Nathan W. Bingham

And that's why, in addition to trust, Calvin goes on to say, and therefore inherent in faith is assurance that I can know I am the child of God. Now, later Reformed theology will debate that point. And some Reformed theologians will say assurance is not part of faith, but it should be added to faith. And other theologians will say, no, Calvin was right in the first place.

Assurance is of the essence of faith, although there can be an infallible assurance added to that fundamental assurance. This is getting ahead of the game, but if you are familiar with Westminster Standards, I can say to you that Westminster Standards are a carefully crafted compromise to contain both those points of view. If you're not familiar with that, shame on you.

Go home and read the Westminster Confession, but don't worry about it overly. But here we're talking about Calvin, and what Calvin is stressing is that Right in the essence of faith, there ought to be assurance in your heart that Christ is for you. That Christ is for you. Psalm 56, David says, this I know, God is for me. And every Christian ought to be able to say that with David.

If they know the promise, if they trust the promise, there ought to be that assurance. Because for Calvin, it was so crucial that there be that assurance. that essential assurance and confidence. Now, I want to just say a word about Calvin as a teacher of the reform of worship. Calvin was very concerned about worship. And what he was concerned about in worship was that it be simple and biblical.

He wanted worship to focus on the Bible. He didn't want distractions. For that reason, he wanted a plain building, no distractions in artwork. He wanted no music except human singing, no musical instruments for God. He wanted almost all singing to be the Psalms so that people would learn the Word of God. and he wanted faithful preaching and exposition of the Word.

It was that simplicity of worship that brought people in connection with the Word that was so crucial for Calvin, and that was carried out then far beyond Geneva. His vision of worship was carried into France, it was carried into the Netherlands, it was carried into Great Britain, and it was carried to where almost all Reformed churches were built.

And not all Reformed churches followed him in every detail of his vision. But the basic Reformed principle was adopted everywhere, that worship should be simple. and it should be biblical, and the Word needed to have center place. And so as we conclude this all-too-fast run through Calvin and his life in theology, I hope you see what a wonderful pastor he was.

That's a Calvin I think people need to start with, who wanted people to be certain that they could rely on the Word of God, that they could be certain they were loved in Jesus Christ, and that they would continue to grow in the knowledge of the Bible as they met God in worship.

Was that the image of Calvin that you had before today's message? Just like you and me, the Reformers were far more complex than the caricatures that can come to mind. And that's why we need church historians to help us more fully understand the people and events of our family history.

You're listening to Renewing Your Mind on this Saturday, and that was W. Robert Godfrey from Part 3 of his complete overview of church history. This 12-message installment covers the 16th century Reformation, and you'll learn more about Calvin, Martin Luther, the events surrounding the Scottish and Dutch Reformation, and more.

We'll send you this series on DVD along with digital access to the messages and study guide when you give a year-end donation of any amount at renewingyourmind.org or by using the link in the podcast show notes. Hear the Reformation stories of these men who dedicated their lives to proclaiming the truth of God's Word. Request your copy before midnight tonight at renewingyourmind.org.

Thank you.

As a nation, Israel had suffered. Throughout its existence, war and insurrection plagued the people. A Messiah, a Savior had been promised, and the people longed for His coming. Today on Renewing Your Mind, R.C. Sproul looks at the second chapter of Luke and considers an old man who had eagerly awaited this consolation of Israel.

Before we hear today's message, don't forget that you can request four resources to help you better understand who this Messiah is and what he accomplished for his people. You give a year-end donation of any amount at renewingyourmind.org or when you call us at 800-435-4343. We're grateful for your support as it fuels proclaiming the Savior to the nations.

Well, here's Dr. Sproul on the consolation of Israel.

And that's the key, isn't it? To see and recognize that Jesus is the one who was promised, the Savior, the Messiah, the consolation of Israel. What a fitting message as we prepare for Christmas next week. I'm glad you're with us for this Friday edition of Renewing Your Mind.

Our C. Sproul series, Messiah is Born, has been our focus all week, and we've learned how the birth of Christ affects not only our redemption and salvation, but all of history. And you can own this series along with three other resources when you give a year-end donation of any amount at renewingyourmind.org or when you call us at 800-435-4343.

You'll receive the digital edition of this series plus Dr. Sproul's series, What Did Jesus Do? and its study guide. And we'll send you his popular book, The Work of Christ. Request this resource bundle today at renewingyourmind.org or by using the link in the podcast show notes before this offer ends at midnight.

If you're looking for last-minute Christmas gift ideas, don't forget that you can give a year-long subscription to Table Talk magazine easily at givetabletalk.com. And when you give one subscription, you can get up to nine more 50% off. So visit givetabletalk.com today. As we count down to Christmas next week, you'll hear special sermons from R.C. Sproul and the Gospel of Luke.

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