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Christianity Today, April, 2009 |

RE-FORMED

The Real Prosperity Gospel

God's ways may be hidden, but his purpose for us is not.

John Calvin with Knox Bucer-Beza | posted 4/21/2009 08:40AM

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Following our Savior, we endure the cross in this life in order to reign with Christ in glory. God does not call his people to triumph before he has exercised them in the warfare of suffering.

Our salvation and reconciliation to God in Christ is more important than any present happiness. It is far better for the children of God to be blessed, though mutilated and half-destroyed, than to desire that peace in which they shall fall asleep. Our ultimate security and prosperity is found only in Christ and will be fully realized only in glory.

John Calvin is the author of The Institutes of the Christian Religion and commentaries on most books of the Bible, both of which were sources of this column, adapted and paraphrased by a member of the Calvinist family of faith.

Related Elsewhere:

John Calvin's first column debated earlier this year:

Reverence for the Mystery | God does not have to answer to us for his ways. (February 2009)

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April 2009, Vol. 53, No. 4

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CBob	Posted: April 29, 2009 6:37 PM


Show me a full-blown Calvinist - one who denies free-will - and I will show you someone who makes decisions as if there is.

Lil	Posted: April 28, 2009 7:58 PM

Our trials come to make us stronger in the Lord. No cross no crown. Our days are short and full of trouble. No matter what we go thru, all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Our true desire is in the Lord and not things. We should seek the Lord first and all these other things will be given us. Seeking prosperity and things rather than God will sometime lead those things to become idols in our life. Anything a person loves more than God is acually an idol in that person life. We just need to keep trusting in God. He is in control of all things. When we know that He keeps us in His care, we will be at peace and no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in we won't crumble.

TJ	Posted: April 27, 2009 12:06 PM


A perfect article.

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