God is Holding onto Me

I just wanted to share a few "pastoral points" from none other than John Calvin. We had a great guest lecturer this morning in theology, and it was one of the most interesting classes of the year. I have this tendency to write down quotations that I find clever, insightful, and/or inspiring. This morning's lecture was full of them. I pray that they have a similar affect on you.

Prayer. As John Calvin prayed before teaching, "May the Lord grant, that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of his heavenly wisdom with really incredible devotion, to his glory and our edification. Amen."

Very clear/concise. I am currently reading Calvin's most famous work: Institutes of the Christian Religion. It is a very clear and concise writing. He is addressing lay, "churched" people in France & Geneva. I am grateful that it is relatively easy to follow and understand. Thank you Calvin for not being pretentious in this respect and especially for not adding 'fluff' to your writings!

Heart is more difficult to convince than the mind. Calvin thought so.

We are accepted by God as if we had the righteousness of Christ. Now, THAT'S Grace. This is very comforting to hear! And it is also a nice, memorable statement that explains the basic idea of grace in a single breath (go ahead and try it).

Holy Spirit as center of one's faith. Like gravity. I love how the professor explained this! Scripture is authoritative, but we wouldn't be able to understand that without the Holy Spirit.

"He doesn't take all Scripture literally, but he does take it all seriously." I love this about Calvin. He addresses many issues that challenge his own theology instead of simply sidestepping them like many theologians have done. You many not agree with his arguments, but he would not have been scared to address your protests.
  
"If God has done it, I cannot undo it. I am not holding onto God; God is holding onto Me." This was the main point of the lecture. It definitely re-emphasized that we are not in control. God is. Grace through faith. This statement was also the cherry-on-top of the talk about predestination (not double predestination... that was actually not discussed).

"What happened to the body of Christ when he was around? Yeah, it's not going to be easy." I think it wouldn't hurt to be reminded of this every so often, especially in times of trial and hardship. Christianity is not necessarily easy. Trust me, Calvin knew this from experience (being an exile in France).

What affects us as evil is not necessarily 'bad.' What is truly evil is that which separates us from God... sin. I like this implied definition of evil, so I thought I'd throw this in here. Also, it emphasizes the seriousness of sin.

I continue to keep you all in my prayers. Have a wonderful day/night! Blessings.