From Here to Forever

The Call of Calvin

In one of the schools of Paris was a thoughtful, quiet youth marked for the blamelessness of his life, for intellectual ardor, and for religious devotion. His genius and application made him the pride of the college, and it was confidently anticipated that John Calvin would become one of the ablest defenders of the church. HF 138.1

But a ray of divine light penetrated the walls of scholasticism and superstition by which Calvin was enclosed. Olivetan, a cousin of Calvin, had joined the Reformers. The two kinsmen discussed together the matters disturbing Christendom. “There are but two religions in the world,” said Olivetan, the Protestant. “The one ... which men have invented, in ... which man saves himself by ceremonies and good works; the other is that one religion which is revealed in the Bible, and which teaches man to look for salvation solely from the free grace of God.” HF 138.2

“I will have none of your new doctrines,” exclaimed Calvin; “think you that I have lived in error all my days?”⁷ But alone in his chamber he pondered his cousin's words. He saw himself without an intercessor in the presence of a holy and just Judge. Good works, the ceremonies of the church, all were powerless to atone for sin. Confession, penance, could not reconcile the soul with God. HF 138.3