The Reformation focused on the question, How is a person justified? Clearly justification involves a legal judgment by God, a declaration by him that we are just. Then the burning question becomes this: On what basis or grounds does God ever declare anyone just? Must we first become just inherently before God will make such [...]
Archive for the ‘Calvin, John’ Category
The Question on Which the Reformation Focused
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged Christ's Righteousness, Forgiveness, God's Wrath, Iniquity, Justification, Reformation, Righteousness, Sinner on May 31, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
A Most Prenicious Error Generally Prevailed
Posted in Calvin, John on May 25, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
A most pernicious error has very generally prevailed – viz. that Scripture is of importance only in so far as conceded to it by the suffrage of the Church; as if the eternal and inviolable truth of God could depend on the will of men. With great insult to the Holy Spirit, it is asked, [...]
The Authority of God’s Word
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged Scripture on May 14, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
When that which professes to be the Word of God is acknowledged to be so, no person, unless devoid of common sense and the feelings of a man, will have the desperate hardihood to refuse credit to the speaker. But since no daily responses are given from heaven, and the Scriptures are the only records [...]
Almost Every Man Has Had His Own God
Posted in Calvin, John on May 4, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Bright, however, as is the manifestation which God gives both of himself and his immortal kingdom in the mirror of his works, so great is our stupidity, so dull are we in regard to these bright manifestations, that we derive no benefit from them…but we are all alike in this, that we substitute monstrous fictions [...]
What is Needed to Attain a True Self-Knowledge?
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged Righteousness, Virtue, Wisdom on April 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
On the other hand, it is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he has previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself…So long as we do not look beyond the earth, we are quite pleased with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue; we [...]
Knowledge of God and Ourselves
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged Knowledge of God on April 27, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes, and gives birth to the other. For, [...]
Ignorance Is Not an Option
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged God's Essence, God's Glory, God's Work on April 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
His essence, indeed, is incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought; but on each of his works his glory is engraven in characters so bright, so distinct, and so illustrious, that none, however dull and illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse. – John Calvin as quoted by Sproul, R.C.; Grace Unknown: The Heart of Reformed [...]
Calvin on Romans 12:1
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged Grace, Mercy, Righteousness, Romans 12, Salvation, Worship on January 17, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Paul’s entreaty teaches us that men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy…Paul…in order to bind us to God not by servile fear but by a voluntary and cheerful love of [...]
Let Us Defend the Name from Slander and Insult
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged Christ's Teachings, Christian Life on October 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Everything bad they [the ungodly] can seize hold of in our life is twisted maliciously against Christ and His teaching. The result is that by our fault God’s sacred name is exposed to insult. The more closely we see ourselves being watched by our enemies, the more intent we should be to avoid their slanders, so that their [...]
This Unholy Separation Leads to Pestilent Errors and Foulest Delusions
Posted in Calvin, John, tagged God's Power, Teaching on July 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
For although God’s power is not bound to outward means, he has nonetheless bound us to this ordinary manner of teaching. Fanatics, refusing to hold fast to it, entangle themselves in many deadly snares. Many are led either by pride, dislike or rivalry to the conviction that they can profit enough from private reading and [...]
