# Calvin's Kingdom: This World or Otherworldy?



## RamistThomist (Jan 6, 2005)

*Calvin\'s Kingdom: This World or Otherworldy?*

In rereading Calvin I am struggling on whether his view of the Kingdom of God is this-world or not-this-world. I am finding quotes from him that go one way, neutral, or another way. Fred, I am hoping for your guidance and gentle corrections Due to time constraints, I cannot quote every reference to the Kingdom, so any quotes that I miss that might disagree/agree, I would be happy to see him. Finally, I know that I am a postmillennialist, I do hope that this doesn't cloud my judgment too much.

_Spiritual_
II.15.3-4
"It would be pointless to speak of it without first warning my readers that it is *spiritual* in nature." It appears that he equates its spiritual nature with its force and eternity: "From this we infer...its whole benefit and eternity...Now this eternity must be considered in two ways; the first belongs to the whole body of the church, the second to each individual member." Calvin later likens this to Christ protecting his church. His final comments in section 3 are: "In short, when any one of us hears that Christ's kingship his spiritual, aroused by this word let him attain to the hope of a better life; and since it is protected by Christ's hand, let him await the full fruit of this grace in the age to come." 


_The Church as Kingdom_
IV.2.4
The immediate context: anti-Romanist polemics
"To sum up, since the church is Christ's kingdom, and he reigns by his Word alone, will it not be clear to any man that those are lying words (Jer. 7:4) by which the Kingdom of Christ is imagined to exist apart from his scepter (that is, his most holy Word)? 

_Already begun on earth_
IV.XX.2
Context: anti-Anabaptist polemics
"For spiritual government, indeed, is already initiating in us upon earth certain beginnings of the Heavenly Kingdom, and in this mortal and fleeting life affords a certain forecast of an immortal and incorruptible blessedness."

I realize these are just a FEW of the many quotes concerning the kingdom (I looked in the indices of my Battles' edition, saw the many references, and realized how tired my fingers were. If you know of a good, online Institutes, besides CCEL, let me know).

[Edited on 1--6-05 by Draught Horse]


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## wsw201 (Jan 6, 2005)

In regards to the Kingdom of God, Calvin took a split view, which the WSC takes in Q. 102:

Q. 102. What do we pray for in the second petition?
A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan´s kingdom may be destroyed;[214] and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced,[215] ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it;[216] and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.[217]

Calvin also, following Augustine, took a two Kingdom view, ie; Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Man.


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