I classify the human race into two branches: The one consists of those who live by human standards, the other of those who live according to God’s will. I also call these two classes the two cities, speaking allegorically. By two cities I mean two societies of human beings, one of which is predestined to reign with God for all eternity, the other doomed to undergo eternal punishment with the devil.
God asks no man whether he will accept life. This is not the choice. You must take it. The only questions is how.
Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty.
Institutes , 1, 1, 3.
Indeed, the existence of fellowship within the Trinity (John 17:23-24) makes it evident that the creation of mankind was not intended to meet some deficiency in God. God was not lonely, bored, or incomplete before he created humanity. God is perfect in Himself, happy in the fellowship and love that exist from all eternity between the Father, Son, and Spirit. Thus, rather than being an attempt to make up for a lack within the Trinity, God created mankind simply because he delights in sharing Himself as an expression of his overflowing self-sufficiency.
The God of Promise and the Life of Faith, Crossway Books, 2001, p. 32.
It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways. …Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fears and timidity, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance. Yet despite these adverse characteristics Christ has chooses us, buys us, calls us by name, makes us His own and delights in caring for us.
A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Permission by Zondervan, www.zondervan.com, 1970, p. 7. Get this book!
There are only two kinds of men: the righteous, who believe themselves sinners; the rest, sinners who believe themselves righteous.
“Sinner” is a present-tense description of everyone, including those who have put their faith in Christ. Of course, those who have called Jesus “Lord” are justified, meaning that they are no longer guilty. Also, they have been given the Spirit, which makes them slaves to Christ rather than to sin. But we all are sinners. Perfection awaits eternity.
When People are Big and God is Small, P&R Publishing, 1997, p. 150. Used by Permission. Get this book!
