I was looking at the website of what you might call the official celebrations of Jean Calvin’s 500th birthday over here. The celebrations seem to have consisted of a some serious publications and a pretty flashy looking touring conference. It made me think: although a 500th is up there when it comes to birthday celebrations, if I had heard of this a couple of years ago I probably would have wondered what all the fuss was about.

When I first started reading Calvin’s Institutes, it didn’t exactly blow me away. All he seemed to say was what I already knew. But over time it has dawned on me how remarkable it is that his theology has lasted so long. There are plenty of books that age the moment they enter the bookshop, but Calvin’s theology and exegesis has been read and referenced for the best part of 450 years. What’s also remarkable is the way that his theology seems to constantly speak into the very latest of theological ideas and trends.

Anyway, I gleaned from this website what I thought was a cool little summary of a sermon preached at one of the conferences (posted there by Ray Pennings):

On Ephesians 1:3-14 enttiled “Election” by Rev. Geoffrey Thomas. He expounded the text with five points:

1. Election is a simple doctrine to understand. A useful illustrative narrative between a pastor and parishoner who was confused about election was used to make his point.

Pastor – How are you saved? Parishoner – By God’s grace.

Pastor – Did God save you or did you save yourself? Parishoner – God did.

Pastor – Did He do so on purpose or by accident?

2. We should not have small or shrinking thoughts of God’s election. He has saved a great multitudes of His people.

3. God chose multitudes because He loved them. “We cannot speak of God without speaking of Him as being in love with His people.”

4. The teaching of election effects us by (a) humbling us; (b)encouraging us; (c)providing support for evangelism; (d) making us courageous.

5. How can we know we are elect? We know our election by having Christ. “A faith as thin as a spiders thread, in Christ, will carry us across the fire.”