The whole world is a theatre for the display of the divine goodness, wisdom, justice, and power, but the Church is the orchestra, as it were—the most conspicuous part of it; and the nearer the approaches are that God makes to us, the more intimate and condescending the communication of his benefits, the more attentively are we called to consider them.

John Calvin

Categorized in : Justice Church Communication

When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers.

John Calvin

judging god giving

Faith is like an empty, open hand stretched out towards God, with nothing to offer and everything to recieve

John Calvin

empty christian hands

For the fetus, though enclosed in the womb of its mother, is already a human being, and it is a monstrous crime to rob it of the life which it has not yet begun to enjoy. If it seems more horrible to kill a man in his own house than in a field, because a man's house is his place of most secure refuge, it ought surely to be deemed more atrocious to destroy a fetus in the womb before it has come to light.

John Calvin

light mother men

Humility is the beginning of true intelligence.

John Calvin

humility christianity faith

We shall never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own.

John Calvin

righteousness christ firsts

If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than preaches that sermon.

John Calvin

steps fall firsts

A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.

John Calvin

religious christian dog

Prayer doesn't change things - God changes things in answer to prayer.

John Calvin

religious prayer faith

Whatever a person may be like, we must still love them because we love God.

John Calvin

christian-love godly may

I gave up all for Christ, and what have I found? Everything in Christ.

John Calvin

gave-up found christ

Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.

John Calvin

worship heart men

The happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages-such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe from all harm, and abounding with delights such as the flesh commonly longs after. No, our happiness belongs to the heavenly life!

John Calvin

delight peaceful doe

The Lord has not redeemed you so you might enjoy pleasures and luxuries or so that you might abandon yourself to ease and indolence, but rather so you should be prepared to endure all sorts of evils.

John Calvin

luxury evil ease

Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.

John Calvin

strive perfection christ

God preordained, for his own glory and the display of His attributes of mercy and justice, a part of the human race, without any merit of their own, to eternal salvation, and another part, in just punishment of their sin, to eternal damnation.

John Calvin

punishment race justice

Only those who have learned well to be earnestly dissatisfied with themselves, and to be confounded with shame at their wretchedness truly understand the Christian gospel.

John Calvin

shame wells christian

Peace is not to be purchased by the sacrifice of truth.

John Calvin

sacrifice

The excellence of the Church does not consist in multitude but in purity.

John Calvin

church excellence doe

We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.

John Calvin

wavering dormant weak

When I took the leap, I had faith I would find a net; Instead I learned I could fly.

John Calvin

leap action