Week 12 Preview

Week Twelve we will be reading through Chapters VIII of Book 2

HERE IS THE AUDIO LINK:

CHAPTER VIII

PREVIEW OF CHAPTER VIII

A longer overview of John Calvin's theology taken from the Institutes of the Christian . This is a summary form, by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon.

Chapter 8: Explanation of the Moral law (The Ten Commandments) 

At this point, we come to the explanation of the law, to confirm points already made.  The law is necessary, as a written law, to prescribe the worship of God as that which is still in force, to teach the true nature of godliness, and to demonstrate the contrast between God's majesty and our nothingness.  The relationship we have with the Law is that it is a witness of conscience as accuser and a demonstration of the failure of our failure of conscience because of our fallen condition to uphold God’s holiness. We learn from the law that God is our Father, that He is merciful and Holy, and in kindness requires obedience of us.  The law is spiritually to be understood and interpreted with reference to the purpose of the Law-giver.

          The two tablets of the Law requires the duties made to God (which are the first four commandments) and the duties required by us to our fellow man (which are the last six).  The first commandment teaches the Lord desires to be preeminent among His people, and to exercise complete authority over them.  The second commandment teaches what sort of God He is, and with what kind of worship He should be honored.  The third commandment teaches us how God wills that we hallow the majesty of His name.  The fourth commandment teaches [I disagree with Calvin here] that we ought to be dead to our own inclinations and works and should meditate on God's kingdom in the ways He has established.  The fifth commandment teaches that God-established degrees of preeminence should be inviolable for us.  The sixth commandment teaches that the Lord having bound mankind together in a cer tain unity, each man ought to concern himself with the safety of all.  The seventh commandment teaches us that because God loves modesty and purity, all uncleanness must be far from us.  The eighth commandment teaches that since injustice is abominable to God, we ought to render to each man his due.  The ninth commandment teaches us that God as truth abhors a lie.  The tenth commandment teaches us that God wills our soul to be disposed to love, therefore we must banish all desires contrary to love.

           The sum of the law demonstrates how we ought to form human life to the archetype of divine purity.

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