Every year, we recall the Reformation on the last Sunday of October. We also take time to praise God for the great work that God has done through the persons of the Reformers.

Today, I would like to particularly mention John Calvin (1509-1564), the great reformer of France, because this year marks the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth. In July, the month of his birth, quincentenary celebrations were held in many parts of the world.

Calvin is a figure of remarkable significance in the history of the Reformed tradition. Calvin is credited, along with Martin Luther and John Knox, for helping to revive biblical Christianity.

It is reported that more than 30,000 English-speaking congregations around the world trace their lineage through John Calvin.

John Calvin was a theologian, pastor, biblical exegete and tireless apologist for Reformed Christianity. His theological works, biblical commentaries, tracts, treatises, sermons and letters helped to spread the Reformation doctrines throughout Europe. He ranks among the most important thinkers in church history. No theologian has been as acclaimed or assailed as much as Calvin.

Calvin’s greatest single work in Christian theology is “The Institutes of Christian Religion”. It has altered the course of Western history as much as any other book. It is still read by theological students today. It covers a broad range of theological topics from justification by faith alone to Christian liberty and the doctrines of church and sacraments. The overarching theme of the book - and Calvin’s greatest theological legacy - is the idea of God’s total sovereignty, particularly in salvation and election.

To provide a glimpse of this giant of theology, here are some quotes from Calvin’s pen. (These quotes are adapted from http://www.calvin500.com/john-calvin/quotes-by-calvin)

“There is not one blade of grass, there is no colour in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.”

“Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness.”

“There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence.”

“God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation.”

“You must submit to supreme suffering in order to discover the completion of joy.”

“We must remember that Satan has his miracles, too.”

“However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.”

“No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men: neither is there any other thing which keepeth us back from entering in, save only our own unbelief.”

“Man with all his shrewdness is as stupid about understanding by himself the mysteries of God, as an ass is incapable of understanding musical harmony.”

“Let us not cease to do the utmost, that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair of the smallness of our accomplishments.”

“Knowledge of the sciences is so much smoke apart from the heavenly science of Christ.”

“Though Satan instils his poison, and fans the flames of our corrupt desires within us, we are yet not carried by any external force to the commission of sin, but our own flesh entices us, and we willingly yield to its allurements.”

“Man’s mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain.”

“A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”