Receive God's Word
"At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws."—Psalm 119:62
John Calvin of Geneva, Switzerland, was one of the most important theologians in history. His multi-volume work Institutes of the Christian Religion is the main doctrine for polity in reformed churches.
Calvin strongly believed in the authority of Scripture. He said, "Let us not take it into our heads either to seek out God anywhere else than in the sacred Word, or to think anything about him that is not prompted by his Word, or to speak anything that is not taken from that Word."
He said: "By [the Word of God] they confidently dare all things, compel all the strength, glory, and sublimity of the world to submit to its majesty and to obey it, rule over all things from the highest to the lowest, build up the house of Christ, overturn the kingdom of Satan, feed the sheep, destroy the wolves, exhort and instruct the teachable, rebuke, reprove, and refute the rebellious and stubborn, loose, bind, and finally, hurl thunderbolts—but doing all things in the Word of God."
Before reading the Bible, John Calvin often prayed: "O Lord, heavenly Father, in whom is the fullness of light and wisdom, enlighten our minds by your Holy Spirit, and give us grace to receive your Word with reverence and humility, without which no one can understand your truth. For Christ's sake, Amen."
Where would we be if God had not given us His Word? And without it how would we know God's Son? Today give thanks to God for the Bible.
"The greatest of his mercies is his Word, which excites faith, and teaches us to recognize God in his ways and works."—Carl Moll
|
