Thread: Great quote by Calvin

From Calvin's Harmony of the Gospels (regarding Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners - Luke 5:27-32)

He whom you detest appears to you to be unworthy of the grace of Christ. Why then was Christ himself made a sacrifice and a curse, but that he might stretch out his hand to accursed sinners? Now, if we feel disgust at being associated by Baptism and the Lord’s Supper with vile men, and regard our connection with them as a sort of stain upon us, we ought immediately to descend into ourselves, and to search without flattery our own evils. Such an examination will make us willingly allow ourselves to be washed in the same fountain with the most impure, and will hinder us from rejecting the righteousness which he offers indiscriminately to all the ungodly, the life which he offers to the dead, and the salvation which he offers to the lost.

Originally Posted by Poimen

From Calvin's Harmony of the Gospels (regarding Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners - Luke 5:27-32)

He whom you detest appears to you to be unworthy of the grace of Christ. Why then was Christ himself made a sacrifice and a curse, but that he might stretch out his hand to accursed sinners? Now, if we feel disgust at being associated by Baptism and the Lord’s Supper with vile men, and regard our connection with them as a sort of stain upon us, we ought immediately to descend into ourselves, and to search without flattery our own evils. Such an examination will make us willingly allow ourselves to be washed in the same fountain with the most impure, and will hinder us from rejecting the righteousness which he offers indiscriminately to all the ungodly, the life which he offers to the dead, and the salvation which he offers to the lost.

That is a good free-offer quote.

How many times have we heard critiques of Calvin that he was a hard, harsh, vile and vindictive man? These are not the words of such a man. Beautiful.

Most people who say that have never actually read Calvin.

In a slightly equal vein the same thing can be said about the Westminster Confessions. They have a Pastoral heart that many fail to see.

I love Calvin. If quotations could be weighed, in terms of sermons and catechism, I have used about 1 ton of Calvin and 5 pounds of everyone else.

I love Calvin too. I think if everyone that calls themselves Reformed actually approached "Reformed theology" with the Pastor's heart that Calvin did, that Calvin-ism would have a much better rap. What I really appreciate about him is that he doesn't try to get at God with speculation and peer into things hidden but very much develops our apprehension of God's hidden purposes in the person and work of Christ with the Holy Spirit applying His work to us.

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

Originally Posted by Poimen

From Calvin's Harmony of the Gospels (regarding Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners - Luke 5:27-32)

He whom you detest appears to you to be unworthy of the grace of Christ. Why then was Christ himself made a sacrifice and a curse, but that he might stretch out his hand to accursed sinners? Now, if we feel disgust at being associated by Baptism and the Lord’s Supper with vile men, and regard our connection with them as a sort of stain upon us, we ought immediately to descend into ourselves, and to search without flattery our own evils. Such an examination will make us willingly allow ourselves to be washed in the same fountain with the most impure, and will hinder us from rejecting the righteousness which he offers indiscriminately to all the ungodly, the life which he offers to the dead, and the salvation which he offers to the lost.

That is a good free-offer quote.

I didn't even think about that when I quoted it. Thanks for the observation.

Originally Posted by SemperFideles

I love Calvin too. I think if everyone that calls themselves Reformed actually approached "Reformed theology" with the Pastor's heart that Calvin did, that Calvin-ism would have a much better rap. What I really appreciate about him is that he doesn't try to get at God with speculation and peer into things hidden but very much develops our apprehension of God's hidden purposes in the person and work of Christ with the Holy Spirit applying His work to us.

Yes indeed!