Against the persecution of a tyrant the godly have no remedy but prayer.
John CalvinRead
Christ is much more powerful to save, than Adam was to destroy.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the greater power of Christ's redemptive capabilities compared to the destructive consequences of Adams' actions.
John Calvin's quote illustrates the contrast between the impact of Adam's sin, which brought destruction to humanity, and the transformative power of Christ, who offers salvation and restoration. It reflects the core Christian belief in the redemptive grace of Christ, suggesting that no matter the depth of human sin, the grace and power of Christ are always greater, thereby instilling hope and faith in believers.
In practice
During a theological seminar discussing the nature of sin and redemption.
Against the persecution of a tyrant the godly have no remedy but prayer.
The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both.
Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God's majesty.
Whomever the Lord has adopted and deemed worthy of His fellowship ought to prepare themselves for a hard, toilsome, and unquiet life, crammed with very many and various kinds of evil.
For as the aged, or those whose sight is defective, when any book, however fair, is set before them, though they perceive that there is something written, are scarcely able to make out two consecutive words, but, when aided by glasses, begin to read distinctly, so Scripture, gathering together the impressions of Deity, which, till then, lay confused in our minds, dissipates the darkness, and shows us the true God clearly.
When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.
The world rarely shrieks its meaning at you. It whispers, in private languages and obscure modalities, in arcane and quixotic imagery, through symbol systems in which every element has multiple meanings determined by juxtaposition.
Celebrity is a mask that eats into the face.
We have used the Bible as if it was a mere special constable's handbook β an opium-dose for keeping beasts of burden patient while they were being overloaded β a mere book to keep the poor in order.
Whenever you become anxious or stressed, outer purpose has taken over, and you lost sight of your inner purpose. You have forgotten that your state of consciousness is primary, all else secondary.
I think seriousness is a mask of self-importance and self-importance in turn is a mask for self-pity. So if you're really going to pursue a spiritual way of living in the world, you must be lighthearted and carefree, have humor, be able to tolerate ambiguity and embrace uncertainty, and be forgiving of yourself and everybody else.
Tragedy is not what men suffer but what they miss.
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