John Calvin - "Ravening Wolves Who Wreak Havoc" - sermon on Galatians 6:12-13)
There are many today who do not know what they ought to do, and yet they say, ‘I fear conflict and differences of opinion, and the strife that has to be faced in this world.’ Some conclude that they must devote themselves fully to the Lord Jesus Christ, but there are others who follow a more gentle route, and who only desire a half-hearted transformation. Whom should I believe?
Simply open your eyes, for those who use such excuses are
not seeking to follow the truth. They are quite happy to veil their turpitude,
and to seek the flattery of others. But what do they gain? Satan is leading
them to perdition, and they desire to follow him! Because they fear what will
happen to them in life, they love the shadows, and devote themselves to
pleasure and comfort. They must therefore receive the payment that they
deserve. Those who deliberately become brutish in this way have been taken over
by Satan, Paul declares, and now remain perplexed, not knowing what to do. They
do not stop to think that those who simply preach the truth of the gospel are
not to be pliable people, but to pursue their course without worrying about
whether or not their doctrine is pleasing to everyone else. Since God has
commanded them to speak, they do so.
On the other hand, simpering people who say that we have to tread carefully and not ‘swing beyond our hinges’, who claim that it were better to be counterfeits, and double-minded; such people cannot be driven by zeal or affection for serving God. They do not consider either the edification or well-being of the church. In short, their only concern is that they might escape persecution, and retain their comforts; they do not want anyone to attack them. Now this is indeed worthy of note, for those today who remain in their nests and offend God have no excuse. Why? Because Paul gives us a sure mark which distinguishes the true servants of God from the hirelings from whom we are to flee; that is to say, those who seek only to feed their stomachs and enjoy the comforts of this world.
On the other hand, simpering people who say that we have to tread carefully and not ‘swing beyond our hinges’, who claim that it were better to be counterfeits, and double-minded; such people cannot be driven by zeal or affection for serving God. They do not consider either the edification or well-being of the church. In short, their only concern is that they might escape persecution, and retain their comforts; they do not want anyone to attack them. Now this is indeed worthy of note, for those today who remain in their nests and offend God have no excuse. Why? Because Paul gives us a sure mark which distinguishes the true servants of God from the hirelings from whom we are to flee; that is to say, those who seek only to feed their stomachs and enjoy the comforts of this world.
