One should not therefore wonder at not seeing people today who are inclined to suffer for the gospel, or that most people who call themseles Christians don't even know what it means to be one. For they are all rather nonchalant and and are not concerned to either read or hear [the Word of God]. Rather, they are content to have had a taste of the Christian faith. This is why there is so little to hold them fast, and, if they are assailed, they find themselves immediately at a loss. This should incite us to enquire more dilligently into the truth of God, in order to be more sure of it.
Yet, being well instructed is still not the whole of the matter. One sees people who seem to be near perfect as to sound doctrine, who nontheless are quite devoid of zeal and affection, as if they had never known anything of God, except some passing fancy. And why is it so? Only because they never comprehended the majesty of the holy Scriptures. And indeed, if we, in our present condition, would duly consider that it is God who is speaking to us, it is quite certain that we would be much more attentive and reverent listeners. If we considered that in reading the Scripture, we are in the school of angels, we would have quite a different care, and desire to apply ourselves, to the teaching set before us. [John Calvin]
Labels: John Calvin
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