Tuesday, February 24, 2009

God was the instigator?

Calvin's Institutes
Book 1 - Knowledge of God the Creator
Chapter 17 - Applying Providence to our greatest benefit
Sections 1-5 - Providence in past and future
Section 1 - The meaning of God's ways
God's will is the cause of all things, for His glory, and for our good and sanctification.
Ps 40:5; John 9:3

Section 2 - God's rule will be observed with respect!
Some only grant God is just in what their reason can understand that He does.
God's will is a deep abyss (Ps 36:6), yet also close and familiar (Deut 30:11-14).
He has a will hidden from us, beyond what is in Scripture.
Rom 11:33-34; Job 20:3; Isa 11:2; Ps 119:105; Job 26:14; 28:21, 28.
Deut 29:29 sums this up: "The secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever."

Section 3 - God's providence does not relieve us from responsibility
Pagans blamed their sins on God.
We cannot neglect the means God uses to bring about His will.
Sin is still sin.

No comments:

Post a Comment