Last time I ripped off from Steve I added some of my own thoughts so that the naked theft would not be reconizable (I hoped). But this time I throw blog etiquette to the wind. Calvin on Romans 6.4:

Let us know, that the Apostle does not simply exhort us to imitate Christ, as though he had said that the death of Christ is a pattern which all Christians are to follow; for no doubt he ascends higher, as he announces a doctrine, with which he connects, as it is evident, an exhortation; and his doctrine is this — that the death of Christ is efficacious to destroy and demolish the depravity of our flesh, and his resurrection, to effect the renovation of a better nature, and that by baptism we are admitted into a participation of this grace. This foundation being laid, Christians may very suitably be exhorted to strive to respond to their calling. Farther, it is not to the point to say, that this power is not apparent in all the baptized; for Paul, according to his usual manner, where he speaks of the faithful, connects the reality and the effect with the outward sign; for we know that whatever the Lord offers by the visible symbol is confirmed and ratified by their faith. In short, he teaches what is the real character of baptism when rightly received. So he testifies to the Galatians, that all who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Thus indeed must we speak, as long as the institution of the Lord and the faith of the godly unite together; for we never have naked and empty symbols, except when our ingratitude and wickedness hinder the working of divine beneficence.

If John Murray is now the drunk uncle, maybe we will see revisionist readings in which Calvin is portrayed as the “scandalous grandfather.” Weirder things have happened. Only a few years ago people were quoting Jonathan Edwards as authoritative on justification by faith alone. But now he is written off as a compromiser.

The entire Reformed Faith must be silently relocated so that certain people, who are standing firm where they have always stood, may be slandered as having abandoned their home.

By the way, have I mentioned how badly stacked the PCA’s FV Study Committee was?