Questions and Intentions / AnnaKate Burleson
John Calvin is a strange fella. First of all, we need to address his extensive list of rules and penalties concerning church services and specific sins. His Geneva Ordinances are so incredibly thorough. And while I appreciate his concern in avoiding "disorderly living," I fail to see where he finds a basis for these rules. There are requirements concerning attending church services, baptisms, marriages, music, and even banking. The penalties are questionable, to say the least. There are fines in place, as well as jail time with no sustenance but bread and water. I can't help but wonder why Mr. Calvin thought anyone would be on board with this. The rules-and-punishment approach to any religion never seems to end well, and quite frankly no one in their right mind wants to get fined if their family doesn't feel like going to church one day.
While Calvin's legalistic approach to Christianity is interesting enough, I really want to land on one quote from his Eternal Election.
"I desire only to have them generally admit that we should not investigate what the Lord has left hidden in secret, that we should not neglect what he has brought into the open, so that we may not be convicted of excessive curiosity on the one hand, or of excessive ingratitude on the other." Quite frankly, the more I look at this quote, the more perplexed I become, because I literally cannot figure out if I agree with him or not. It makes sense at face value. At first glance, it seems to be wise to accept the knowledge we have and be grateful for it, but at the same time, the Bible tells us several to seek wisdom. I think it's important that we find a balance. We were made to be curious and to seek greater things, but we need to be careful about our intentions. Do we ask questions out of sheer curiosity? Do we question what we read simply to give an appearance of great wisdom? Do we seek to try to prove God wrong and glorify ourselves? It's okay to question things. It's okay to explore what is true and what is false. It's okay to wonder what things will be like when we die. It becomes sinful, however, when we question and debate with a heart that seeks for only the self. Let us continue our explorations with caution, seeking wisdom from God and accepting what wisdom He chooses to bestow upon us.
josh & zane
While Calvin's legalistic approach to Christianity is interesting enough, I really want to land on one quote from his Eternal Election.
"I desire only to have them generally admit that we should not investigate what the Lord has left hidden in secret, that we should not neglect what he has brought into the open, so that we may not be convicted of excessive curiosity on the one hand, or of excessive ingratitude on the other." Quite frankly, the more I look at this quote, the more perplexed I become, because I literally cannot figure out if I agree with him or not. It makes sense at face value. At first glance, it seems to be wise to accept the knowledge we have and be grateful for it, but at the same time, the Bible tells us several to seek wisdom. I think it's important that we find a balance. We were made to be curious and to seek greater things, but we need to be careful about our intentions. Do we ask questions out of sheer curiosity? Do we question what we read simply to give an appearance of great wisdom? Do we seek to try to prove God wrong and glorify ourselves? It's okay to question things. It's okay to explore what is true and what is false. It's okay to wonder what things will be like when we die. It becomes sinful, however, when we question and debate with a heart that seeks for only the self. Let us continue our explorations with caution, seeking wisdom from God and accepting what wisdom He chooses to bestow upon us.
josh & zane
Calvin is a tad odd and I don't agree with everything he says (which is why I prefer to associate myself with Presbyterianism rather than Calvinism). However, I liked what he said about not being too curious but at the same time being thankful for the knowledge we have. I don't think he is saying we shouldn't be curious about anything, but that we should take our curiosity in moderation. It's kind of like Aristotle's doctrine of the Golden Mean. I learned this the hard way through several futile discussions in high school where we tried to figure out how exactly foreknowledge, chance, sovereignty, predestination, and fortune all worked together. We never figured it out and I think that's the point. There are some "secret things" that we just shouldn't be too concerned with figuring out. Humans like to analyze things and put them in boxes but there are some things (especially when it comes to God) that just can't and shouldn't be analyzed. But at the same time, it's good to ask questions about these things. We should seek wisdom and knowledge. Sorry this is such a long comment. Basically, yes ask questions but know that God has purposefully not told us some things, probably because our tiny brains can't understand them.
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