The Call to Witness

In his sermon on 2 Timothy 1:8-9, pastor and theologian John Calvin laid out every Christian’s  call to witness, along with some typically profound theological encouragement towards the call. The sermon was preached some time in the mid 1550s, and pushed the hearers to preach the gospel. To do otherwise, says Calvin, is to leave Christ in the grave. Though Calvin’s sermon is hundreds of years old, his message is essential, not just for every Christian, but especially for missionaries set upon obedience to the Great Commission. 

“The Call to Witness” has been lightly edited, modernized, and abbreviated. The full text is available elsewhere online and in print. 

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“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” (2 Timothy 1:8-9) 

Although God shows His glory and majesty in the gospel, the unthankfulness of men is such, that we have need to be exhorted not to be ashamed of this gospel. And why so? Because God requires all creatures to do Him homage: yet the greater part rebel against Him, despise and are at defiance with the doctrine whereby He would be known and worshiped. Although men are so wicked as to lift up themselves against their Maker, let us, notwithstanding, remember that which is taught us in this place; that is, that we be not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the witness of God.

If the gospel is not preached, Jesus Christ is, as it were, buried. Therefore, let us stand as witnesses, and do Him this honor, when we see all the world so far out of the way, and remain steadfast in this wholesome doctrine. Paul here sets his own person before us. Not that he wished particularly to be approved, but because we often get in difficulty if we separate ourselves from the servants of God. When there is a minister of the Word of God troubled, molested, and persecuted, we are apt to forsake him in time of need, thinking them merely a mortal man. But in doing this, we offend God because this man that suffers bears the mark of the gospel. Thus the cause of God is betrayed. Therefore, Paul said to Timothy, be not ashamed of me.

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Constant Through Affliction

Let us not be shaken by the tempests that arise, but let us always remain constant in our purpose and stand as witnesses for the Son of God, seeing He is so gracious as to use us in such a good cause. Let us mark well whether men suffer for their sins or for the truth of God. When we see one oppressed, we must not despise him, lest we do injury to God. We must ascertain for what cause men suffer. If they have walked in a good conscience, and are blamed, if they are tormented because they serve God, this is enough to remove whatever the wicked world can say against them. Therefore Paul adds, “Share in the suffering for the gospel.”

There is no man who would not willingly escape affliction; this is according to human nature; and although we confess, without dissembling, that it is a singular grace which God bestows, when He enables men to bear affliction, and maintain His cause, yet there is not one of us who would not willingly draw his neck out of persecution. For we look not at the lesson given by  Paul, which says, the gospel brings troubles. Jesus Christ was crucified in His own person, and His doctrine is joined with many miseries. He could, if it pleased Him, cause His doctrine to be received without any gainsaying. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: “Rule in the midst of your enemies” (Psalm 110).

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God is With Us

Behold! God has drawn us out of the gulf of hell! We were utterly cast away and condemned: but he has brought us salvation, and has called us to be partakers of it. Therefore, seeing God has shown Himself so liberal, if we on our parts turn our backs to Him, is not this a shameful malice? Let us mark well the accusation of Paul against those that are inconstant; those that are unwilling to suffer the assaults made against them for the sake of the gospel. Undoubtedly his mind was to comfort the faithful for the time to come; he therefore shows what God has done for them already.

When God gives us any token of His goodness, it is to the end we should hope for the like at His hands again; and wait till He brings to pass what He has begun. Therefore, if God has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, do we think that He will leave us midway? When He has showed us our salvation, and given us His gospel whereby He calls us to His kingdom, and opens the gates unto us; when He has done all this, do we think He will leave us here, and mock us, and deprive us of His grace, or make it unprofitable? No, no; but let us hope that He will bring his work to a perfect end.

Therefore, let us go on with good courage, for God has already displayed His power toward us. Let us not doubt that He will continue it, and that we shall have a perfect victory over Satan and our enemies, and that God the Father has given all power into the hands of Jesus Christ, who is our head and captain, that we may be partakers of it. Thus we see Paul’s meaning. God has witnessed, and we know by experience that He will never fail us in time of need. And why so? For He has already saved us, in that He has called us to the gospel, and redeemed us from sin. He has called us with a holy calling. That is to say, He has chosen us to Himself, out of the general confusion of mankind.

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When this great Savior made His appearance, the grace that was hid before and could not be reached by the knowledge of man was made clear and manifest. And how so? The Son of God destroyed death, and also brought everlasting life! And we need not go afar off to find it, for the gospel leads us to it. When God sends us this message of salvation, we have only to receive the inheritance which He promised us. Let us open our mouths, that He may fill them. Let us open our hearts, and give this testimony of the gospel leave to enter, and the immortality of the kingdom of heaven shall dwell within us. Though we be poor, frail vessels and have nothing but corruption and rottenness in us, yet we already lay hold upon this immortality, and have a sure witness of it when we can accept this grace that is offered in the gospel.

That we may better understand what is here contained, let us remark that this word purpose, signifies the everlasting decree of God, which has no causes whatsoever. For when we speak of God’s counsels, we need not dispute about who moved Him as though we should imagine reasons, and say, this is the reason why God has determined after this sort, or this is the cause why He would have it so. For God will have us use such soberness that His bare will may suffice us for all reason. When it is said, God has thus appointed it, though our eyes be dazzled, and the matter seem strange to us, and we see no reason why it should thus be, yet we must not find fault. It is wisdom in us to do whatever God appoints, and never ask why.

God’s Purpose and Will

But because men have busy heads, and given much to curiosity, Paul brings us to God’s purpose; and tells us plainly, that we must consider it so deep that we cannot enter into it, to know who moved Him. He was moved only by His just will; which is a rule of all justice. Therefore, we are hereby informed, that our salvation depends not upon our deserts: God never examined what we were, nor what we were worthy of, when He chose us to Himself; but He had His purpose; that is, He sought no cause of our salvation but in Himself. Paul shows evidently that this word purpose signifies this decree. But because men cannot by reason of the pride that is in them withhold themselves from imagining some worthiness of their own, they think that God is under an obligation to seek them: but Paul said pointedly, purpose and grace. This is as much as if he had said free purpose.

This is therefore to beat down all our works: that we are not so foolish and stubborn, as to think God chose us because there was something in us worthy of it. No, no, but we must know that God never went farther than Himself when He chose us to salvation. For He saw that there was nothing but condemnation in us. Therefore He contented Himself, by mere grace and infinite mercy, to look upon our misery and help us although we were not worthy. For better proof of this, Paul said that this grace was given to us before the world began.

We perceive by this how void of sense men are when they vaunt themselves to believe that they are the cause of their own salvation; and have prevented God’s goodness, or were before Him, and met with Him. Where hangs our salvation? Is it not upon the election and choice that has been from everlasting? God chose us before we were. What could we do then? We were made fit, we were well disposed to come to God. No, we see that our salvation does not begin after we have knowledge, discretion, and good desires; but it is grounded in God’s everlasting decree, which was before any part of the world was made.

Going Forth

In what consists the salvation of the faithful, but only in God’s free election? Would we not have men preach that God has chosen His of mere goodness without regard to any thing whatsoever? Will we not admit this to be such a mystery as cannot be attained to, shown and declared to us as far as God wished to reveal it? If we do not admit this, we enter into a conspiracy with Satan; as though Jesus Christ suffered in vain, and the passion that He suffered profited the world nothing. We may here remark that the gospel cannot be preached, that it is a profane gospel, or the doctrine of Muhammed, that there is no church nor Christianity, if God’s election be abolished.

The Holy Ghost that speaks must necessarily be proved a liar, if this doctrine is not received. Therefore, let us fight constantly, for it is the groundwork of our salvation. How can we build, and maintain the building, if the foundation be destroyed? Paul shows us here with what virtue we must fight, and how we will come into this inheritance which was so dearly purchased for us. He shows us how we shall enter into the possession of the glory of God and make an end of this building and faith. My friends, we must be grounded upon the grace that was given us, not today nor yesterday, but before the world began.