In the previous article we used the term “Reformed” in its broad sense of “Reformed according to the Word of God.” In this sense it includes all the churches of the Reformation: Lutheran, Calvinistic and also Anglican Churches. Usually, however, the term is used in a more restricted sense and serves to indicate one particular section of the Reformation, namely, those churches which have been deeply influenced by the theology of Calvin. What is the content of the term “Reformed” in this connection? The best way to answer this question is to note the differences between the theology of Luther and that of Calvin.
Luther and Calvin
In older books the difference between these two great theologians is often formulated in this way: Luther was more anthropocentric in his theology; that is, he took his starting point in the existential question of man as a sinner: “How do I find a gracious God?”; Calvin was more theo-centric in his theology; that is, he made God the centre of his theology and for him the primary question was: “How can I promote the glory of God?” In our day this formulation is generally rejected as an over-simplification. Although it may be true that Luther started with this existential question of man, nevertheless at the heart of his theology was not man but God: God as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, although it is perfectly true that the glory of God played a major part in Calvin’s theology, to him man’s existential question was no less important than it was to Luther. His Institutes of the Christian Religion start with the statement: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consist of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
It is therefore better to approach the difference between Luther and Calvin from a different angle. Perhaps we could put it this way: Calvin was more consistent and more comprehensive in his reformation of the church. For Luther the justification of the sinner by faith in Jesus Christ was the great discovery of his life, and it always remained the central doctrine of his theology. Without doing him any injustice one could call Luther “the man of the one dogma.” From this central point he fought his battle with Home. Because we are justified by faith alone, there is no place for a doctrine of indulgences. according to which man can obtain forgiveness on the ground of his own good works, yes even by paying a sum of money. Because the death of the Saviour on the cross is the most perfect sacrifice for sin, there is no place for the doctrine of the mass, in which the priest sacrifices Christ again. Because Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, there is no place for the veneration and intercession of the saints. Because Christ is the only Lord of the Church, there is no place for a pope and for other prelates to lord it over the church. Because the Gospel of God’s grace is fully contained in Scripture, God’s own Word spoken through prophets and apostles, there is no place for human traditions as on a par with this Word. In all these matters Luther fought one and the same battle: the battle for free and sovereign grace, the battle for the Gospel of forgiveness, the battle for justification by faith in Christ alone.
Calvin, who came after Luther and, so to speak, stood on his shoulders, fully agreed with him in this central dogma of the Christian faith. At the same time he went further. On the one hand, he went “backwards” to the root of justification, namely, God’s election; on the other hand, he went “forward” to the fruit of justification, namely, sanctification. This does not mean that these two aspects were denied by Luther. On the contrary, Luther also firmly believed in divine election and in the need for sanctification, but these doctrines received much less emphasis than in Calvin’s theology. All his life Luther was so busy with the central controversy about justification, that the other aspects receded into the background. It was the great merit of Calvin that he gave his full attention to the other aspects and thus achieved a much more consistent and much more comprehensive reformation of church and life. Especially by his emphasis on sanctification and the so-called third use of the law (that is, the law as a rule of life and gratitude) the entire Christian life was seen as service to God. This service was not limited to the personal sphere only, but the whole of society has to be permeated by Christian principles. Politics, economics, education, etc., must all be brought under the Lordship of Christ.
By this comprehensive world view Calvin has become one of the most influential men of his day. Dr. J. I. Packer writes: “Calvin’s theology produced the Puritans in England, the Huguenots in France, the ‘Beggars’ (Geuzen!) in Holland, the Covenanters in Scotland, and the Pilgrim Fathers in New England, and was more or less directly responsible for the Scottish uprising, the revolt of the Netherlands, the French wars of religion, and the English Civil War. Also, it was Calvin’s doctrine of the State as a servant of God that established the ideal of constitutional government and led to the explicit acknowledgment of the rights and liberties of subjects, and in due course to toleration—though, admittedly, Calvin and his first followers failed to see that toleration was logically demanded by their principles. These facts reveal Calvin as in effect the producer, not merely of Protestantism in its most virile and thoroughgoing form, but of some of the most fundamental ingredients in post-Renaissance Western civilization. It is doubtful whether any other theologian has ever played so significant n part in world history.”
The Five Points of Calvinism
The above picture shows a much wider conception of “Reformed” than people (even Reformed people themselves!) often have. Too often “Reformed” is identified with the so-called Five Points of Calvinism. It cannot be denied of course that these “points'” are of tremendous significance. They were formulated by the famous Synod of Dort, which was held just over 350 years ago (1618–1619). This Synod had to deal with one of the most crucial issues in the history of Reformed Protestantism. In fact, it was nothing less than a struggle of life and death concerning the doctrine or grace. THE question that had to be answered by the Synod was: What is final in man’s salvation, God’s grace or man’s faith? The Arminians, though maintaining the atoning death of Christ on the cross, nevertheless asserted that a man was chosen, not unto faith, but on the basis of foreseen faith. From all eternity God has foreseen which people are going to accept God’s offer of grace in Jesus Christ and these people are elected by him. This means of course that in the final analysis man’s act of faith is determinative. It also means that man still has the power to accept this grace. As to the atoning death of Christ, it means that he did not effectually die for the elect, but he only created the possibility of salvation.
The answer of the Synod of Dort was that God’s grace is one and all. This is evident in all five “points” of Dort: unconditional election; total depravity; irresistible grace; limited atonement; and perseverance of the saints. (This is the actual order of the five points in the Canons of Dort. If you rearrange them and take the first letter of each point, you gel the famous “TULIP”). All these points are characteristic of Reformed Protestantism and if we want to remain true to the Reformed faith, we may never give them up. They show us the very heart of the Gospel of free grace.
Christian Organizations
But we should not stop at these five points. To be Reformed is a much broader conception. It means not only that we are saved by grace alone and that from beginning to end our Christian life is the work of God’s grace, but it also means that we should bring everything in life under the control of Christ. It is therefore not surprising that precisely in Reformed Protestantism we see the development of so-called Christian organizations: Christian schools and Christian universities, Christian political parties and Christian trade unions, etc. This development took place especially in the Netherlands, under the vigorous leadership of Dr. Abraham Kuyper. It was his answer to the increasing secularization of public life at the end of the 19th century. In other countries Reformed people have done the same. They may not have gone to the same length as the Reformed people in the Netherlands, but still they have followed the same line of action. In the U.S.A., for instance, Reformed people have established their Christian schools and Christian Liberal Arts Colleges. In Canada Reformed people are supporting the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship, which has its Institute in Toronto. The professors of the Institute (Drs. Hart, Zylstra and Olthuis) travel through Canada, teaching and training university students in a comprehensive Christian world view. In Canada there are also the beginnings of a Christian Trade Union Movement, battling against all the odds of a secular society, but also gaining some significant victories in this battle. In South Africa Reformed people have established their own Christian Universities (e.g., Potchefstroom).
I believe that all these activities are of tremendous importance. not only for ourselves and for our children, but for the whole life of the nation. Through this concentration of Christian activity Reformed people can make a significant contribution to the nation. For this reason we are so grateful that in Australia too we have our first Christian day schools. They are not first of all meant as “hothouses” to keep our children away from the evil world (they are living in this world and have to be in it all the time after they leave school), but the great aim is to train children in such a way that they arc well prepared for their life and work in the world, that they are complete men and women of God, equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:17). Tn order to train the children for this high goal it is not enough for the teachers to tell them the stories from the Bible. but they should have a complete and comprehensive Christian world view which they communicate to the children. The same grand vision was, and still is. behind the establishment of the Reformed Theological College in Geelong. Although admittedly the training of ministers was the first purpose, from the beginning the College was seen in a much wider setting. In a vision of faith it was seen as the first faculty of a Christian University! At this moment this may still be a matter of the future, perhaps even of the far future (although in its recent meetings both Board and Faculty have tried to work out plans toward the realization of this vision), yet the fact that the “founding fathers” put this into the constitution shows that this was a truly “Reformed” enterprise. The same Reformed vision is also evident from the fact that Article 3 of the Regulations of the College states the “particular purposes of the College” as follows: (1) to teach, defend and propagate the Reformed faith; (2) to train students for the Holy Ministry. The order of these two purposes is very Significant indeed. It shows the same comprehensive and missionary vision that has been characteristic for Reformed Protestantism through the centuries. The Reformed faith. if it is truly alive, is not introvert but extrovert. It wants to comprehend and permeate life in its totality.
Is it still worthwhile to be Reformed today?
After all that has been said before there is only one answer: YES! The things which are implied in the word “Reformed,” both in its broader and in its more restricted sense, are so vitally important. (1) We must always submit ourselves to the Word of God. Our life must be a continuous process of “reformation.” (2) We must influence all spheres of life and claim them for Christ. our Lord and Master.
Undoubtedly we are all aware of the fact that this task will become increasingly more difficult. Not only is the process of general secularization accelerating at a high speed. but we ourselves. personally and as families, are also continually threatened by it. This is particularly true in our time of increasing affluence. No. it is not easy. it means a constant battle. But did not Christ himself tell us this beforehand? Did he not say in the Sermon on the Mount: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13, 14)? Did he not say, at some later time, to his disciples: “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)? Did not Paul say that we have to “fight the good fight” (II Tim. 4:7)?
But we have also the promise that the Lord will never leave us alone. Our Lord is King, also in these days of confusion, of wars and rumours of wars, of violence and revolution. He is the Lord of history and leads history to the goal set by God himself: the Kingdom. This expectation is also essentially Reformed. Calvin. the man who always called to an active life for the Lord here on earth, was also the theologian with the eschatological perspective. He knew too well that we cannot build the Kingdom; it belongs to God; it is his possibility, and his alone. In his commentary on Matt. 24:43 Calvin combines the two elements of activity and expectation in these words: “Two things are commended to the believer: to run with zest . and to keep the end firmly in view.” This end is certain, for the Lord has given his promise. That’s why the Christian pilgrim can be of good courage. He is not fighting a losing battle, but the victory is secure.
Jesus will come again and he will bring the Kingdom of his Father in all its perfection. That Kingdom we are waiting for and in our heart is the prayer which the apostle John has taught us. a prayer that is not limited to Reformed people but which we share with the church of all ages and all places:
“AMEN. VENI, DOMINE JESU!”
(Amen. Come, Lord Jesus) In the previous article we used the term “Reformed” in its broad sense of “Reformed according to the Word of God.” In this sense it includes all the churches of the Reformation: Lutheran, Calvinistic and also Anglican Churches. Usually, however, the term is used in a more restricted sense and serves to indicate one particular section of the Reformation, namely, those churches which have been deeply influenced by the theology of Calvin. What is the content of the term “Reformed” in this connection? The best way to answer this question is to note the differences between the theology of Luther and that of Calvin.
Luther and Calvin
In older books the difference between these two great theologians is often formulated in this way: Luther was more anthropocentric in his theology; that is, he took his starting point in the existential question of man as a sinner: “How do I find a gracious God?”; Calvin was more theo-centric in his theology; that is, he made God the centre of his theology and for him the primary question was: “How can I promote the glory of God?” In our day this formulation is generally rejected as an over-simplification. Although it may be true that Luther started with this existential question of man, nevertheless at the heart of his theology was not man but God: God as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, although it is perfectly true that the glory of God played a major part in Calvin’s theology, to him man’s existential question was no less important than it was to Luther. His Institutes of the Christian Religion start with the statement: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consist of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
It is therefore better to approach the difference between Luther and Calvin from a different angle. Perhaps we could put it this way: Calvin was more consistent and more comprehensive in his reformation of the church. For Luther the justification of the sinner by faith in Jesus Christ was the great discovery of his life, and it always remained the central doctrine of his theology. Without doing him any injustice one could call Luther “the man of the one dogma.” From this central point he fought his battle with Home. Because we are justified by faith alone, there is no place for a doctrine of indulgences. according to which man can obtain forgiveness on the ground of his own good works, yes even by paying a sum of money. Because the death of the Saviour on the cross is the most perfect sacrifice for sin, there is no place for the doctrine of the mass, in which the priest sacrifices Christ again. Because Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, there is no place for the veneration and intercession of the saints. Because Christ is the only Lord of the Church, there is no place for a pope and for other prelates to lord it over the church. Because the Gospel of God’s grace is fully contained in Scripture, God’s own Word spoken through prophets and apostles, there is no place for human traditions as on a par with this Word. In all these matters Luther fought one and the same battle: the battle for free and sovereign grace, the battle for the Gospel of forgiveness, the battle for justification by faith in Christ alone.
Calvin, who came after Luther and, so to speak, stood on his shoulders, fully agreed with him in this central dogma of the Christian faith. At the same time he went further. On the one hand, he went “backwards” to the root of justification, namely, God’s election; on the other hand, he went “forward” to the fruit of justification, namely, sanctification. This does not mean that these two aspects were denied by Luther. On the contrary, Luther also firmly believed in divine election and in the need for sanctification, but these doctrines received much less emphasis than in Calvin’s theology. All his life Luther was so busy with the central controversy about justification, that the other aspects receded into the background. It was the great merit of Calvin that he gave his full attention to the other aspects and thus achieved a much more consistent and much more comprehensive reformation of church and life. Especially by his emphasis on sanctification and the so-called third use of the law (that is, the law as a rule of life and gratitude) the entire Christian life was seen as service to God. This service was not limited to the personal sphere only, but the whole of society has to be permeated by Christian principles. Politics, economics, education, etc., must all be brought under the Lordship of Christ.
By this comprehensive world view Calvin has become one of the most influential men of his day. Dr. J. I. Packer writes: “Calvin’s theology produced the Puritans in England, the Huguenots in France, the ‘Beggars’ (Geuzen!) in Holland, the Covenanters in Scotland, and the Pilgrim Fathers in New England, and was more or less directly responsible for the Scottish uprising, the revolt of the Netherlands, the French wars of religion, and the English Civil War. Also, it was Calvin’s doctrine of the State as a servant of God that established the ideal of constitutional government and led to the explicit acknowledgment of the rights and liberties of subjects, and in due course to toleration—though, admittedly, Calvin and his first followers failed to see that toleration was logically demanded by their principles. These facts reveal Calvin as in effect the producer, not merely of Protestantism in its most virile and thoroughgoing form, but of some of the most fundamental ingredients in post-Renaissance Western civilization. It is doubtful whether any other theologian has ever played so significant n part in world history.”
The Five Points of Calvinism
The above picture shows a much wider conception of “Reformed” than people (even Reformed people themselves!) often have. Too often “Reformed” is identified with the so-called Five Points of Calvinism. It cannot be denied of course that these “points'” are of tremendous significance. They were formulated by the famous Synod of Dort, which was held just over 350 years ago (1618–1619). This Synod had to deal with one of the most crucial issues in the history of Reformed Protestantism. In fact, it was nothing less than a struggle of life and death concerning the doctrine or grace. THE question that had to be answered by the Synod was: What is final in man’s salvation, God’s grace or man’s faith? The Arminians, though maintaining the atoning death of Christ on the cross, nevertheless asserted that a man was chosen, not unto faith, but on the basis of foreseen faith. From all eternity God has foreseen which people are going to accept God’s offer of grace in Jesus Christ and these people are elected by him. This means of course that in the final analysis man’s act of faith is determinative. It also means that man still has the power to accept this grace. As to the atoning death of Christ, it means that he did not effectually die for the elect, but he only created the possibility of salvation.
The answer of the Synod of Dort was that God’s grace is one and all. This is evident in all five “points” of Dort: unconditional election; total depravity; irresistible grace; limited atonement; and perseverance of the saints. (This is the actual order of the five points in the Canons of Dort. If you rearrange them and take the first letter of each point, you gel the famous “TULIP”). All these points are characteristic of Reformed Protestantism and if we want to remain true to the Reformed faith, we may never give them up. They show us the very heart of the Gospel of free grace.
Christian Organizations
But we should not stop at these five points. To be Reformed is a much broader conception. It means not only that we are saved by grace alone and that from beginning to end our Christian life is the work of God’s grace, but it also means that we should bring everything in life under the control of Christ. It is therefore not surprising that precisely in Reformed Protestantism we see the development of so-called Christian organizations: Christian schools and Christian universities, Christian political parties and Christian trade unions, etc. This development took place especially in the Netherlands, under the vigorous leadership of Dr. Abraham Kuyper. It was his answer to the increasing secularization of public life at the end of the 19th century. In other countries Reformed people have done the same. They may not have gone to the same length as the Reformed people in the Netherlands, but still they have followed the same line of action. In the U.S.A., for instance, Reformed people have established their Christian schools and Christian Liberal Arts Colleges. In Canada Reformed people are supporting the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship, which has its Institute in Toronto. The professors of the Institute (Drs. Hart, Zylstra and Olthuis) travel through Canada, teaching and training university students in a comprehensive Christian world view. In Canada there are also the beginnings of a Christian Trade Union Movement, battling against all the odds of a secular society, but also gaining some significant victories in this battle. In South Africa Reformed people have established their own Christian Universities (e.g., Potchefstroom).
I believe that all these activities are of tremendous importance. not only for ourselves and for our children, but for the whole life of the nation. Through this concentration of Christian activity Reformed people can make a significant contribution to the nation. For this reason we are so grateful that in Australia too we have our first Christian day schools. They are not first of all meant as “hothouses” to keep our children away from the evil world (they are living in this world and have to be in it all the time after they leave school), but the great aim is to train children in such a way that they arc well prepared for their life and work in the world, that they are complete men and women of God, equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:17). Tn order to train the children for this high goal it is not enough for the teachers to tell them the stories from the Bible. but they should have a complete and comprehensive Christian world view which they communicate to the children. The same grand vision was, and still is. behind the establishment of the Reformed Theological College in Geelong. Although admittedly the training of ministers was the first purpose, from the beginning the College was seen in a much wider setting. In a vision of faith it was seen as the first faculty of a Christian University! At this moment this may still be a matter of the future, perhaps even of the far future (although in its recent meetings both Board and Faculty have tried to work out plans toward the realization of this vision), yet the fact that the “founding fathers” put this into the constitution shows that this was a truly “Reformed” enterprise. The same Reformed vision is also evident from the fact that Article 3 of the Regulations of the College states the “particular purposes of the College” as follows: (1) to teach, defend and propagate the Reformed faith; (2) to train students for the Holy Ministry. The order of these two purposes is very Significant indeed. It shows the same comprehensive and missionary vision that has been characteristic for Reformed Protestantism through the centuries. The Reformed faith. if it is truly alive, is not introvert but extrovert. It wants to comprehend and permeate life in its totality.
Is it still worthwhile to be Reformed today?
After all that has been said before there is only one answer: YES! The things which are implied in the word “Reformed,” both in its broader and in its more restricted sense, are so vitally important. (1) We must always submit ourselves to the Word of God. Our life must be a continuous process of “reformation.” (2) We must influence all spheres of life and claim them for Christ. our Lord and Master.
Undoubtedly we are all aware of the fact that this task will become increasingly more difficult. Not only is the process of general secularization accelerating at a high speed. but we ourselves. personally and as families, are also continually threatened by it. This is particularly true in our time of increasing affluence. No. it is not easy. it means a constant battle. But did not Christ himself tell us this beforehand? Did he not say in the Sermon on the Mount: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13, 14)? Did he not say, at some later time, to his disciples: “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)? Did not Paul say that we have to “fight the good fight” (II Tim. 4:7)?
But we have also the promise that the Lord will never leave us alone. Our Lord is King, also in these days of confusion, of wars and rumours of wars, of violence and revolution. He is the Lord of history and leads history to the goal set by God himself: the Kingdom. This expectation is also essentially Reformed. Calvin. the man who always called to an active life for the Lord here on earth, was also the theologian with the eschatological perspective. He knew too well that we cannot build the Kingdom; it belongs to God; it is his possibility, and his alone. In his commentary on Matt. 24:43 Calvin combines the two elements of activity and expectation in these words: “Two things are commended to the believer: to run with zest . and to keep the end firmly in view.” This end is certain, for the Lord has given his promise. That’s why the Christian pilgrim can be of good courage. He is not fighting a losing battle, but the victory is secure.
Jesus will come again and he will bring the Kingdom of his Father in all its perfection. That Kingdom we are waiting for and in our heart is the prayer which the apostle John has taught us. a prayer that is not limited to Reformed people but which we share with the church of all ages and all places:
“AMEN. VENI, DOMINE JESU!”
(Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
Dr. Klaas Runia is professor of theology at the Reformed Theological College, Geelong Victoria, Australia.
Luther and Calvin
In older books the difference between these two great theologians is often formulated in this way: Luther was more anthropocentric in his theology; that is, he took his starting point in the existential question of man as a sinner: “How do I find a gracious God?”; Calvin was more theo-centric in his theology; that is, he made God the centre of his theology and for him the primary question was: “How can I promote the glory of God?” In our day this formulation is generally rejected as an over-simplification. Although it may be true that Luther started with this existential question of man, nevertheless at the heart of his theology was not man but God: God as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, although it is perfectly true that the glory of God played a major part in Calvin’s theology, to him man’s existential question was no less important than it was to Luther. His Institutes of the Christian Religion start with the statement: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consist of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
It is therefore better to approach the difference between Luther and Calvin from a different angle. Perhaps we could put it this way: Calvin was more consistent and more comprehensive in his reformation of the church. For Luther the justification of the sinner by faith in Jesus Christ was the great discovery of his life, and it always remained the central doctrine of his theology. Without doing him any injustice one could call Luther “the man of the one dogma.” From this central point he fought his battle with Home. Because we are justified by faith alone, there is no place for a doctrine of indulgences. according to which man can obtain forgiveness on the ground of his own good works, yes even by paying a sum of money. Because the death of the Saviour on the cross is the most perfect sacrifice for sin, there is no place for the doctrine of the mass, in which the priest sacrifices Christ again. Because Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, there is no place for the veneration and intercession of the saints. Because Christ is the only Lord of the Church, there is no place for a pope and for other prelates to lord it over the church. Because the Gospel of God’s grace is fully contained in Scripture, God’s own Word spoken through prophets and apostles, there is no place for human traditions as on a par with this Word. In all these matters Luther fought one and the same battle: the battle for free and sovereign grace, the battle for the Gospel of forgiveness, the battle for justification by faith in Christ alone.
Calvin, who came after Luther and, so to speak, stood on his shoulders, fully agreed with him in this central dogma of the Christian faith. At the same time he went further. On the one hand, he went “backwards” to the root of justification, namely, God’s election; on the other hand, he went “forward” to the fruit of justification, namely, sanctification. This does not mean that these two aspects were denied by Luther. On the contrary, Luther also firmly believed in divine election and in the need for sanctification, but these doctrines received much less emphasis than in Calvin’s theology. All his life Luther was so busy with the central controversy about justification, that the other aspects receded into the background. It was the great merit of Calvin that he gave his full attention to the other aspects and thus achieved a much more consistent and much more comprehensive reformation of church and life. Especially by his emphasis on sanctification and the so-called third use of the law (that is, the law as a rule of life and gratitude) the entire Christian life was seen as service to God. This service was not limited to the personal sphere only, but the whole of society has to be permeated by Christian principles. Politics, economics, education, etc., must all be brought under the Lordship of Christ.
By this comprehensive world view Calvin has become one of the most influential men of his day. Dr. J. I. Packer writes: “Calvin’s theology produced the Puritans in England, the Huguenots in France, the ‘Beggars’ (Geuzen!) in Holland, the Covenanters in Scotland, and the Pilgrim Fathers in New England, and was more or less directly responsible for the Scottish uprising, the revolt of the Netherlands, the French wars of religion, and the English Civil War. Also, it was Calvin’s doctrine of the State as a servant of God that established the ideal of constitutional government and led to the explicit acknowledgment of the rights and liberties of subjects, and in due course to toleration—though, admittedly, Calvin and his first followers failed to see that toleration was logically demanded by their principles. These facts reveal Calvin as in effect the producer, not merely of Protestantism in its most virile and thoroughgoing form, but of some of the most fundamental ingredients in post-Renaissance Western civilization. It is doubtful whether any other theologian has ever played so significant n part in world history.”
The Five Points of Calvinism
The above picture shows a much wider conception of “Reformed” than people (even Reformed people themselves!) often have. Too often “Reformed” is identified with the so-called Five Points of Calvinism. It cannot be denied of course that these “points'” are of tremendous significance. They were formulated by the famous Synod of Dort, which was held just over 350 years ago (1618–1619). This Synod had to deal with one of the most crucial issues in the history of Reformed Protestantism. In fact, it was nothing less than a struggle of life and death concerning the doctrine or grace. THE question that had to be answered by the Synod was: What is final in man’s salvation, God’s grace or man’s faith? The Arminians, though maintaining the atoning death of Christ on the cross, nevertheless asserted that a man was chosen, not unto faith, but on the basis of foreseen faith. From all eternity God has foreseen which people are going to accept God’s offer of grace in Jesus Christ and these people are elected by him. This means of course that in the final analysis man’s act of faith is determinative. It also means that man still has the power to accept this grace. As to the atoning death of Christ, it means that he did not effectually die for the elect, but he only created the possibility of salvation.
The answer of the Synod of Dort was that God’s grace is one and all. This is evident in all five “points” of Dort: unconditional election; total depravity; irresistible grace; limited atonement; and perseverance of the saints. (This is the actual order of the five points in the Canons of Dort. If you rearrange them and take the first letter of each point, you gel the famous “TULIP”). All these points are characteristic of Reformed Protestantism and if we want to remain true to the Reformed faith, we may never give them up. They show us the very heart of the Gospel of free grace.
Christian Organizations
But we should not stop at these five points. To be Reformed is a much broader conception. It means not only that we are saved by grace alone and that from beginning to end our Christian life is the work of God’s grace, but it also means that we should bring everything in life under the control of Christ. It is therefore not surprising that precisely in Reformed Protestantism we see the development of so-called Christian organizations: Christian schools and Christian universities, Christian political parties and Christian trade unions, etc. This development took place especially in the Netherlands, under the vigorous leadership of Dr. Abraham Kuyper. It was his answer to the increasing secularization of public life at the end of the 19th century. In other countries Reformed people have done the same. They may not have gone to the same length as the Reformed people in the Netherlands, but still they have followed the same line of action. In the U.S.A., for instance, Reformed people have established their Christian schools and Christian Liberal Arts Colleges. In Canada Reformed people are supporting the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship, which has its Institute in Toronto. The professors of the Institute (Drs. Hart, Zylstra and Olthuis) travel through Canada, teaching and training university students in a comprehensive Christian world view. In Canada there are also the beginnings of a Christian Trade Union Movement, battling against all the odds of a secular society, but also gaining some significant victories in this battle. In South Africa Reformed people have established their own Christian Universities (e.g., Potchefstroom).
I believe that all these activities are of tremendous importance. not only for ourselves and for our children, but for the whole life of the nation. Through this concentration of Christian activity Reformed people can make a significant contribution to the nation. For this reason we are so grateful that in Australia too we have our first Christian day schools. They are not first of all meant as “hothouses” to keep our children away from the evil world (they are living in this world and have to be in it all the time after they leave school), but the great aim is to train children in such a way that they arc well prepared for their life and work in the world, that they are complete men and women of God, equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:17). Tn order to train the children for this high goal it is not enough for the teachers to tell them the stories from the Bible. but they should have a complete and comprehensive Christian world view which they communicate to the children. The same grand vision was, and still is. behind the establishment of the Reformed Theological College in Geelong. Although admittedly the training of ministers was the first purpose, from the beginning the College was seen in a much wider setting. In a vision of faith it was seen as the first faculty of a Christian University! At this moment this may still be a matter of the future, perhaps even of the far future (although in its recent meetings both Board and Faculty have tried to work out plans toward the realization of this vision), yet the fact that the “founding fathers” put this into the constitution shows that this was a truly “Reformed” enterprise. The same Reformed vision is also evident from the fact that Article 3 of the Regulations of the College states the “particular purposes of the College” as follows: (1) to teach, defend and propagate the Reformed faith; (2) to train students for the Holy Ministry. The order of these two purposes is very Significant indeed. It shows the same comprehensive and missionary vision that has been characteristic for Reformed Protestantism through the centuries. The Reformed faith. if it is truly alive, is not introvert but extrovert. It wants to comprehend and permeate life in its totality.
Is it still worthwhile to be Reformed today?
After all that has been said before there is only one answer: YES! The things which are implied in the word “Reformed,” both in its broader and in its more restricted sense, are so vitally important. (1) We must always submit ourselves to the Word of God. Our life must be a continuous process of “reformation.” (2) We must influence all spheres of life and claim them for Christ. our Lord and Master.
Undoubtedly we are all aware of the fact that this task will become increasingly more difficult. Not only is the process of general secularization accelerating at a high speed. but we ourselves. personally and as families, are also continually threatened by it. This is particularly true in our time of increasing affluence. No. it is not easy. it means a constant battle. But did not Christ himself tell us this beforehand? Did he not say in the Sermon on the Mount: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13, 14)? Did he not say, at some later time, to his disciples: “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)? Did not Paul say that we have to “fight the good fight” (II Tim. 4:7)?
But we have also the promise that the Lord will never leave us alone. Our Lord is King, also in these days of confusion, of wars and rumours of wars, of violence and revolution. He is the Lord of history and leads history to the goal set by God himself: the Kingdom. This expectation is also essentially Reformed. Calvin. the man who always called to an active life for the Lord here on earth, was also the theologian with the eschatological perspective. He knew too well that we cannot build the Kingdom; it belongs to God; it is his possibility, and his alone. In his commentary on Matt. 24:43 Calvin combines the two elements of activity and expectation in these words: “Two things are commended to the believer: to run with zest . and to keep the end firmly in view.” This end is certain, for the Lord has given his promise. That’s why the Christian pilgrim can be of good courage. He is not fighting a losing battle, but the victory is secure.
Jesus will come again and he will bring the Kingdom of his Father in all its perfection. That Kingdom we are waiting for and in our heart is the prayer which the apostle John has taught us. a prayer that is not limited to Reformed people but which we share with the church of all ages and all places:
“AMEN. VENI, DOMINE JESU!”
(Amen. Come, Lord Jesus) In the previous article we used the term “Reformed” in its broad sense of “Reformed according to the Word of God.” In this sense it includes all the churches of the Reformation: Lutheran, Calvinistic and also Anglican Churches. Usually, however, the term is used in a more restricted sense and serves to indicate one particular section of the Reformation, namely, those churches which have been deeply influenced by the theology of Calvin. What is the content of the term “Reformed” in this connection? The best way to answer this question is to note the differences between the theology of Luther and that of Calvin.
Luther and Calvin
In older books the difference between these two great theologians is often formulated in this way: Luther was more anthropocentric in his theology; that is, he took his starting point in the existential question of man as a sinner: “How do I find a gracious God?”; Calvin was more theo-centric in his theology; that is, he made God the centre of his theology and for him the primary question was: “How can I promote the glory of God?” In our day this formulation is generally rejected as an over-simplification. Although it may be true that Luther started with this existential question of man, nevertheless at the heart of his theology was not man but God: God as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, although it is perfectly true that the glory of God played a major part in Calvin’s theology, to him man’s existential question was no less important than it was to Luther. His Institutes of the Christian Religion start with the statement: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consist of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.”
It is therefore better to approach the difference between Luther and Calvin from a different angle. Perhaps we could put it this way: Calvin was more consistent and more comprehensive in his reformation of the church. For Luther the justification of the sinner by faith in Jesus Christ was the great discovery of his life, and it always remained the central doctrine of his theology. Without doing him any injustice one could call Luther “the man of the one dogma.” From this central point he fought his battle with Home. Because we are justified by faith alone, there is no place for a doctrine of indulgences. according to which man can obtain forgiveness on the ground of his own good works, yes even by paying a sum of money. Because the death of the Saviour on the cross is the most perfect sacrifice for sin, there is no place for the doctrine of the mass, in which the priest sacrifices Christ again. Because Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man, there is no place for the veneration and intercession of the saints. Because Christ is the only Lord of the Church, there is no place for a pope and for other prelates to lord it over the church. Because the Gospel of God’s grace is fully contained in Scripture, God’s own Word spoken through prophets and apostles, there is no place for human traditions as on a par with this Word. In all these matters Luther fought one and the same battle: the battle for free and sovereign grace, the battle for the Gospel of forgiveness, the battle for justification by faith in Christ alone.
Calvin, who came after Luther and, so to speak, stood on his shoulders, fully agreed with him in this central dogma of the Christian faith. At the same time he went further. On the one hand, he went “backwards” to the root of justification, namely, God’s election; on the other hand, he went “forward” to the fruit of justification, namely, sanctification. This does not mean that these two aspects were denied by Luther. On the contrary, Luther also firmly believed in divine election and in the need for sanctification, but these doctrines received much less emphasis than in Calvin’s theology. All his life Luther was so busy with the central controversy about justification, that the other aspects receded into the background. It was the great merit of Calvin that he gave his full attention to the other aspects and thus achieved a much more consistent and much more comprehensive reformation of church and life. Especially by his emphasis on sanctification and the so-called third use of the law (that is, the law as a rule of life and gratitude) the entire Christian life was seen as service to God. This service was not limited to the personal sphere only, but the whole of society has to be permeated by Christian principles. Politics, economics, education, etc., must all be brought under the Lordship of Christ.
By this comprehensive world view Calvin has become one of the most influential men of his day. Dr. J. I. Packer writes: “Calvin’s theology produced the Puritans in England, the Huguenots in France, the ‘Beggars’ (Geuzen!) in Holland, the Covenanters in Scotland, and the Pilgrim Fathers in New England, and was more or less directly responsible for the Scottish uprising, the revolt of the Netherlands, the French wars of religion, and the English Civil War. Also, it was Calvin’s doctrine of the State as a servant of God that established the ideal of constitutional government and led to the explicit acknowledgment of the rights and liberties of subjects, and in due course to toleration—though, admittedly, Calvin and his first followers failed to see that toleration was logically demanded by their principles. These facts reveal Calvin as in effect the producer, not merely of Protestantism in its most virile and thoroughgoing form, but of some of the most fundamental ingredients in post-Renaissance Western civilization. It is doubtful whether any other theologian has ever played so significant n part in world history.”
The Five Points of Calvinism
The above picture shows a much wider conception of “Reformed” than people (even Reformed people themselves!) often have. Too often “Reformed” is identified with the so-called Five Points of Calvinism. It cannot be denied of course that these “points'” are of tremendous significance. They were formulated by the famous Synod of Dort, which was held just over 350 years ago (1618–1619). This Synod had to deal with one of the most crucial issues in the history of Reformed Protestantism. In fact, it was nothing less than a struggle of life and death concerning the doctrine or grace. THE question that had to be answered by the Synod was: What is final in man’s salvation, God’s grace or man’s faith? The Arminians, though maintaining the atoning death of Christ on the cross, nevertheless asserted that a man was chosen, not unto faith, but on the basis of foreseen faith. From all eternity God has foreseen which people are going to accept God’s offer of grace in Jesus Christ and these people are elected by him. This means of course that in the final analysis man’s act of faith is determinative. It also means that man still has the power to accept this grace. As to the atoning death of Christ, it means that he did not effectually die for the elect, but he only created the possibility of salvation.
The answer of the Synod of Dort was that God’s grace is one and all. This is evident in all five “points” of Dort: unconditional election; total depravity; irresistible grace; limited atonement; and perseverance of the saints. (This is the actual order of the five points in the Canons of Dort. If you rearrange them and take the first letter of each point, you gel the famous “TULIP”). All these points are characteristic of Reformed Protestantism and if we want to remain true to the Reformed faith, we may never give them up. They show us the very heart of the Gospel of free grace.
Christian Organizations
But we should not stop at these five points. To be Reformed is a much broader conception. It means not only that we are saved by grace alone and that from beginning to end our Christian life is the work of God’s grace, but it also means that we should bring everything in life under the control of Christ. It is therefore not surprising that precisely in Reformed Protestantism we see the development of so-called Christian organizations: Christian schools and Christian universities, Christian political parties and Christian trade unions, etc. This development took place especially in the Netherlands, under the vigorous leadership of Dr. Abraham Kuyper. It was his answer to the increasing secularization of public life at the end of the 19th century. In other countries Reformed people have done the same. They may not have gone to the same length as the Reformed people in the Netherlands, but still they have followed the same line of action. In the U.S.A., for instance, Reformed people have established their Christian schools and Christian Liberal Arts Colleges. In Canada Reformed people are supporting the Association for the Advancement of Christian Scholarship, which has its Institute in Toronto. The professors of the Institute (Drs. Hart, Zylstra and Olthuis) travel through Canada, teaching and training university students in a comprehensive Christian world view. In Canada there are also the beginnings of a Christian Trade Union Movement, battling against all the odds of a secular society, but also gaining some significant victories in this battle. In South Africa Reformed people have established their own Christian Universities (e.g., Potchefstroom).
I believe that all these activities are of tremendous importance. not only for ourselves and for our children, but for the whole life of the nation. Through this concentration of Christian activity Reformed people can make a significant contribution to the nation. For this reason we are so grateful that in Australia too we have our first Christian day schools. They are not first of all meant as “hothouses” to keep our children away from the evil world (they are living in this world and have to be in it all the time after they leave school), but the great aim is to train children in such a way that they arc well prepared for their life and work in the world, that they are complete men and women of God, equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:17). Tn order to train the children for this high goal it is not enough for the teachers to tell them the stories from the Bible. but they should have a complete and comprehensive Christian world view which they communicate to the children. The same grand vision was, and still is. behind the establishment of the Reformed Theological College in Geelong. Although admittedly the training of ministers was the first purpose, from the beginning the College was seen in a much wider setting. In a vision of faith it was seen as the first faculty of a Christian University! At this moment this may still be a matter of the future, perhaps even of the far future (although in its recent meetings both Board and Faculty have tried to work out plans toward the realization of this vision), yet the fact that the “founding fathers” put this into the constitution shows that this was a truly “Reformed” enterprise. The same Reformed vision is also evident from the fact that Article 3 of the Regulations of the College states the “particular purposes of the College” as follows: (1) to teach, defend and propagate the Reformed faith; (2) to train students for the Holy Ministry. The order of these two purposes is very Significant indeed. It shows the same comprehensive and missionary vision that has been characteristic for Reformed Protestantism through the centuries. The Reformed faith. if it is truly alive, is not introvert but extrovert. It wants to comprehend and permeate life in its totality.
Is it still worthwhile to be Reformed today?
After all that has been said before there is only one answer: YES! The things which are implied in the word “Reformed,” both in its broader and in its more restricted sense, are so vitally important. (1) We must always submit ourselves to the Word of God. Our life must be a continuous process of “reformation.” (2) We must influence all spheres of life and claim them for Christ. our Lord and Master.
Undoubtedly we are all aware of the fact that this task will become increasingly more difficult. Not only is the process of general secularization accelerating at a high speed. but we ourselves. personally and as families, are also continually threatened by it. This is particularly true in our time of increasing affluence. No. it is not easy. it means a constant battle. But did not Christ himself tell us this beforehand? Did he not say in the Sermon on the Mount: “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13, 14)? Did he not say, at some later time, to his disciples: “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)? Did not Paul say that we have to “fight the good fight” (II Tim. 4:7)?
But we have also the promise that the Lord will never leave us alone. Our Lord is King, also in these days of confusion, of wars and rumours of wars, of violence and revolution. He is the Lord of history and leads history to the goal set by God himself: the Kingdom. This expectation is also essentially Reformed. Calvin. the man who always called to an active life for the Lord here on earth, was also the theologian with the eschatological perspective. He knew too well that we cannot build the Kingdom; it belongs to God; it is his possibility, and his alone. In his commentary on Matt. 24:43 Calvin combines the two elements of activity and expectation in these words: “Two things are commended to the believer: to run with zest . and to keep the end firmly in view.” This end is certain, for the Lord has given his promise. That’s why the Christian pilgrim can be of good courage. He is not fighting a losing battle, but the victory is secure.
Jesus will come again and he will bring the Kingdom of his Father in all its perfection. That Kingdom we are waiting for and in our heart is the prayer which the apostle John has taught us. a prayer that is not limited to Reformed people but which we share with the church of all ages and all places:
“AMEN. VENI, DOMINE JESU!”
(Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
Dr. Klaas Runia is professor of theology at the Reformed Theological College, Geelong Victoria, Australia.