Calvin's practice
is to expound the Scriptures and allow them to speak to us. His
expositional method was not to spend the first part of the sermon explaining
the meaning of the text, and then the second part in application.
No. He explained and applied, explained
and applied as he proceeded. Baxter tended at times to do the former
whereas Calvin always did the latter. See his sermons on Second Samuel
1-12, Micah, Galatians, Ephesians, as examples of his regular practice.
Isaiah 53 follows this pattern consistently.
Calvin becomes very practical in his second sermon[1] as he introduces this second sermon, and throws much needed light on one of the most baffling questions to exercise the minds of Christian people - the inexplicable problem of unbelief. He explains why most people, who, hearing the Gospel of Christ as it is preached to all the world, do not receive this "so great a salvation."[2] He acknowledges that the outward call of the Gospel of Christ has sufficient power in itself to draw the lost sinner to faith in Christ; therefore, those who hear the true Gospel preached are totally inexcusable for their unbelief; but, he concedes, this is practically insufficient. The effectual Gospel is ineffectual in the hearts of most hearers. Something further is needed, an additional and accompanying power that only God possesses. It is essential to preach the Gospel faithfully and with as much human energy that a man can muster; it is good to be as passionate and persuasive in preaching as possible; but these good things are not sufficient to save a single sinner and bring them to glory. They are sufficient to render every hearer of the Gospel inexcusable before God the Judge, however; but they cannot save a sinner! More is needed. The "arm of the Lord" must be “revealed”[3] laid bare in all its naked power to work savingly in the dead sinner’s heart.
This is Calvin’s way of teaching the absolute necessity of the operation of the conjoined twins of the Word and Spirit of God working together in perfect harmony to bring about the salvation of the sinner.
This is fascinating. This should deal effectively with every last vestige of doubt in any preacher’s mind. This should demonstrate clearly that because God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance,”[4] He will send His Spirit to anoint the preacher and to empower the Gospel as it is being preached. We can be assured that when we are dependent on God to give the spiritual harvest we desire, He will not be found wanting. And that saving work will be done by "the arm of the Lord,"[5] which Calvin understands as the power of God, "arm" being a metaphor for "power." This is good exegesis.
Calvin brings out
the dual nature of God's revealed will in the most impressive way. Let me quote directly from the Reformer: "... The Prophet shows us that,
although God commands that His Word be proclaimed to all - that is to say, both
to the good and to the bad - yet He works secretly in His elect, as if He made
them feel His arm and His power,"[6]
He denies the semi-Pelagianism of the past and the potential Arminianism of the
future, by denying that "faith lies in the power of any man."
No preacher has ever been clearer than Calvin on this point. Man does not
have it within himself to trust Christ. He needs God's gracious,
sovereign and indispensable help!
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