The charge against Calvin - God and evil

[alexanderjames]

This is not something new.
It’s the charge that John Calvin taught that God commands or controls evil in Satan, demons and the wicked, and therefore blasphemously calls God as the author of evil.

I was in debate with someone regarding the interpretation of Calvin on this matter, namely in his “Institutes”.
I quote the other person “Calvin says God commands, forces, and impels the evil deeds of Satan, evil men and demons.”

To give some additional context, the following quotes were references to support this charge. In defence, I had essentially said (among other things) that God in wisdom actively directs and uses the evil designs of Satan for His purposes in glory, but that God is not the author of such evil nor can any evil be ascribed to Him. I believe God says in effect to Satan “thus far you shall go, and no further”, citing Job 1 as support.

The quotations from Calvin’s Institutes:
Book 1 Chapter 14 Section 17-18:
"With regard to the strife and war which Satan is said to wage with God, it must be understood with this qualification, that Satan cannot possibly do anything against the will and consent of God."
Section 18:
"God thus turning the unclean spirits hither and thither at his pleasure..."

Book 1 Chapter 17 Section 5-11
"I concede more -that thieves and murderers, and other evil-doers, are instruments of divine providence, being employed by the Lord himself to execute judgments which he has resolved to inflict."
Section 11:
But when they call to mind that the devil, and his whole train of the ungodly, are, in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how much soever they may have planned, move a single finger to penetrate, unless insofar as he permits, no, unless he commands; that they are not only bound by his fetters, but are even forced to do him service..."

Book 1 Chapter 18 Section 2-3:
"I admit, indeed, that God often acts in the reprobate by interposing the agency of Satan; but in such a manner, that Satan himself performs his part, just as he is impelled, and succeeds only insofar as he is permitted."
Section 3:
"I have already shown that God is the
author of all those things which, according to these objectors, happen only by his inactive permission. He testifies that he creates light and darkness, forms good and evil; that no evil happens which he has not done."

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

It’s the charge that John Calvin taught that God commands or controls evil in Satan, demons and the wicked, and therefore blasphemously calls God as the author of evil.

I am not so sure that Author of Evil is the wording in the Word of God. Maybe a fine point of contention but...

 

[danekristjan]

This is not something new.
It’s the charge that John Calvin taught that God commands or controls evil in Satan, demons and the wicked, and therefore blasphemously calls God as the author of evil.

I was in debate with someone regarding the interpretation of Calvin on this matter, namely in his “Institutes”.
I quote the other person “Calvin says God commands, forces, and impels the evil deeds of Satan, evil men and demons.”

To give some additional context, the following quotes were references to support this charge. In defence, I had essentially said (among other things) that God in wisdom actively directs and uses the evil designs of Satan for His purposes in glory, but that God is not the author of such evil nor can any evil be ascribed to Him. I believe God says in effect to Satan “thus far you shall go, and no further”, citing Job 1 as support.

The quotations from Calvin’s Institutes:
Book 1 Chapter 14 Section 17-18:
"With regard to the strife and war which Satan is said to wage with God, it must be understood with this qualification, that Satan cannot possibly do anything against the will and consent of God."
Section 18:
"God thus turning the unclean spirits hither and thither at his pleasure..."

Book 1 Chapter 17 Section 5-11
"I concede more -that thieves and murderers, and other evil-doers, are instruments of divine providence, being employed by the Lord himself to execute judgments which he has resolved to inflict."
Section 11:
But when they call to mind that the devil, and his whole train of the ungodly, are, in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how much soever they may have planned, move a single finger to penetrate, unless insofar as he permits, no, unless he commands; that they are not only bound by his fetters, but are even forced to do him service..."

Book 1 Chapter 18 Section 2-3:
"I admit, indeed, that God often acts in the reprobate by interposing the agency of Satan; but in such a manner, that Satan himself performs his part, just as he is impelled, and succeeds only insofar as he is permitted."
Section 3:
"I have already shown that God is the
author of all those things which, according to these objectors, happen only by his inactive permission. He testifies that he creates light and darkness, forms good and evil; that no evil happens which he has not done."

I'd simply respond that Calvin has proven himself again to be a sound exegete and handler of God's word. Those quotes reflect the exact teaching of scripture.

 

[danekristjan]

This is not something new.
It’s the charge that John Calvin taught that God commands or controls evil in Satan, demons and the wicked, and therefore blasphemously calls God as the author of evil.

I was in debate with someone regarding the interpretation of Calvin on this matter, namely in his “Institutes”.
I quote the other person “Calvin says God commands, forces, and impels the evil deeds of Satan, evil men and demons.”

To give some additional context, the following quotes were references to support this charge. In defence, I had essentially said (among other things) that God in wisdom actively directs and uses the evil designs of Satan for His purposes in glory, but that God is not the author of such evil nor can any evil be ascribed to Him. I believe God says in effect to Satan “thus far you shall go, and no further”, citing Job 1 as support.

The quotations from Calvin’s Institutes:
Book 1 Chapter 14 Section 17-18:
"With regard to the strife and war which Satan is said to wage with God, it must be understood with this qualification, that Satan cannot possibly do anything against the will and consent of God."
Section 18:
"God thus turning the unclean spirits hither and thither at his pleasure..."

Book 1 Chapter 17 Section 5-11
"I concede more -that thieves and murderers, and other evil-doers, are instruments of divine providence, being employed by the Lord himself to execute judgments which he has resolved to inflict."
Section 11:
But when they call to mind that the devil, and his whole train of the ungodly, are, in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how much soever they may have planned, move a single finger to penetrate, unless insofar as he permits, no, unless he commands; that they are not only bound by his fetters, but are even forced to do him service..."

Book 1 Chapter 18 Section 2-3:
"I admit, indeed, that God often acts in the reprobate by interposing the agency of Satan; but in such a manner, that Satan himself performs his part, just as he is impelled, and succeeds only insofar as he is permitted."
Section 3:
"I have already shown that God is the
author of all those things which, according to these objectors, happen only by his inactive permission. He testifies that he creates light and darkness, forms good and evil; that no evil happens which he has not done."

Calvin does not teach that God is the author of sin, but the Bible and Calvin both clearly teach that God decrees, controls, governs, guides, and employs all his creatures for his own ends. That includes the rape and pillaging of Jerusalem, the temptations of Satan, the flood, the tower in Siloam, the Roman governor's massacring of the Jews and mixing their own blood with their sacrifices to God, earthquakes, thieves breaking in to steal, and every sparrow that falls to the ground dead.

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 47:5)

 

[dhh712]

Calvin does not teach that God is the author of sin, but the Bible and Calvin both clearly teach that God decrees, controls, governs, guides, and employs all his creatures for his own ends. That includes the rape and pillaging of Jerusalem, the temptations of Satan, the flood, the tower in Siloam, the Roman governor's massacring of the Jews and mixing their own blood with their sacrifices to God, earthquakes, thieves breaking in to steal, and every sparrow that falls to the ground dead.

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 47:5)

Yes, it seems quite clear that this is what is revealed to us from God's word. My experience is that some Christians try to "defend" God or soften his role in tragedies so what they're saying is basically that God had nothing to do with it or that he didn't want that to happen.

My friend just a week ago was trying to comfort me in my husband's unexpected death saying something along the lines of basically how God didn't intend for my husband to die (I believe he was reasoning along the lines of how death entered the world through sin and that that was not God's plan, that Satan and evil/sin is responsible for death; so effectively that God has nothing to do with it). This pretty much got me riled up as my only comfort amidst difficult times is belief in a absolutely Sovereign God who controls *everything*.

I was a bit rough with him saying something like, If you're telling me that God sat by while my husband died and wrung his hands wishing he could do something about it then I spit in this god's face (yet when Christians argue that God is not completely Sovereign, that Satan is the one who controls bad events and not God, it is effectively an attempt to take away my only comfort in life though I know this is not what they're trying to do. And I know this isn't what my friend was trying to do, so I did not remain angry with him--I don't think I ever was--just the reaction I have as a believer in the absolute Sovereignty of God when I hear other believers attempt to "take away" God's control over all things).

Yet I do see how logically (with our corrupt logic) how nonbelievers would attribute to God moral responsibility for evil. Since he can control it, he could take it away, they say. We respond that we don't deserve for it to be taken away of course, yet in my understanding this does not refute the accusation of nonbelievers by our finite and corrupted-by-sin logic that he still bears moral responsibility for it. We understand from God's word that he is not the author of sin and there can be no moral accusation against him for the sin and effects of sin which take place in the world. I was wondering if anyone can refute this statement that I run into at times by the nonbeliever, because I have not been able to. When it comes up this is when I trust in the Lord and his word, what he says about himself and mankind, and lean not on my own understanding.

 

[yeutter]

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 47:5)

Should read Isaiah 45:7

 

[earl40]

My friend just a week ago was trying to comfort me in my husband's unexpected death saying something along the lines of basically how God didn't intend for my husband to die

First and foremost sincere condolences on your loss of your husband.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Often the Hebrew "evil" in the AV (and in ancient Israel) can signify "adversity, affliction, calamity". I think also as regards untimely death, of Isa 57:1, "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." I like the paraphrase of 57:2, "Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."

I like the simplicity of the WCF 3.1,

"God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established."

Of course God is absolutely sovereign, and ordained – decreed – "whatsoever" comes to pass. Yet "neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures". Calvin is quite aware of this. The evil and wicked do evilly and wickedly of their own wills, yet God uses them – confirming and hardening them – in their chosen paths, and in this sense they are impelled. Neither we (including Calvin) nor Scripture deny that, but God is love and no darkness is in Him, and all is designed for the good of His children and His glory in them.

Your debate partner is cherry-picking "dark sayings" and ignores the overall majesty, love, righteousness, and honor of God reflected in Calvin's writings. We interpret the unclear with the clear and unambiguous.