14. Free Will - 3 February 2012 |
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Introduction
We remain on the doctrine of sin and its effects in week 14 of the Emmanuel Guided Reading Course, as we consider the effects of sin on the human will. After a brief detour into John Murray’s Imputation of Adam’s Sin, we’re back with Calvin’s Institutes, II.ii (1:255-289). Murray led us through a consideration of the imputation of Adam’s sin, guilt and corrupt nature to his posterity; Calvin now explores the effect of this inherited corruption on our capacity for good and evil, and in particular the tricky subject of Free Will.
We’ll try to achieve two things in this tutorial. First, as usual, we’ll work through the reading to seek to grasp what Calvin is saying. Second, we’ll step back slightly and try to get a fuller picture of what the Bible teaches about the relationship between human freedom, human sin, human moral responsibility, and God’s sovereignty. This will take us into the work of Jonathan Edwards, though you won’t need to read anything from his writings before the tutorial.
If you’re pressed for time, skip fairly quickly over sections 2-9 of Calvin, and omit the questions marked with a *.
Outline
- Discussion of Calvin, Institutes, II.ii.
- Broader discussion of human freedom, moral responsibility, divine sovereignty, etc.
Questions for reflection
i. “If God is sovereign, he can’t blame me for my sin.” Discuss.
ii. Can unbelievers do good? Explain your answer, with examples if possible.
iii. Can believers do good? Explain your answer, with examples if possible.
Study questions
1. What question does Calvin set out “to investigate more closely” (II.ii.1)?
2. What are “the perils that threaten man on both sides” (II.ii.1)? How does Calvin urge us to avoid them?
In II.ii.2-9 Calvin expounds the views of various philosophers and theologians on the subject of the human will. He discusses “the philosophers” such as Cicero, Plato and Aristotle (sections 2-3); the church fathers (section 4); Lombard (sections 5-7); Augustine (section 8); before summarising his view of them in section 9.
*3. What do “the philosophers” believe about human capacity for good and evil (II.ii.2-3)?
*4. What does Calvin think about the doctrine of the freedom of the will espoused by the Church Fathers (II.ii.4)?
*5. Lombard declares at the end of II.ii.6 that “we have free will, not in that we are equally capable of doing or thinking good and evil, but merely that we are freed from compulsion.” What does Calvin think of this statement (II.ii.7)? Do you share Calvin’s reservation here?
After a brief introduction to this part of the chapter at the start of II.ii.12, Calvin discusses in turn the effect of the fall on man’s “understanding” (II.ii.12-17) and spiritual discernment” (II.ii.18-21).
6. What effect, according to Calvin, has the fall had on humanity’s “natural gifts” and “supernatural gifts” (II.ii.12)? Do you agree with this distinction? What effect did the fall have on the will (II.ii.12)?
7. How does Calvin account for the competence of unbelievers in fields such as art and science (II.ii.14-16)? Do you agree? You might find it helpful to look also at section II.iii.3.
8. What does Calvin believe fallen human reason is able (and unable) to discern concerning what he calls “God’s Kingdom” and “spiritual insight” (II.ii.18-25)? Do you agree?
9. How does Calvin interpret Romans 2:14-15: “When Gentiles, who do not have the law, do the works of the law, they are a law to themselves … and show that the work of the law is written on their hearts” (II.ii.22)? Do you agree with this interpretation?
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Guided Reading Course, Guided Reading Course, Class of 2011, Minister's Blog