Barnpreacher
Puritan Board Junior
Need some help with Calvin's language here:
What does Calvin mean when he says God is exempt from every passion? I understand God is a Spirit, but how does this relate to God's anger against our sin when Calvin says he is exempt from every passion? Is he just talking about passion as finite creatures understand passion? I know when the Bible uses language like "the arm of the Lord" or "the hand of the Lord" it is doing so figuratively, but is that true when it refers to the anger of the Lord and the wrath of the Lord? How can it be? I think I'm missing what Calvin is trying to get across here, so some help from someone more versed in Calvin would be appreciated. Thanks.
Then follows an explanation of this sentence, I will not execute the fury of my wrath: by which figurative mode of speaking he sets forth the punishment which was suitable to the sins of men. For it must ever be remembered, that God is exempt from every passion. But if no anger is to be supposed by us to be in God, what does he mean by the fury of his wrath? Even the relation between his nature and our innate or natural sins. But why does Scripture say that God is angry? Even because we imagine him to be so according to the perception of the flesh; for we do not apprehend God's indignation, except as far as our sins provoke him to anger, and kindle his vengeance against us. Then God, with regard to our perception, calls the fury of his wrath the heavy judgment, which is equal to, or meet for, our sins.
What does Calvin mean when he says God is exempt from every passion? I understand God is a Spirit, but how does this relate to God's anger against our sin when Calvin says he is exempt from every passion? Is he just talking about passion as finite creatures understand passion? I know when the Bible uses language like "the arm of the Lord" or "the hand of the Lord" it is doing so figuratively, but is that true when it refers to the anger of the Lord and the wrath of the Lord? How can it be? I think I'm missing what Calvin is trying to get across here, so some help from someone more versed in Calvin would be appreciated. Thanks.