I will be the first to admit that John Calvin’s position on the abiding validity of the judicial laws of God is nuanced and even sometimes complicated. I offer these quotes in order to reveal that Calvin said things (many things actually) that indicate that he can not be seriously claimed as R2Kt by those adherents. Were one to read Calvin’s Sermons on Deuteronomy they would read many of the same kind of material.
“They will reply, possibly, that the civil government of the people of Israel was a figure of the Spiritual Kingdom of Jesus Christ and lasted only until his coming. I will admit to them that, in part, it was a figure, but I deny that it was nothing more than this, and not w/o reason. For in itself it was a political government, which is a requirement among all people. That such is the case, it is written of the Levitical priesthood that it had come to an end and be abolished at the coming of our Lord Jesus (Heb. 7:12ff.) Where is it written that the same is true of the external order? It is true that the scepter and government were to come from the tribe of Judah and the house of David, but that the government was to cease is manifestly contrary to Scripture.”
John Calvin
Treatise against the Anabaptists and against the Libertines
“But it is questioned whether the law pertains to the kingdom of Christ, which is spiritual and distinct from all earthly dominion; and there are some men, not otherwise ill-disposed, to whom it appears that our condition under the Gospel is different from that of the ancient people under the law; not only because the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world, but because Christ was unwilling that the beginning of His Kingdom should be aided by the sword. But, when human judges consecrate their work to the promotion of Christ’s Kingdom, I deny that on that account it nature is changed. For, although, it was Christ’s will that His Gospel should be proclaimed by His disciples in opposition to the power of the whole world, and He exposed them armed w/ the Word alone like sheep among wolves, He did not impose on Himself an eternal law that He should never bring Kings under his subjection, nor tame their violence, nor change them from being cruel persecutors into the patrons and guardians of His Church.”
John Calvin
Commentaries on the Last four Books of Moses.
These quotations demonstrate that thenomists are correct in looking to Calvin for historical Reformed precedent for their commitment to God’s judicials.
