John Calvin: Simple and Powerful

John Calvin's sermon on suffering and persecution is a powerful one, and becomes even more powerful when one understands the kind of life that he lived. Calvin himself was banished from France and then from Geneva at a moment in his life. Knowing this allows us to see there is sincerity in this sermon, and a sense of ethos is presented. The ideas on suffering and persecution are appropriate for the audience as well, since living the principles taught by John Calvin were definitely not easy. Sacrifice had to be taken in order to live a life of Calvinist principles. Strict laws were enforced against drinking, gambling, and inappropriate dancing or singing. I even heard a rumor that they had a Strength of Youth pamphlet lying around somewhere...

In the text, Calvin's approach is very simple and systematic. His purpose was to clearly explain his ideas so that he could persuade others to commit to be better people. He starts by quoting a scripture as the main source of his authority. While he uses a lot of his own words, his explanations do not stray from the main ideas of the scriptures he uses, showing that he is using the scriptures as his main authority. Another way that he shows simplicity is the uncomplicated but reverent language that he uses. While it is not an informal language, it is a colloquial style that connects the common members to his message. His pure and simple approach creates an environment where the audience can trust him.

Structurally, Calvin effectively uses the tool of comparison in order to explain his ideas. He shows that while pursuing the pleasures of life can be comforting at first, they will not be lasting like the eternal reward that God could give them. He also speaks of following Christ not only as a way to a better reward, but as a important duty that any person should be happy to take upon themselves.