Friday, November 21, 2008

Two Quotes From Calvin on Marriage and Singleness

Regarding those who make claim to having the gift of singleness,
"They cannot allege that they make this vow trusting entirely to the grace of God; for, seeing he declare this to be a special gift not given to all (Matthew 19:11), no man has a right to assume that the gift will be his."
-Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV.xii.17
And later,
"If any seem more decent and modest than others, they are not, however, chaste. The sin of unchastity urges, and lurks within. Thus it is that God, by fearful examples, punishes the audacity of men, when, unmindful of their infirmity, they, against nature, affect that which has been denied to them, and despising the remedies which the Lord has placed in their hands, are confident in their ability to overcome the disease of incontinence by contumacious obstinacy."

-Institutes, IV.xiii.21


Thursday, November 20, 2008

A Prayer of Calvin

We bow ourselves before the majesty of our good God in acknowledgment of our offenses, asking that He may make us feel them more than we have done, so that we may make an effort to redeem ourselves more and more to His righteousness, daily fighting against the lusts of our flesh; and that we may continue in this struggle until He may have entirely delivered us and reformed us to His image, in which we were fully created. May He grant this grace not only to us but also to all people and nations on earth.

Friday, June 21, 1555
Sermon Six, Deuteronomy 5:13-15

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Worship in the Church According to Colosians 3:16

As Listed by David Detwiler:

1. Worship is both horizontal and vertical
2. Worship is a means of instructing one another in the faith
3. Worship in the church should be primarily verbal
4. Worship should be primarily Christological
5. Worship in the church should be active, not passive
6. Worship should be varied in form
7. Worship should be marked by sincerity
8. Worship should reflect an understanding of God’s grace

Perhaps each of these should have a post of its own.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Measures of the Soul

[Given the neglect this blog has felt lately, I resort to shorter reflections for a time]

My Google research regarding the origins of the phrase "The eyes are the window to the soul" has failed. Seeing as I can't figure out why this aphorism sticks, I respond that, "The ear is the touchstone of the soul."

By ear, I mean musical tastes, and by touchstone, I mean that people's default, most comfortable mode is usually clearly reflected in their musical tastes. Personally, I love simplicity, beauty, and peace; I enjoy music that crafts tranquil mastery out of very little.

This topic begs reflection on the impact of using music to "medicate" moods. That is, whether it is a good thing to have a 'mix' for every passing disposition.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Love, Love, Love; Or, Three Prompts for Later

I've got a few blog entries that haven't made it past the mental moderator yet. I figure if my thoughts don't seem coherent to me, they certainly won't be edifying to you. So, here's a little list of things I have been considering recently that, if I had more time and mental energy, would be individual posts:

1. In Acts 10 God declares unclean animals clean. Peter interprets this through the lens of table fellowships to mean that Gentiles are being welcomed into the covenant community. Later, Paul exhorts Gentiles, though not morally bound to do so, to observe Jewish food laws. It strikes me as loving acts of considering the other greater than yourself on both ends of the deal.

2. I was impressed by how significant love for other believers is in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. It's directly linked to sanctification.

3. The church is a fantastic thing. I'm very thankful for it.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Five Things I "Learned" in Church Today

1. My only hope is new life in Jesus.
2. Jesus calls me to act with integrity.
3. To measure my life by the wisdom of God.
4. Purity is honoring to God—and for my good.
5. I have not fully learned these things, yet grace abounds.


I need exercise in brevity and clarity.