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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Calvin's Letter to Men Facing Martyrdom | Rev 17:6 | DocTrinsograce | 243229 | ||
"My very dear brethren, hitherto I have put off writing to you, fearing that if the letter fell into bad hands, it might give fresh occasion to the enemy to afflict you. And besides, I had been informed how that God wrought so powerfully in you by His grace, that you stood in no great need of my letters. However, we have not forgotten you, neither I nor all the brethren hereabouts, as to whatever we have been able to do for you. As soon as you were taken, we heard of it, and knew how it had come to pass. We took care that help might be sent you with all speed, and are now waiting the result. Those who have influence with the prince in whose power God has put your lives, are faithfully exerting themselves on your behalf, but we do not yet know how far they have succeeded in their suit. Meanwhile, all the children of God pray for you as they are bound to do, not only on account of the mutual compassion which ought to exist between members of the same body, but because they know well that you labour for them, in maintaining the cause of their salvation. We hope, come what may, that God of His goodness will give a happy issue to your captivity, so that we shall have reason to rejoice. You see to what He has called you; doubt not, therefore, that according as He employs you, He will give you strength to fulfil His work, for He has promised this, and we know by experience that He has never failed those who allow themselves to be governed by Him. Even now you have proof of this in yourselves, for He has shown His power, by giving you so much constancy in withstanding the first assaults. Be confident, therefore, that He will not leave the work of His hand imperfect. You know what Scripture sets before us, to encourage us to fight for the cause of the Son of God; meditate upon what you have both heard and seen formerly on this head, so as to put it in practice. For all that I could say would be of little service to you, were it not drawn from this fountain. And truly we have need of a much more firm support than that of men, to make us victorious over such strong enemies as the devil, death, and the world; but the firmness which is in Christ Jesus is sufficient for this, and all else that might shake us were we not established in Him. Knowing, then, in whom ye have believed, manifest what authority He deserves to have over you. "As I hope to write to you again, I shall not at present lengthen my letter. I shall only reply briefly to the point which brother Bernard has asked me to solve. Concerning vows, we must hold to this rule, that it is not lawful to vow to God anything but what He approves. Now the fact is, that monastic vows tend only to corrupt His service. As for the second question, we must hold that it is devilish presumption for a man to vow beyond the measure of his vocation. Now, the Scripture declares, both in the nineteenth of St. Matthew and in the seventh of the First to the Corinthians, that the gift of continence is a special grace. It follows, then, that those who put themselves in the position and under the necessity of renouncing marriage for the whole of their life, cannot be acquitted of rashness, and that by so doing they tempt God. The question might very easily be spun out to a greater length, by stating that we ought to consider, first, who HE is to whom we vow; secondly, the nature of that vow; and thirdly, the party making the vow. For God is too great a Master for us to trifle with, and man is bound to consider his own capabilities; for to present a sacrifice without obedience, is nothing but thorough pollution. However, this one point may suffice you to prove to them that the gift of continence is a special gift, and in such-wise special, that for the most part it is only for a season. So that he who possessed it for thirty years, like Isaac, may not do so for the remainder of his life. Hence you may conclude, that the monks, in binding themselves never to marry, attempt without faith to promise what is not given to them. As for their poverty, it is quite the reverse of that which our Lord enjoined upon his followers." End of Part 1 |
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2 | Calvin's Letter to Men Facing Martyrdom | Rev 17:6 | EdB | 243232 | ||
Calvin was well equipped to write about men facing martyrdom since he made Michael Servetus one. He also violated Sola Scriptura by condemning Servetus to the stake. On October 27, 1553 John Calvin, the founder of Calvinism, had Michael Servetus, the Spanish physician, burned at the stake just outside of Geneva for his doctrinal beliefs!(1) Hence, the originator of the popular doctrine of "once saved always saved" (known in certain circles as "perseverance of the saints") violated the cry of the Reformation -- "Sola Scriptura" -- by murdering a doctrinal heretic without Scriptural justification.michael servetus This event was something John Calvin had considered long before Michael Servetus was even captured, for John Calvin wrote his friend, Farel, on February 13, 1546 (seven years prior to Michael Servetus' arrest) and went on record as saying: "If he [Servetus] comes [to Geneva], I shall never let him go out alive if my authority has weight."(2) Evidently, in that day John Calvin's authority in Geneva, Switzerland had ultimate "weight." This is why some referred to Geneva as the "Rome of Protestantism"(3) and to John Calvin as the "Protestant 'Pope' of Geneva."(4) During Servetus' trial, John Calvin wrote: "I hope that the verdict will call for the death penalty."(5) All this reveals a side of John Calvin that is not well-known or very appealing, to say the least! Obviously, he had a prolonged, murderous hate in his heart and was willing to violate Scripture to put another to death and in a most cruel way. Although John Calvin consented to Michael Servetus' request to be beheaded, he acquiesced to the mode of execution employed. But why did John Calvin have a death wish for Michael Servetus? "To rescue Servetus from his heresies, Calvin replied with the latest edition of his 'Institutes of the Christian Religion,' which Servetus promptly returned with insulting marginal comments. Despite Servetus's [sic] pleas, Calvin, who developed an intense dislike of Servetus during their correspondence, refused to return any of the incriminating material."(6) "Convicted of heresy by the Roman Catholic authorities, Servetus escaped the death penalty by a prison break. Heading for Italy, Servetus unaccountably stopped at Geneva, where he had been denounced by Calvin and the Reformers. He was seized the day after his arrival, condemned as a heretic when he refused to recant, and burned in 1553 with the apparent tacit approval of Calvin."(7) In the course of his flight from Vienne, Servetus stopped in Geneva and made the mistake of attending a sermon by Calvin. He was recognized and arrested after the service.(8) "Calvin had him [Servetus] arrested as a heretic. Convicted and burned to death."(9) From the time that John Calvin had him arrested on August 14th until his condemnation, Michael Servetus spent his remaining days: michael servetus " ... in an atrocious dungeon with no light or heat, little food, and no sanitary facilities."(10) Let it be noted that the Calvinists of Geneva put half-green wood around the feet of Michael Servetus and a wreath strewn with sulfur on his head. It took over thirty minutes to render him lifeless in such a fire, while the people of Geneva stood around to watch Michael Servetus suffer and slowly die! Just before this happened, the record shows: "Farel walked beside the condemned man, and kept up a constant barrage of words, in complete insensitivity to what Servetus might be feeling. All he had in mind was to extort from the prisoner an acknowledgement [sic] of his theological error -- a shocking example of the soulless cure of souls. After some minutes of this, Servetus ceased making any reply and prayed quietly to himself. When they arrived at the place of execution, Farel announced to the watching crowd: 'Here you see what power Satan possesses when he has a man in his power. This man is a scholar of distinction, and he perhaps believed he was acting rightly. But now Satan possesses him completely, as he might possess you, should you fall into his traps.' michael servetus http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/michael-servetus.htm#4 |
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3 | Calvin's Letter to Men Facing Martyrdom | Rev 17:6 | DocTrinsograce | 243233 | ||
Hi, Ed... Servatus beliefs are still recognizable in your Oneness Pentecostals, Russellites, Mormons, Unitarians, and others etc. He denied that Christ was the eternal Son of God; he is still well known as one of the most significant figures of Non-Trinitarianism. When the Romanists couldn't get hold of him, they burned him in effigy. His views on Baptism were unique to all parties. Torquemada would probably not have been so kind to him. (Now there was a fellow that would take some real inventiveness to make so pure of intention and teaching as Servetus.) I am surprised that people in our forum would take an elevated view of Servetus' doctrine. Well, Lockman is kind to let us have our say about our doctrines so tolerantly. You know, probably Servetus would have been ignored, had he not insisted on drawing attention to himself. It is still a mystery why he showed up there. Anyway, Geneva didn't look at things in a kindly way. Just as when we deal severely with a man who steals lives, they agreed with the early churches assertion that no less kindness ought to be dispensed to those who steal souls. Nowadays we would be in agreement that any slander of God, His Word, or His children, will be a matter that God Himself will inevitably settle. So, enjoy a researched explanation of the events in mid 16th century in France, below. (Sorry, I couldn't find anything right away that was an historic account without the ad hominem abusive.) In Him, Doc PS I wonder how historians will treat the stuff that Mbewe talked about in post #243228 in another 400 years? Will they bash the perpetrators? Or be kind and considerate of their unstable and unlearned ways? If Servatus causes gnashing of teeth, what will all those who have lost lives in those groups in Africa. Let us pray that God will have mercy. http://reformed-theology.org/html/issue02/c_vs_s.htm I read yours... You owe it to me to read mine... Our forum must allow for tolerance. Even tolerance for Reformed Baptists. |
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4 | Calvin's Letter to Men Facing Martyrdom | Rev 17:6 | EdB | 243235 | ||
I took no elevated view of Servetus I merely pointed out Calvin's ability to talk on martyrdom from a participants point of view. Since he was very much a factor in Servetus' martyrdom. Wonder what Hermenutical method Calvin used to justify burning a man to death? |
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