Blog 159: 3.24.1 - 3.24.5

 "What else do prophets [pastors] do but continually preach God's free call?"  So Calvin ends paragraph 1 of this section on the thorny issue of election to salvation and of reprobation.   I was stumped by this.  Should we not juts substitute prophets with all who call themselves disciples of Christ?  This is the gospel of mercy, "nothing but God's free mercy" is how Calvin puts it; this is the gospel of unbounded grace; and this is the gospel of his "free goodness." 

No doubt you and I will read over these paragraphs to be equipped for a good theological debate-and who doesn't like one of those.  But could we just linger over this last line of Calvin's from 3.24.1?  I'll be the first to confess.  It calls me up way short.  What a gracious God we have.  What a privilege to be ministers of his gospel, whether or not we get paid for it.  Why do we neglect our duty?