In Memoriam: John Calvin (1509-1564)

Tomorrow (Friday, July 10th) will mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. Calvin was born in Noyon, Picardy, France in 1509. He initially studied for the Catholic priesthood, but later went to the University of Orleans to study law. It was at Orleans that Calvin first encountered evangelical teaching as the ripples of the Protestant Reformation reached France. Calvin was converted sometimes around 1533 and was thereafter completely devoted to gospel ministry. His motto: "My heart I give Thee, Lord, eagerly and earnestly."

Calvin fled persecution for Basel, Switzerland in 1535. He desired to live a quiet life as a scholar "in some obscure corner," but he was called in 1536 to become a pastor in Geneva. His work for reformation there was initially frustrated, and he was expelled from the city in 1538. For the next three years (1538-1541) he led a Protestant refugee congregation in Strasbourg, France. While in Strasbourg, he met and married a young widow named Idelette de Bure. The one child given to them in 1542 lived only 22 days after his birth. In 1541 the city council of Geneva invited Calvin to return to Geneva. Despite initial reluctance, he finally agreed to return and spent the last years of his life vigorously involved in ministry in that city.

In Geneva Calvin maintained an intense preaching and writing schedule promoting the spread of the Reformation gospel. In 1558 he founded the Geneva Academy, which trained scores of Reformed pastors and missionaries. In 1559 he completed the definitive edition of his magnum opus, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. He wrote commentaries on 24 of the 39 Old Testament books and 24 of the 27 New Testament books (all except 2 and 3 John and Revelation). Protestant refugees from across Europe came to Geneva to study and learn, and many then took the gospel back to their homelands.

Calvin died in 1564 at the age of 55, leaving instructions that he be buried in obscurity without a tombstone. Calvin was the father of the Presbyterian and Reformed church movement. Though Baptists differ with Calvin in some important points of doctrine (namely in the areas of baptism and church government), there is much with which we can find agreement. Calvin stressed the ultimate authority of scripture, the sovereignty of God, and salvation by grace alone through faith alone. We can remember his legacy with thanksgiving this week.

JTR

Codex Sinaiticus Online

About 800 pages of Codex Sinaiticus have been posted online. Here's a BBC article. I looked at a few pages including the ending of Mark and few pages in Acts. It is pretty amazing to be able to see it without visiting a monastery or library. Naturally, the website makes the boast that by looking at CS you can "experience the oldest Bible." That, of course, is debatable.

JTR

Exposition of Jude: Part 17 of 25

Note: This is a series of occasional verse by verse expositions of Jude.

Jude 1:17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

After exposing the errors and dangers of false teachers who deceive the undiscerning, Jude encourages his hearers to cling to the sound and healthy teaching of the apostles. The contrast is made clear by the conjunction "but" (Greek: de). Jude addresses the "beloved" of God, authentic disciples of Christ, upon whom God’s affections have been freely and lavishly bestowed. In Paul’s great epistle to the Romans he likewise refers to the believers there as "beloved of God, called to be saints" (Romans 1:7).

Jude urges the beloved to remember the words that were "spoken before" (proeipon) by the apostles. One might well render this verb as "prophetically spoken." In fact, Jude will go on to highlight the apostolic prediction that false teachers would trouble the flock of God (see Jude 1:18; cf. Acts 20:29-30; 2 Peter 3:3). Like the inspired prophets of old, the apostles accurately predict what will transpire.

Jude 1:17 is also an important passage for understanding the doctrine of Scripture. Jude encourages the believers to look to the teaching of the apostles as a reliable standard of authority for determining truth. In Acts 2:42 Luke says that the early believers continued steadfastly in "the apostles’ doctrine." These same apostles and their inspired associates would also be moved by the Holy Spirit to write down the truth revealed to them for the benefit of the church (cf. 2 Peter 1:20-21; 3:15-16). Thus, by the Master Builder’s appointment, the household of God is constructed "on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20).

The apostles were not self-appointed. They were "the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus gave the twelve disciples the name "apostles" (Luke 6:13). They were his hand-picked men for this task. Jesus said to these men in John 15:16: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you…." They were eye and ear witnesses to his ministry and majesty (2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1).

We who live in this age can no longer listen to the apostles, but we can hear their voice when we read the inspired, canonical writings that they left behind. Jude anticipates the writing of the New Testament and the completion of the Biblical canon. In essence, he urges believers of all ages to look to the Scriptures alone as final authority for direction and counsel.

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle

VBS 2009 at JPBC

We completed our visit to Rome last week with VBS at Jefferson Park. Above are some of the youth, students, and adults who worked throughout the week to make it happen.

JTR

SBC Politics and Driscoll Criticism

One of the things noticed at the SBC were motions brought from the floor (all of which except for the Great Commission Resurgence one were simply referred to various agencies and not voted upon) criticizing Acts 29 Network and "Reformissional" Pastor Mark "the cussing preacher" Driscoll (see the BP article on motions).

BP reported one such motion: "--that author Mark Driscoll's books be removed from LifeWay Christian Bookstores because of his 'reputation for abusive and ungodly language and ... promotions of sex toys on his church web site.' This was submitted by Jim Wilson, pastor, First Baptist Church in Seneca, Mo. "We need to live holy lives and bringing this man to our college campuses and promoting his books in the bookstore ... I believe is a violation of Scripture."

The website of the Missouri Baptist Laymen's Association takes Driscoll to task as well as some Southern Baptists who have invited Driscoll to speak at SBC sponsored events. Among these are Lifeway's Ed Stetzer and SEBT's Danny Askin. The attack on Akin who invited Driscoll to speak at the seminary's 20/20 student conference this year seems suspiciously timed to coincide with his promotion of the Great Commission Resurgence. Obviously, this did not slow down the passage of the GCR or Akin being named to the GCR task force.

Most of the attacks on Driscoll were related to his use and promotion of alcohol (namely home-brewed beer). As one who has also offered a critique of Driscoll and who also disapproves of his invitation to things like 20/20 at SEBTS, Piper's pastors conferences, and the Gospel Coaltion, I would say that a prudish concern over alcohol consumption is the least of worries. In other words, his SBC critics were again' him for all the wrong reasons. The problem is not merely alcohol use but his commitment to uncritical pragmatic cultural engagement and non-cessationism.

JTR

A Transformed Hope

Romans 8:15: For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

I recently read a book by Joel Beeke on the doctrine of adoption [Heirs With Christ: The Puritans on Adoption (RHB, 2008)]. In one chapter, Beeke writes of how our adoption as God’s sons transforms our view of the future:

God’s child is like a poor peasant who has been taken out of the mire and raised to the position of prince of the realm. The adopted prince lives in the palace, has free access to the king, and enjoys the king’s favor, love and protection. The prince tells the king that he cannot comprehend the greatness of the king’s love; it is unspeakably great to him. The king responds: "You have not begun to see the extent of it. Your inheritance is coming to you."

If our present privileges as God’s adopted children are so great that the world cannot grasp them, our future prospects are so glorious that even we cannot fully grasp them. As 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Because God is our Father and we are his adopted children, we have a full inheritance awaiting us. The best is yet to be. Today we experience great blessings, despite our infirmities and sins; but one day we will be in glory, free from sin and living in perfect communion with God. Our heavenly Father keeps the best surprises for His children until the end, when He will turn all their sorrow into joy.

May God open our eyes to perceive all the promises, privileges, responsibilities, and hopes that have been granted us as sons of God through Christ.

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle

Note: Evangel article for June 24, 2009.

2009 SBC Meeting Underway

The Southern Baptist Convention is meeting this week in Louisville, KY. I am staying home to participate in Vacation Bible School at JPBC. It really isn't a sacrifice, because I did not have a desire to attend. I'd much rather use my conference funds to go to something like the Banner Conference I attended last month.

I am streaming some of the meeting online and have been listening this morning. The big issue in this year's meeting is the "Great Commission Resurgence." Danny Akin of SEBTS and SBC President Johnny Hunt have offered this "resurgence" plan and SBC executive Morris Chapman has opposed it.

Morris Chapman spoke this morning. The most interesting statement: "The SBC didn't become great because it loved doctrine but because it loved Jesus." My question is: "Can you love Jesus without having some doctrinal understanding of who Jesus is?" Johnny Hunt's morning convention message offered little substance. Clearly, the leadership of the SBC is worried about the declining health of the denomination. As Hunt noted, LifeWay is projecting that if current trends continue the SBC will stand at just 7 million members by 2050. He added that the SBC is getting older.

As the years roll by I have less and less interst and passion for the SBC. And this is someone who grew up going to Discipleship Training on Sunday nights, did "Sword Drills," attended RAs and Prayer Meeting on Wednesday nights, was in BSU in college and went to an SBC factory seminary for my MDiv. Watching the SBC meeting online makes me even more sqeamish. The emphasis is so clearly on the pragmatic and not the doctrinal (see the Chapman quote). Watching is a stark reminder on how my mind and heart have changed on issues like the doctrines of grace, worship, missions, and ministry.

It was interesting to hear Johnny Hunt give some evidence of knowing about the resurgence of interest in the Reformation spirit among younger Baptists and evangelicals. He spoke of God choosing us before we chose him--an interesting comment since he has vehemently opposed Calvinism in the SBC. He also made anecdotal reference to having taken a sabbatical to read through the prayers of the Puritans. "They even prayed about praying," he said. One wonders whom he read and when and why he did this.

JTR

The Afterglow of Father's Day

Sunday was Father's Day and God reminded me again of the five incredible blessings he has given me.

"As arrows in the hand of mighty man; so are the children of the youth" (Psalm 127:4).

JTR

Brewers are Cove Creek Minor League Champions!

Friday evening we were back at Cove Creek Park where Sam pitched three of six innings in a playoff game (combining with a team-mate for a one hitter in a 3-0 victory) that put his team (the Brewers) into the Saturday Minor League Championship game. Then, Saturday morning his team beat the Reds to take the tournament title. Sam pitched another inning, played second base, and hit second in the order with an RBI single and a run scored in the win.

Sam and Llew's Dad (from whom Sam gets his middle name "George") pose after the closing ceremonies at Cove Creek.

League commissioner John Grisham gives a pep talk to the boys chosen to represent Cove Creek on the various All-Star teams.

JTR

Washington DC Trip

Wow! We have done a lot over the last week. On Thursday-Friday we went to Washington, DC and visited the National Zoo, the Mall and Memorials, and the new visitor center at the Capitol Building.

The Riddles pose by the Virginia pillar at the WW2 Memorial.

The dome inside the Capitol Building.

JTR