Calvin - Institutes the Work of God
In the following writings of John Calvin and his Institutes of the Christian Religion. In the first chapter The Epistle to the Reader he starts with his purpose and states “my object in this work was to prepare and train students of theology for the study of the Sacred Volume, so that they might both have an easy introduction to it, and be able to proceed in it, with unfaltering step”.
These words alone are a great goal to be honored and admired, but as we continue on we will see this change to teachings that are nearly identical to that of the Cults of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormonism as they teach that their works (The Watchtower, The Book of Mormon, Doctrine of Covenants) are on par with or from God and without them as (An Essential Prerequisite) man cannot come to the truth and be saved.
As we proceed in this chapter we find “In this way the pious reader will be saved much trouble and weariness, provided he comes furnished with a knowledge of the present work as an essential prerequisite”.
So the Institutes of Christian Religion or “Present Work” is an “Essential Prerequisite” to the study and understanding of the Scriptures.
The Following is complete chapter of The Epistle to the Reader, published at Strasburg in 1539.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER [prefixed to the second edition, published at Strasburg in 1539.]
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.ii.ix.html
“In the First Edition of this work, having no expectation of the success which God has, in his goodness, been pleased to give it, I had, for the greater part, performed my office perfunctorily, as is usual in trivial undertakings. But when I perceived that almost all the godly had received it with a favour which I had never dared to wish, far less to hope for, being sincerely conscious that I had received much more than I deserved, I thought I should be very ungrateful if I did not endeavour, at least according to my humble ability, to respond to the great kindness which had been expressed towards me, and which spontaneously urged me to diligence. I therefore ask no other favour from the studious for my new work than that which they have already bestowed upon me beyond my merits. I feel so much obliged, that I shall be satisfied if I am thought not to have made a bad return for the gratitude I owe. This return I would have made much earlier, had not the Lord, for almost two whole years, exercised me in an extraordinary manner. But it is soon enough if well enough. I shall think it has appeared in good season when I perceive that it produces some fruit to the Church of God. I may add, that my object in this work was to prepare and train students of theology for the study of the Sacred Volume, so that they might both have an easy introduction to it, and be able to proceed in it, with unfaltering step, seeing I have endeavoured to give such a summary of religion in all its parts, and have digested it into such an order as may make it not difficult for any one, who is rightly acquainted with it, to ascertain both what he ought principally to look for in Scripture, and also to what head he ought to refer whatever is contained in it. Having thus, as it were, paved the way, I shall not feel it necessary, in any Commentaries on Scripture which I may afterwards publish, to enter into long discussions of doctrines or dilate on common places, and will, therefore, always compress them. In this way the pious reader will be saved much trouble and weariness, provided he comes furnished with a knowledge of the present work as an essential prerequisite. As my Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans will give a specimen of this plan, I would much rather let it speak for itself than declare it in words. Farewell, dear reader, and if you derive any fruit from my labours, give me the benefit of your prayers to the Lord.”
As we continue into the next chapter titled Subject of the Present Work we will see that the previous chapters “Red Flags” will start to be raised higher as he continues with “Although the Holy Scriptures contain a perfect doctrine, to which nothing can be added” this again in itself is pretty good and in line with the whole concept of Sola Scriptura or by Scripture alone.
But then we continue and see “every person, not intimately acquainted with them, stands in need of some guidance and direction” and he goes on to “Hence it is the duty of those who have received from God more light than others to assist the simple in this matter”
So now John Calvin has received “more light”, please take a note on this one for it is very popular in the Watchtower writings, and it is his duty to “lend them their hand to guide and assist them in finding the sum of what God has been pleased to teach us in his word”.
He continues again for the reason for writing this book “Seeing, then, how necessary it was in this manner to aid those who desire to be instructed in the doctrine of salvation, I have endeavoured, according to the ability which God has given me, to employ myself in so doing, and with this view have composed the present book.”
Once again an honorable goal in itself, but he continues with the following “However I may promise this much, that it will be a kind of key opening up to all the children of God a right and ready access to the understanding of the sacred volume.”
So, his writings are the “Key” and he continues further with “And since we are bound to acknowledge that all truth and sound doctrine proceed from God, I will venture boldly to declare what I think of this work, acknowledging it to be God's work rather than mine.”
Bottom line the Institutes of Christian Religion is God’s work and not Calvin’s.
The Following is the complete chapter of Subject of the Present Work, published at Geneva in 1545.
SUBJECT OF THE PRESENT WORK. [Prefixed to the French edition, published at Geneva in 1545.]
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.ii.x.html
In order that my Readers may be the better able to profit by the present work, I am desirous briefly to point out the advantage which they may derive from it. For by so doing I will show them the end at which they ought to aim, and to which they ought to give their attention in reading it. Although the Holy Scriptures contain a perfect doctrine, to which nothing can be added--our Lord having been pleased therein to unfold the infinite treasures of his wisdom--still every person, not intimately acquainted with them, stands in need of some guidance and direction, as to what he ought to look for in them, that he may not wander up and down, but pursue a certain path, and so attain the end to which the Holy Spirit invites him.
Hence it is the duty of those who have received from God more light than others to assist the simple in this matter, and, as it were, lend them their hand to guide and assist them in finding the sum of what God has been pleased to teach us in his word. Now, this cannot be better done in writing than by treating in succession of the principal matters which are comprised in Christian philosophy. For he who understands these will be prepared to make more progress in the school of God in one day than any other person in three months, inasmuch as he, in a great measure, knows to what he should refer each sentence, and has a rule by which to test whatever is presented to him.
Seeing, then, how necessary it was in this manner to aid those who desire to be instructed in the doctrine of salvation, I have endeavoured, according to the ability which God has given me, to employ myself in so doing, and with this view have composed the present book. And first I wrote it in Latin, that it might be serviceable to all studious persons, of what nation soever they might be; afterwards, desiring to communicate any fruit which might be in it to my French countrymen, I translated it into our own tongue. I dare not bear too strong a testimony in its favour, and declare how profitable the reading of it will be, lest I should seem to prize my own work too highly. However I may promise this much, that it will be a kind of key opening up to all the children of God a right and ready access to the understanding of the sacred volume. Wherefore, should our Lord give me henceforth means and opportunity of composing some Commentaries, I will use the greatest possible brevity, as there will be no occasion to make long digressions, seeing that I have in a manner deduced at length all the articles which pertain to Christianity.
And since we are bound to acknowledge that all truth and sound doctrine proceed from God, I will venture boldly to declare what I think of this work, acknowledging it to be God's work rather than mine. To him, indeed, the praise due to it must be ascribed. My opinion of the work then is this: I exhort all, who reverence the word of the Lord, to read it, and diligently imprint it on their memory, if they would, in the first place, have a summary of Christian doctrine, and, in the second place, an introduction to the profitable reading both of the Old and New Testament. When they shall have done so, they will know by experience that I have not wished to impose upon them with words. Should any one be unable to comprehend all that is contained in it, he must not, however, give it up in despair; but continue always to read on, hoping that one passage will give him a more familiar exposition of another. Above all things, I would recommend that recourse be had to Scripture in considering the proofs which I adduce from it.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a very similar type of teachings in that the scriptures can only be understood with the light of the Watchtower Organization.
Watchtower, Sept. 15, 1910, p. 298
“people cannot see the Divine Plan in studying the Bible by itself . . . if he then lays them [Scripture Studies] aside and ignores them and goes to the bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the Scripture Studies with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures,"
Watchtower, July 15, 1950, p. 214
“Jehovah's Word is not of private interpretation. He is his own interpreter.... Jehovah's visible organization under Christ is a channel for bringing the divine interpretation of his Word to his devoted people.”
Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1990, p. 19
“Let us face the fact that no matter how much Bible reading we have done, we would never have learned the truth on our own. We would not have discovered the truth regarding Jehovah, his purposes and attributes, the meaning and importance of his name, the Kingdom, Jesus' ransom, the difference between God's organization and Satan's, nor why God has permitted wickedness,"
Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587
"Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible,"
Watchtower, July 1, 1973, p. 402
“Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise. To it alone God's Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book,"
Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1994, p. 8
“All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the "greatly diversified wisdom of God" can become known only through Jehovah's channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave,"
Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1981
"From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah's people those, who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude . . . They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such 'Bible reading,' they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago"
Now we can see what Mormonism and some of its leader also teach.
Joseph Smith in (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.194).
"I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was more correct than any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts, than by any other book"
The Ensign – (The Ensign, November 1984, p. 7).
"Men can get nearer to the Lord, can have more of the spirit of conversion and conformity in their hearts...can gain a better understanding of the doctrines of salvation through the Book of Mormon than they can through the Bible...there will be more people saved in the kingdom of God - ten thousand times over - because of the Book of Mormon than there will be because of the Bible"
A letter from the First Presidency (Presidents Benson, Hinckley, and Monson) to all members of the Church states. (Church News, June 20, 1992, page 3, letter dated May 22, 1992).
"The most reliable way to measure the accuracy of any biblical passage is not by comparing different texts, but by comparison with the Book of Mormon and modern-day revelations".
In closing on this chapter, it is perplexing that with so many devout followers of Calvin and Calvinism including Pastors, Leaders, Seminary Graduates and Students have either never read, understood, or at worst have kept secret what the implications are for pronouncing what Calvin does in these chapters. I will make this point clear, and that is to claim the work of Man is God’s and a prerequisite to understanding God’s word is near blasphemy if not total.