"We are afflicted yet not made anxious, we fail but are not deserted, are humbled but not confounded, we are cast down but have not perished, ever bearing the mortification of Jesus Christ about in our bodies that Jesus' life may be manifested in us" [II Cor. 4:8-10 p.]; "If we died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him" [II Tim. 2:11-12]; thus are we conformed to his sufferings, until we attain to the likeness of his resurrection, since "the Father has predestined those whom he has chosen in himself to conform to the image of his Son that Christ may be the first-born among all the brethren" [Rom. 8:29 p.]. Therefore, "neither death, . . . nor things present, nor things to come . . . will will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ" [Rom. 8:38-39p.]; but rather all things will turn to our good and salvation [cf. Rom. 8:28].
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 1, Ed. John T. McNeill, Book III, Chapter XVI, Section 8, "Admonition and comfort on the basis of right doctrine," p. 796-797
No comments:
Post a Comment