When it comes to spiritual gifts like healing and prophecy or leadership gifts like prophets and apostles, there are two main schools of thought: cessationism and continuationism. The former meaning that the gifts have ceased, the latter that they are still continuing today.
So was Calvin
a continuationist?
Yes, it
appear he was. To a degree at least:
"Section 4. Second part of the chapter, treating of
Ecclesiastical office-bearers in particular. Some of them, as Apostles,
Prophets, and Evangelists, temporary. Others, as Pastors and Teachers,
perpetual and indispensable. Those who preside over the government of the
Church, according to the institution of Christ, are named by Paul, first,
Apostles; secondly, Prophets; thirdly, Evangelists; fourthly, Pastors; and,
lastly, Teachers; (Eph 4: 11). Of these, only the two last have an ordinary
office in the Church. The Lord raised up the other three at the beginning of
his kingdom, and still occasionally raises them up when the necessity of the
times requires. The nature of the apostolic function is clear from the
command, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every
creature," (Mar 16: 15). No fixed limits are given them, but the whole
world is assigned to be reduced under the obedience of Christ, that by
spreading the Gospel as widely as they could, they might every where erect his
kingdom. Accordingly, Paul, when he would approve his apostleship, does not say
that he had acquired some one city for Christ, but had propagated the Gospel
far and wide - had not built on another man's foundation, but planted churches
where the name of his Lord was unheard. The apostles, therefore, were sent
forth to bring back the world from its revolt to the true obedience of God, and
every where stablish his kingdom by the preaching of the Gospel; or, if you
choose, they were like the first architects of the Church, to lay its
foundations throughout the world. By Prophets, he means not all
interpreters of the divine will, but those who excelled by special revelation; none
such now exist, or they are less manifest. By Evangelists, I mean those
who, while inferior in rank to the apostles, were next them in office, and even
acted as their substitutes. Such were Luke, Timothy, Titus, and the like;
perhaps also, the seventy (disciples whom our Saviour appointed in the second
place to the apostles, (Luk 10: 1). According to this interpretation, which
appears to me consonant both to the words and the meaning of Paul, those three
functions were not instituted in the Church to be perpetual, but only to endure
so long as churches were to be formed where none previously existed, or at
least where churches were to be transferred from Moses to Christ; although I
deny not, that afterward God occasionally raised up Apostles, or at least
Evangelists, in their stead, as has been done in our time. For such were
needed to bring back the Church from the revolt of Antichrist. The office I
nevertheless call extraordinary, because it has no place in churches duly
constituted. Next come Pastors and Teachers, with whom the Church never can
dispense, and between whom, I think, there is this difference, that teachers
preside not over discipline, or the administration of the sacraments, or admonitions,
or exhortations, but the interpretation of Scripture only, in order that pure
and sound doctrine may be maintained among believers. But all these are
embraced in the pastoral office” (emphasis added).[i]
Calvin
taught that the gifts of apostles, prophets and evangelists (which he overlaps
with apostles) were special gifts given for the founding of the church. And
also that they are gifts God uses to call the church back to faithfulness in
times of great apostasy and need. This is a version of continuationism. John Calvin
taught, as with the Scriptures, that these gifts could be manifest in times
outside of the 1st century establishment of the church. As the Bible
never says that they must cease, and to be wary of discerning false apostles
and prophets, which means that there is likely to be genuine ones.
He also
tells us in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 13.
“9. We know in part This passage is misinterpreted by most
persons, as if it meant that our knowledge, and in like manner our
prophecy, is not yet perfect, but that we are daily making progress
in them. Paul's meaning, however, is -- that it is owing to our
imperfection that we at present have knowledge and prophecy. Hence
the phrase in part means -- "Because we are not yet
perfect." Knowledge and prophecy, therefore, have place
among us so long as that imperfection cleaves to us, to which they
are helps. It is true, indeed, that we ought to make progress
during our whole life, and that everything that we have is merely
begun. Let us observe, however, what Paul designs to prove -- that
the gifts in question are but temporary. Now he proves this from
the circumstance, that the advantage of them is only for a time --
so long as we aim at the mark by making progress every day.
10. When that which is perfect is come "When the goal
has been reached, then the helps in the race will be done away."
He retains, however, the form of expression that he had already
made use of, when he contrasts perfection with what is in part
"Perfection," says he, "when it will arrive, will
put an end to everything that aids imperfection." But when
will that perfection come? It begins, indeed, at death, for then we
put off, along with the body, many infirmities; but it will not
be completely manifested until the day of judgment, as we shall
hear presently. Hence we infer, that the whole of this discussion
is ignorantly applied to the time that is intermediate” (emphasis
added).[ii]
Calvin also
appears to teach that the gifts will be necessary until we reach the fullness
of knowing Christ in heaven, “Knowledge and prophecy, therefore, have place
among us so long as that imperfection cleaves to us, to which they are helps.”
Until we are perfected by Christ we need these helps. However, it is not clear
whether he means here the fullness of those gifts in individual Christians, or
simply the writings and teachings in the Scriptures, which carry the weight of
prophecy. Still, again he appears to be a continuationist.
However,
this is not always the case. In his commentary on Acts 2:38 he says,
“Ye shall receive the gift of the Spirit. Because they were
touched with wondering when they saw the apostles suddenly begin to
speak with strange tongues, Peter saith that they shall be partakers of
the same gift if they will pass over unto Christ. Remission of sins and
newness of life were the principal things, and this was, as it were,
an addition, that Christ should show forth unto them his power by
some visible gift. Neither ought this place to be understood of the grace
of sanctification, which is given generally to all the godly. Therefore
he promiseth them the gift of the Spirit, whereof they saw a pattern
in the diversity of tongues. Therefore this doth not properly
appertain unto us. For because Christ meant to set forth the beginning of
his kingdom with those miracles, they lasted but for a time; yet
because the visible graces which the Lord did distribute to his did shoe, as
it were in a glass, that Christ was the giver of the Spirit,
therefore, that which Peter saith doth in some respect appertain unto all
the whole Church: ye shall receive the gift of the Spirit. For
although we do not receive it, that we may speak with tongues, that
we may be prophets, that we may cure the sick, that we may work
miracles; yet is it given us for a better use, that we may believe
with the heart unto righteousness, that our tongues may be framed
unto true confession, (Romans 10:10,) that we may pass from death
to life, (John 5:24) that we, which are poor and empty, may be made
rich, that we may withstand Satan and the world stoutly. Therefore,
the grace of the Spirit shall always be annexed unto baptism,
unless the let be in ourselves” (emphasis added).[iii]
Here he
seems to imply that some of the Spiritual gifts existed to manifest to the authority
of the apostles, before the Jews, and are now not necessary. This is a classic
teaching of cessationists.
So, was
Calvin a continuationist or cessationist? It appears to be a bit of both. I
find this interesting, because I had always thought of him as just a hardcore cessationist,
the most famous example. But he appears to recognize that God can raise up
prophets and apostles at any time of need. I think we are in one of those times
today.
If one of the roles of apostles and prophets is to call the church back to faithfulness, then we really do need this today. If part of their role is to lay or relay foundations for the Church, then this is also necessary in many parts of the West and the rest of the world. If Calvin’s view, and the view I agree with, is that God raises up such people in times of need, then start to look for more and more Christian leaders being raised up to call the church back to repentance. Also, recognize that many fakes will seek to gather attention and followings as well. Though this has always been the case.
[i] Calvin,
John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Fig. Kindle Edition.
[ii] Calvin,
John. Calvin's Complete Bible Commentaries (With Active Table of Contents in
Biblical Order) (Kindle Locations 454176-454190). Kindle Edition.
[iii] Calvin,
John. Calvin's Complete Bible Commentaries (With Active Table of Contents in
Biblical Order) (Kindle Locations 410947-410951). Kindle Edition.
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