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William Farel – the Uncompromising Swiss Reformer of Geneva (1489 – 1565)

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William Farel – the Uncompromising Swiss Reformer of Geneva (1489 – 1565) MARANATHA MESSENGER Weekly Newsletter of Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2 February 2014 “Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28) Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore 509851 Tel: (65) 6545 8627 Fax: (65) 6546 7422 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.maranatha-bpc.com Sunday School: 9.45 am Sunday English / Chinese Worship Service: 10.45 am Sunday Chinese Worship Service: 7 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jack Sin (HP: 9116 0948) William Farel – The Uncompromising Swiss Reformer of Geneva (1489 – 1565) Introduction Hebrews11:32-34, ‘And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.’ There are men who have, by the will of God blazed a trail and changed the course of history for cites or even nations. Our recent trip to Geneva, Switzerland has given me a renewed interest in one man who made a lasting spiritual impact for Christ in this second largest city of Switzerland in the 16th century. His Background Guillaume Farel (1489 – 1565) was a spiritual game changer as we will say today who impacted his people by the powerful teaching of the Word and the expository preaching of the Gospel of Christ during the 16th century when many were still hostile to sound true religion being blinded by the deception of the medieval church. Farel was arguably one of the most important leaders of the French Reformation from its beginnings. As a young man, his conversion can be traced to God’s providence during his studies under Jacques Lefevre at Sorbonne University in Paris. Farel came to saving faith in Christ alone after reading a Latin translation of the commentary on The Epistles of St. Paul by his teacher. As he taught that it is God who saves by grace alone, Farel’s heart was regenerated by the Spirit of God and he truly believed and was redeemed by grace and justified by faith. As Luther was to Germany in the 16th century Protestant Reformation, Farel was to Geneva after Zwingli of Zurich. Farel was bold and uncompromising in his endeavours in opposing Roman Catholicism, he advanced the Protestant Reformation cause in Basle, Bern, Lausanne and Geneva and beyond. Everywhere he proclaimed the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures against a religion of manmade traditions prevalent at that time and the need to return to a sound faith, which was based on the Bible alone. Farel’s 1 powerful preaching was unmatched till the time of Calvin and Knox and he exposed the unsound teachings of the day including the Mass and other erroneous teachings. His sermons were like canons blasting with truth and light. His eloquent oratory gripped people in the cities. Farel was called “The scourge of the priests,” as he often exposed the errors and false hood of their teachings. Dr Philip Schaff said that he preached the Word with great boldness to French speaking people and everywhere he went, he was in imminent danger for his life. In October 1532, he came to Geneva and was successful in persuading the authorities to adopt the Reformation by edict of August 10, 1535. His Connection and Contribution Several RC priests attempted to assassinate Farel but by the providential hand of God, they failed. With great skill in debating and evangelistic zeal, Farel succeeded in winning most of French speaking Switzerland to the Protestant Faith. Many new churches were established and organised under his able stewardship. Although more of an orator than a writer, and a man of action rather than a theologian, Farel provided the newly created churches with tracts and booklets in French. In his “Summary,” Farel showed how Christian doctrine should be practically applied to everyday life, and he drew up the first liturgy for French speaking Reformed churches. Farel once crossed the Alps to participate in a Synod of the Waldensians. He recruited these believers to the Reformation movement, and convinced them to have the Scriptures translated and printed. This was the first French translation of the Holy Scriptures and was finally published in 1535 to the great edification of the French speaking people. His Preaching and Stand He was a prolific writer and he was used of the Lord to minister for the Reformation at many cities including Neuchatel. He had a supporter in a book publisher, Pierre de Vingle, who helped to publish 20 Protestant books, which spread the Reformed Faith far and wide. Farel was a man of deep devotion to God with fervent prayers, personal piety and godliness and with a very strong and vibrant practical faith. He taught that true Christianity functions through actions and not words in love and good works. Farel’s practice was to go into the homes and the market places of Catholic towns and he boldly declared and preached the pure and glorious Gospel without the fear and favour of men and defended the faith with good knowledge of the word. When attempts were made to arrest him, he would challenge the local priests, or bishop, to a public debate before the people and by the help of God. In a certain sense, it can be said that Farel won all these debates. He appealed directly to the people to decide and vote on whether they were in favour of converting to the Protestant Faith, or whether they wanted to remain with Roman superstitions. On such preaching trips, Farel’s confrontational style and tactics provoked violent reactions. Dr Peter Hammond noted that in the Reformation Wall monument, in Geneva, Farel is the only one of the Reformers depicted with a Bible in his left hand. Farel was often ridiculed, beaten, shot at and abused, but he was a determined man and he never gave up. Farel was a fierce and indefatigable fighter for the Lord and in 1535, Farel seized the church of La Madeleine and the Cathedral of St. Peter (in Geneva) for Christ like what Paul says in Philippians 1:27, ‘Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;’ 2 The people who were revived would not just be still but they also responded to his vehement sermon against idolatry. There was an iconoclastic wave of destroying superstitious religious images, statues and idols throughout Geneva as they did in Zurich and Scotland. Altars were demolished, the mass was abolished, and images were removed from churches by the people by the higher hand of God. The Lord overruled and on 21 May 1536, a General Assembly of the citizens of Geneva voted in favour of the Reformation and made the Protestant Faith the official religion of the city. With Geneva in revolt against the Duke of Savoy and its bishop, waves of political and religious turmoil swept the city. Surrounded by mountains in the control of Catholic France and the Duke of Savoy who was also catholic, the Reformation in Geneva was vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one but God was their Eternal Refuge and he protected and preserved His servants and His work. His Comrade, Calvin Farel knew his own limitations, and he prayed to the Lord for a man who would be capable of teaching and disciplining this distracted and debauched city. It was at this decisive point that God providentially guided him to a young scholar, John Calvin who was forced to avoid a war in Europe to detour through Geneva. He only expected to be in the city for one night but it lasted for 25 years by the will of God. Farel heard of this famous scholar and author of “The Institutes of the Christian religion” and he would not let him go but young Calvin was not interested preferring to focus on his scholarship. Farel strongly reproved him that he would neglect his sacred duty there and persuaded him. He realized that to accept Farel’s challenge would involve him in controversies and conflict, and he was set on studying in Strasbourg, but Farel did not give up but pressed on with this strong retort. Little did we know what impact this contest of wills would have on world history. Calvin changed his decision for good, when Farel changed him by saying vehemently : “May God curse your studies if now, in her time of need, you refuse to lend your aid to His Church.” Calvin was visibly shaken, and, as he said later, he was struck with terror. In Farel’s voice, Calvin said that he had heard the call of God. There and then he yielded and consented to stay in Geneva to help in the Reformation. Just as Barnabas was used to mobilise Paul for the apostolic ministry, so Farel recruited Calvin. Farel and Calvin were great comrades in arms for the faith. They were of the same doctrinal persuasion and worked well together, but the enemy was strong and temporarily they were expelled from Geneva in 1538 when a fiery speech by the Rector had Calvin implicated and the authorities were angry and took the opportunity to expel him.
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