Naturally, Satan and the world have always sought to paint John Calvin in the most negative colors possible–but this is always done to God’s choicest servants.  The Reformer inflicted many fresh wounds onto the crushed head of the old snake–and the devil is seeking (even today) to gain some “pay-back.”

Though I think it is wise and prudent, not to make too much of any one fallen human being as being too special–nonetheless, we do God an honor by acknowledging the astounding work He does in some very remarkable individuals.  These people are those extremely rare geniuses–which come along maybe once every thousand years, or so.  Of course, these unique souls represent all kinds of different aspects of life on earth. . . . Calvin was a pastor/theologian; Mozart was a musician; Einstein was a physicist.  Compared to Jesus, none of these men are anything–any more than any of us are, either.  But, notwithstanding this obvious fact, their astonishing giftedness, received from God alone, is not to go unrecognized, to the possible disparagement of the supreme greatness of the Triune Sovereign who meted it out.

 In my opinion, the most amazing thing about John Calvin, was his pastoral heart.  He was a very gentle, wise, and sensitive shepherd of the church, whose care for souls was and is legendary.  Perhaps he came to this graciousness through his own personal experience with God and his own struggles; and through other ministers of the gospel who sincerely cared for him, and assisted him in his most extreme need.

Calvin only lived to see his 54th birthday–but his relatively short life was well spent.  The great theologian published his first edition of his monumental “Institutes of The Christian Religion” in 1536, when he was but 27 years old.  Calvin’s health was often very tenuous; and it is phenomenal to consider his output of sermons, lessons, books, and commentaries, let alone his extensive correspondence.  With the sole exception of Augustine himself, (of whom Calvin was very fond), the Genevan pastor would rank first of all time in the post-apostolic period of the New Covenant church age.

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