Calvin points out in his commentary on Psalm 18 (vv. 21 – 24) that “whoever, therefore, would desire to persevere in uprightness and integrity of life, let them learn to exercise themselves daily in the study of the Word of God; for, whenever a man despises or neglects instruction, he easily falls into carelessness and stupidity, and all fear of God vanishes from his mind.”
Augustine’s Principle of Providence
Augustine lays down a simple principle for providence. He says, “nothing is more absurd than that anything should happen without God’s ordaining it because it would then happen without a cause.” In other words, God is the cause alone of all things and he maintains all things.
An Orthodox Catechism (2)
Here are the next 2 questions in An Orthodox Catechism. These begin the first part of the Catechism focusing on Man’s Misery.
Q.3. From what source do you know your misery?
A. From the Law of God
Q.4. What does the Law of God require of us?
A. That which Christ summarily teaches us, Matthew 22:37–40. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first and great commandment; and the second is like it, You shall live your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.
An Orthodox Catechism (1)
Here are the first two questions of the Orthodox Catechism. These two questions form the introduction to the catechism.
Q.1. What is your only comfort in life and death?
A. That both in soul and body, whether I live or die, I am not my own, but belong wholly unto my most faithful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By his most precious blood fully satisfying for all my sins, He has delivered me from all the power of the devil, and so preserves me, that without the will of my heavenly Father not so much as a hair may fall from my head. Yes, all things must serve for my safety and by His Spirit, also He assures me of everlasting life, and makes me ready and prepared, that from now on I may live to him.
Q.2. How many things are necessary for you to know that, enjoying this comfort, you may live and die happily?
A. Three. The first, what is the greatness of my sin and misery. The second, how I am delivered from all sin and misery. The third, what thanks I owe to God for this delivery.
For Whom Did Christ Die
Here is John Owen’s Argument for Particular Redemption. Still unanswerable!!!
The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent punishment for, either:
- All the sins of all men.
- All the sins of some men, or
- Some of the sins of all men.
In which case it may be said:
- That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so, none are saved.
- That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.
- But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the punishment due unto their sins?
You answer, “Because of unbelief.”
I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did, why must that hinder them more than their other sins for which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their sins!”