Before I begin today’s article, I want to take a moment to acknowledge two very important items that this day represents:

1. Memorial Day – Take a moment to remember the sacrifice of life that so many servicemen and women have given to ensure our way of life. Let’s do everything we can to honor their sacrifice. 
2. Amanda’s Birthday – Happy Birthday! to my beautiful wife. She is turning, she insists, 26 again. 

Prefatory Address to King Francis I of France
Circumstances in Which the Book Was First Written

John Calvin wrote a section preceding the larger work of The Institutes addressed specifically to King Francis I of France. It is divided into eight sections, the first of which is labeled Circumstances in Which the Book Was First Written. Here are some of the main points that I noticed while reading this section:

1. The purpose of The Institutes was to provide a work to be used by those with any zeal for religion to be shaped to true godliness. This purpose is a little different than how it was expressed in the earlier section Subject Matter of the Present Work in which Calvin said that the purpose of The Institutes was to help its readers understand the doctrine of salvation. I think that the two purposes are in harmony with each other. In fact, they are quite similar. For if someone has zeal for Christianity, then an understanding of salvation is essential. 
2. Calvin considered his work an “elementary form of teaching.” I am blogging about The Institutes as I read them. I have only read to chapter five so far, and I have to say that I disagree with Calvin on this point. I have to constantly read and re-read most sections in order to get to a point where I can even begin to ponder what he’s talking about. I would not classify it as an easy read or light reading, but that seems to be how Calvin views it. 
3. Because of the prevalence of the fury of wicked people in France, sound doctrine is not safe there. Through this work, you (King Francis I) will learn of that doctrine which they burn with rage against and believe is punishable by prison, exile, proscription, and fire. Reformers were being persecuted in France because there were vicious rumors being circulated that they were anarchists who wanted to overthrow the king. Calvin’s desire was that the king would see the truth of the doctrine.
4. The doctrine has been judged in France without a fair hearing. People were believing the accusations without verification. Hmm…. does that sound familiar?
5. If the accusations that this was a doctrine of anarchy were true, then the doctrine and its authors would be worthy of a thousand fires and crosses. Calvin agreed that if such a doctrine existed that it would indeed be justifyable to kill anyone that agreed to it. 
6. Those who pronounce guilty judgments against those who confess the doctrine think that they are doing their job. But what is the crime? What authority condemns the doctrine? This sounds like what US judges do now: legislate from the bench! They don’t rely on the proper authority to base their judgments, they simply pronounce everyone guilty that they think has done something wrong. 

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