

can be more base than, when we see wretched souls drawn away toeternal destruction by reason ofthe impunity conceded to impious,wicked and perverse imposters, to

count the salvation of those souls for nothing. But, if under this pre-text the superstitious have daredto shed innocent blood, I reply thatwhat God has once commandedmust not be brought to nought onaccount of any abuse or corruptionof men. - Vol. II, p. 77-78.

Fifth, Calvins 200+ sermons onthe book of Deuteronomy (publishedby Te Banner of ruth rust) provewithout doubt that he believed in theabiding obligation of the civil govern-ment to apply the underlying moralprinciples and the sanctions of thecivil laws of the Mosaic legislation inthe Old estament.

Sixth, although Calvin did rarelyspeak of natural law, he would notseparate it from or make it prior toBiblical law, which was the basis of hisethics. He said: It is a fact that the lawof God which we call the moral law isnothing else than a testimony of natu-ral law and of the conscience whichGod has engraved upon the minds ofmen.- INS I U ES, IV, xx, 16.

C. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

LUTHER AND CALVIN

A major difference between MartinLuther and John Calvin is concerningthe relation of church and state to Bibli-cal Law. In Luthers thinking there aretwo kingdoms, church and state, andin both kingdoms God is ruler althoughin different ways. One kingdom, thechurch, is governed by divine revela-tion; the other, the state, is governed byhuman reason and natural law. With


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this theory Luther severed the bondbetween church and state, although hedid not see it.

According to Calvin neither thekingdom of the church nor the kingdomof the state can be understood properlyapart from the lordship and universalrule of Jesus Christ and the demandsof Gods law in the Bible, especially theen Commandments. He believed thatall Christians have a holy calling to doeverything possible to advance Godskingdom in asserting its penetrating

and transforming inuence throughthe whole world.

In Luthers two kingdom theory,now spread far and wide, even in os-tensibly Reformed circles, the churchis the realm of grace and the state isthe realm of nature. his retreat ofthe church into its four walls, not

understanding that it has a propheticresponsibility to call the state to re-pentance and to renewed obedienceto Christ and His Law in the Bible,paved the way in Germany for the riseand bloody tyranny of Adolph Hitler.he church did not see its calling to

rise up in opposition to his tyranny.It generally was silent in cowering be-fore him, although some courageouspeople did speak out loudly againsthim, and suffered death for it, e.g.,Diedrich Bonhoeffer.

In contrast, few sections of thechurch have stood as courageouslyand vigorously against tyranny as theReformed churches throughout theirhistory, because they refused to limitChrists lordship and the claims of theBible to the church, but recognized thatthe civil magistrate, as well as all of cul-ture, is under that lordship and must becalled to submit to it or be broken bythe scepter of Christs wrath, Psalm 2.

Andrew Sandlin has written:

For the Reformed Church to em-brace the Lutheran two kingdomtheory is to surrender a criticaldistinction of its faith and to com- promise Jesus Christs authorityin all dimensions of life. o arguethat society, including the state,is permissibly non-Christian isnecessarily to argue that it is per-missible anti-Christian. Te issueis not whether each member of society must be a Christian, andcertainly not whether the state should force anyone to becomea Christian, ideas and practiceswhich Calvinists abhor.

Rather, the issue is whether wewill continue to advocate and work for Christian civilizationBiblicalChristianity as the unifying prin-ciple of all of lifeindividual, fam-ily, church, science, arts, media,education, technology and even the state J. Gresham Machen loyallycarried forward this Reformed tra-dition when he declared:

Te Christian cannot be satis- ed so long as any human activityis either opposed to Christianity orout of all connection with Christi-anity7. Christianity must pervadenot merely all nations, but also allof human thought.

(Tis Sandlin quote, including theMachen quote, are taken from Sandlinsarticle, found in several places on theInternet, including: http://reformed-covenanter.wordpress.com

VII. THE RELATION OFBIBLICAL LAW AND

NATUR AL LAW

Te natural law theory was self-consciously introduced into Reforma-


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tion thought through Melanchthon,Luthers friend and successor. It heldthat laws could be deduced from natureby observation and the use of humanreason, apart from Biblical revelation. Itwas on center stage in Classical thought,i.e., ancient Greek and Roman thought.Melanchthon, like the medieval scho-lastics tried to synthesize Classicalthough with Christian thought.

Martin Luther sometimes spoke ofnatural Law or the law of nature inhis separation of the two kingdoms of

church and state. However he was notconsistent with that theory, since he wasso devoted to the Bible. He simply anduncritically adopted a viewpoint thathad been in place throughout the Mid-dle Ages. Aside from isolated utterances,Luthers method of reasoning in thepractical concerns of national and social

life was based throughout on the eternalprinciples of Christianity in the Bible.Even less does Calvin shows him-

self friendly to natural law because heheld too strongly to the fundamentalReformation convictions of the totaldepravity of the human race and thesufficiency of the Biblical revelation.Calvin spoke of a natural knowledgeof God implanted in every mans soul,but at the same time he says that thisknowledge is corrupted and stied bythe suppression of the truth in unrigh-teousness, themes reective of Paulsemphasis in Romans 1:18f.

Of the three passages in CalvinsINS I U ES OF HE CHRIS IANRELIGION that mention natural law,in the rst two it affords merely a veryfaint foretaste of what is well-pleasingto God and serves only the purpose ofpreventing man from pleading beforethe judgment seat of God the excuse of

ignorance of what God demands of hu-man beings.

In the third reference in the lastchapter of the INS I U ES, he dealswith the issue: where should a state getits standard for legislation. His answeris that a states legislation must be infull conformity to both tables of theDecalogue, Exodus 20:1f.

August Lang has written: In thissequence of thought the incidentalmention of natural law serves merelythe purpose of strengthening the Cal-

vinistic principle that for the state andfor the law as well as for other things,despite all accidental differences, stillthe ethical norm is to be found in therightly understood revelation of the divine will in Scripture.- Te Reforma-tion and Natural Law, CALVIN ANDHE REFORMA ION, (NY: Fleming

H. Revell Co., 1909), p. 70.

joe morecraft III

Documents

2011 Issue 5 - Calvin's Doctrine of Biblical Law - Counsel of Chalcedon