Roman Catholicism was powerful with its institutional religious control, and the power it extended over civil rulers, including Kings and Princes. If Calvin had stayed in Paris he would have been killed. So he fled Paris with his brother and sister and headed for Strasbourg...but he didn't make it then. A war was being fought in that same area I blogged yesterday between the King of France and the Holy Roman Empire's armies and the way to Strasbourg was blocked. So, Calvin headed to Geneva, intending on staying one night, until William Farel found out he was in the city. Farel, who was a pastor attempting to lead the Reformation in Geneva, had read Calvin's 1st edition of the Institutes of Christian Religion. Calvin had written this short treatise, a kind of tract if you will, to explain the principles of the Reformation. There are five basic ones, and it's good to review them.
Sola Scriptura - that the scriptures alone were the source of authority for the church's teachings and beliefs and define all essentials for holiness also.
Sola fide - that faith alone is the necessary requirement of coming to God. Not works, not merits, not anything...simply by faith.
Sola Gratia - That by grace alone we receive the ability to believe and come to God. It is not our religion, or works, or knowledge, or lack thereof that determines God's acceptance, and adoption of us, but grace alone.
Solus Christos - By Christ alone we are redeemed. Not in the sacraments, nor the church as an institution, not in our religious confessions, nor in our good works...but Christ alone is our savior and redeemer.
Soli Gloria Deo - To the Glory of God alone. Our purpose in life and in death is this confidence that God is glorified in his redemption, and in his creation. All of creation and the redeemed of God especially point to His glory for the basis of all that we do in our churches and in our lives.
Calvin stayed in Geneva for a while, but then the authorities of Geneva were not yet ready to embrace the Reformation and he left - going on to Strasbourg - the city we have been in.
Here, with Martin Bucer, Calvin led the Reformation. He preached several times a week, and wrote - a lot. He re-wrote, expanding upon it, the Institutes for a second time (there would be one more expansion later).
He wrote the psalter, putting the words of the Psalms into music that could be sung by "the pastor and the fishmonger".
He even married here - to a widow who had come with her children fleeing persecution in Belguim.
We visited the church he preached in yesterday. St. Nicholas Church still stands today:
The Reformers grasp the great need of the day, that our faith in God's finished work in Jesus still stands as the source of our confidence and hope in God's salvation.
Paul said it this way:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richest of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding."
Amen! Peace to all,
'
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