calvin – the necessity of the church.

05Dec09

“as explained in the previous book, it is by the faith in the Gospel that Christ becomes ours and we are made partakers of the salvation and eternal blessedness brought by him. since, however, in our ignorance and sloth (to which i add fickleness of disposition) we need outward helps to beget and increase faith within us, and advance it to its goal, God has also added these aids that he may provide for our weakness. and in order that the preaching of the Gospel might flourish, he deposited this treasure in the church. he instituted “pastors and teachers” (Eph. 4:11) through whose lips he might teach his own; he furnished them with authority; finally, he omitted nothing that might make for holy agreement of faith and for right order. first of all, he instituted sacraments, which we who have experienced them feel to be highly useful aids to foster and strengthen faith. shut up as we are in the prison house of our flesh, we have not yet attained angelic rank. God therefore, in his wonderful providence accommodating himself to our capacity, has prescribed a way for us, though still far off, to draw near to him.”

- john calvin, institutes of the Christian religion