Monday, November 15, 2010

Knowledge of God and of Ourselves

All true and sound wisdom consists of two parts:
the knowledge of God and of ourselves.

- John Calvin
“The Institutes of the Christian Religion”


Each of us must, then be so stung by the consciousness of his own unhappiness as to attain at least some knowledge of God. Thus, from the feeling of our own ignorance, vanity, poverty, infirmity, and — what is more — depravity and corruption, we recognize that the true light of wisdom, sound virtue, full abundance of every good, and purity of righteousness rest in the Lord alone. To this extent we are prompted by our own ills to contemplate the good things of God; and we cannot seriously aspire to him before we begin to become displeased with ourselves.

21 comments:

  1. What does this mean to you? Post a 2-3 sentence comment.

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  2. This is good news for me, because once I realize that there is no good in me and that I am totally depraved, I can receive forgiveness and continue to serve my neighbor. In other words, I can do nothing to save myself, and God does everything.
    -Laura Swanzy

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  3. Unless I see that I am totaly depraved then I will not think that I need God's forgiveness. When I see my sin then I realize that I need help and that in myself I am nothing.
    -Emily R. Hier

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  4. I'm thankful that people will take the time to show me my sin. Without that, I can't aspire to God.

    Jim

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  5. One thing it could mean to me is that we can’t get Gods good blessings until we see our depravity and corruption .Another that our pastors have said is that we can’t our depravity until a prophet like Nathan comes and tells us “you are the man”. That man is totally corrupt completely self centered a child of the devil and a hater of god and all that is good.

    Paul

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  6. When we sin our conscious is like a bee that stings us. Then that little sting starts to hurt more and more until you get forgiven for your sin. Then after we are forgiven we can see through our offence or what ever sin it is that we had and can see the true gift in our friend, brother or neighbor and enjoy again creation and being a creature.-Judah

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  7. Being stung in conscious is good as it leads to obvious ways I need help and forgiveness from Jesus and neighbors I am around. Pastor O’Connor has been saying in his last sermons that forgiveness is the solution to all our problems.I am thankful for the preaching of law and gospel as it makes me aware of my sin and of the gift of forgiveness of sin which is the gospel. -Joseph

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  8. "We cannot seriously aspire to him before we begin to become displeased with ourselves." That could mean you might need to be brought to christ through trials and tribulation, but when you think everything is fine you would't see your need for help. When you have problems it brings you to the place of needing help,which brings you to the place of talking.

    *Breia*

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  9. We cannot fully understand the mercies and goodness of God until we are brought to complete and utter despair in ourselves. Then, and only then can we even closely contemplate the good things that God has for us.

    Donald Livingston

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  10. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME:
    One thing this can mean for me is that we can get stung every day by seeing how poor and ignorant we are and unable to get good things for our self's.Naturally i don't think total depravity sounds like good news but i am learning that it is, thanks to our pastor and fathers and uncles. David.I.Hill

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  11. When I am and feeling ignorant and vain this makes me feel unhappy but it is because I don't have what it take to love my neighbor. This is why I need to have the true knowledge of God which always point to the good news of Jesus Christ.

    - Ruth D. Hill

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  12. I can’t forgive myself that is why I need my neighbors to talk to. We cannot come to him through our own reason or strength but to believe on him.
    -Evan-

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  13. Once I realize that I do nothing good, I can recieve forgiveness. Once I am forgiven, I can recieve the blessings that God has given me. I can enjoy my neighbor and not be caught up in myself. I can't do anything on my own, and that's why God gave me parents, teachers, and friends to remind me daily. Sometimes, after I do something stupid or say the first thing that pops into my head, I despair and realize that I can't do anything good, but after the Word of God comes to me through my parents, teachers, and even friends and I get forgiven, then I realize what blessings the Lord has given me. - AnnMarie

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  14. One thing that it could mean for me is that until something goes wrong in my life I won't even think about God. Christ can only be known though suffering and suffering comes though loving someone besides myself. At this point in my life I haven't suffered to much but my Dad said that it is okay because I am learning to love and care for people besides myself. And learning to love and care for my neighbors will help me know Christ.
    John O'Connor

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  15. Until I see how wicked I am I can't see how good God is toword me and that the only way to get saved is though God.
    Lenard Caputo

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  16. Until I see that there is none good in me I will not think I need God. But through daily baptism, I am reminded that I am totally depraved. Once I see that, I can be forgiven and can be now free to serve my neighbor. -Lauryn Caputo

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  17. Until a word from outside of ourselves is spoken then we can't see what the Lord has done for us. Once someone shows us our sin then we can see the goodness of the Lord.-Joel

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  18. God allows us to see our weakness and wrechedness so that we can get help from Him through our friends. - Leanna H.

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  19. It shows that God posseses all good things, and righteous things we would try to do ourselves would be vanity.

    Joshua Martucci

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  20. It is a lot like when we say that you can't get forgiven if you have no sin. The wisdom of ourselves is the wisdom of our desperate need for a Savior.

    John Williams

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  21. Until I can see that I have sin I will not look to God, but until I do I will look to my dad because he knows best

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