Book 3/Chapter 20 Private prayer (section 28) 1. What should accompany our reception from God’s hand all the blessings He gives? 2. If we fail to offer Him praise for His blessings, what is our silence? 3. Why do some mumble as they pray? Public prayer (section 29) 1. Does God appoint public hours for …
More Medicare Thuggeries
Let us speak further of Medicare thuggeries, since that subject seems to have everybody riveted. This will not be a long post, since the principles are pretty easy to explain. But the discussion in our nation will still be a long discussion and debate, largely because Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. But here it is …
The Mother of Right Prayer
Book 3/Chapter 20 Departed saints (section 24) 1. What would prayers to the departed saints do to “their own repose”? 2. And what do such prayers presuppose about the saints abilities? Invocation of the patriarchs (section 25) 1. What did invocation of the patriarchs mean? 2. Whose name should we rather put forward rather than …
Terrible at Math
Christians and how they pay for their health care is a topic that just keeps on unfolding. Here are a few extra thoughts. My next point has to do with the nature of Christian testimony before the world. Julian the Apostate lamented how well the early Christians took care of one another, and the icing …
Angels and Saints
Book 3/Chapter 20 One mediator (section 20) 1. What error of the Sophists does Calvin address next? 2. Who alone bears the petitions of God’s people to God? Departed saints (section 21) 1. How would departed saints need to petition God? 2. What is the import of this observation? 3. Why do people feel a …
No Non-Euclidian Scales
Music can be divided into three general categories—music you should repent of, music you can grow from, and music you can grow into. Music can be repented of for two reasons. The more obvious would be the intellectual musical attempts to declare the world to be a different kind of place than God created it …
Superstition and the Supper
What is superstition? In our secular age, it is common to define it as the religious practices of someone else, practices that you don’t believe in. But this is too easy. Superstition should be best understood as any devoted spiritual practice that is mindlessly conducted and pursued, and yet tenaciously practiced. False faith would be …
No Salvation Without a Savior
Our Father and God, You have established Your Church as a royal priesthood in this world, and so we intercede for the nations of men now, confessing on their behalf so that the grace of Your forgiveness will soon be extended to them all. Father, we have indeed sinned with our fathers, and we have …
Daniel and Brooke
The text from Hosea that was read for us is a rich text (Hos. 2:14-23), one that calls for more extensive treatment than can be offered in the brief words of exhortation in a wedding ceremony. But we have it on the authority of the apostle Paul that the prophet here was speaking of Christ …
Advocate and Mediator
Book 3/Chapter 20 Constant forgiveness (section 16) 1. How can our prayers obtain an answer? 2. Does Calvin give any examples of intemperate prayers that are answered? 3. Should the defects in these prayers be repudiated? 4. Is it legitimate to raise hands in prayer? Two offices (section 17) 1. What two offices of Christ …