Title Line! Woo-Hoo!

The title line has nothing to do with this post.

Jason and I have been taking a class at church where we’re reading The Institutes of the Christian Religion and listening to Dr. Bahnsen’s lectures on them. I was intimidated at first because 1) I’m the only woman who regularly attends the group, and 2) I was wary of how I might understand such weighty theology. I was surprised at how readable and approachable Calvin is, which makes the theology, while dense, fairly clear. And the gentlemen in the class have made me feel very welcome to speak up and ask questions and argue points when I think something is clear.

Anyway, we started in June, and have only just begun Chapter 9 of book 1 (we’re going slowly!). In our homework (to read Chapters 9 and 10), I was happy to read the following.

Indeed, the knowledge of God set forth for us in Scripture is destined for the very same goal as the knowledge whose imprint shines in his creatures, in that it invites us first to fear God, then to trust in him. By this we can learn to worship him both with perfect innocence of life and with unfeigned obedience, then to depend wholly upon his goodness. (ICR, Book 1, Chapter 10, Section 2).

It seems to me that Calvin has just summed up the first chapters of the book where he discusses the knowledge of God the creator and how the Scripture, while not saying different from the creation, is clearer knowledge of God for man. This knowledge leads us to proper worship and walk with our Lord.

(Is that better, Shimmer? BTW … I’m glad you’re back too!)