On July 10th we will be celebrating the 500th birthday of the man who has been called, "The Theologian of the Reformation." Here are five short articles from Ligonier Ministries about the man who God used to shape the theology of the Protestant Reformation, and bring the church back to the Biblical doctrine of salvation By Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, because of Christ Alone, for the Glory of God Alone. (click the link below)
Celebrating 500 Years of John Calvin
Celebrating 500 Years of John Calvin
6 comments:
So he believed that only something holy could be around God and that was because if we were not holy our "stain" would infect him and he would no longer be completely holy?
Makes sense on one hand, but then it seems limits God in a way. God himself should be able to take that stain and cast it out with or without Jesus and repentance. If he is all powerful, why does he need that kind of "help"?
That's just my own thought on it though ;)
Kerri,
You are referring to the first article. No, he is not talking about God being infected by our stain, thus becoming less holy. That would be impossible. The point here is that even our best deeds and noblest intentions are diminished to some degree by our sinfulness.
We have no true concept of how drastic a fall (morally) humankind took from our original state. On the other side of it however, the reality of the exalted state of the new humanity which is joined to Christ would blow you away just to contemplate it.
Craig B
I do have to admit, it's hard to imagine humanity as a perfect being. Or is that not our original state... I feel like 'perfect' isn't the right word but I can't think of any other.. well I guess sinless is a better phrase for what I'm trying to say.
I'm blown away by a lot of things ;) I am in total awe of the unverse and existance whether it be God or some other "natural" cause that made us what we are today.
I'm curious about something though, when you say 'the exalted state', are you speaking of that state while on earth or once humanity is in heaven? I'm going to guess that you might mean on earth, but I think that would only be possible in heaven when we are more truly washed of sin. You can still sin while on earth but once you die and are released from your physical limits then I think that would make more sense.
The word would be "Glory." :)
By "exalted" I mean: in heaven, in our glorified (and unable to sin) bodies, and for ever joined to Christ as his companion. That's the mind blowing part for me. I believe, with Jonathan Edwards, that this is "the end for which God created the world."
Yes, that does make more sense to me now ;) The whole idea of eternety alone is hard to get my mind around. Not something we can really understand because we have no real reference for it. Some find it hard to understand because they compair it to an eternal life as we have on earth. I think it would have to be much different then what we experience here, I think eternity as our life and thoughts are now would probably drive a person mad, (stories about vampires tend to touch on that actually). I don't think I can truly imagine what that might be like but I do wonder about it from time to time.
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