Whately: the future of Christianity

Tuesday, January 31, 2012
    Commemoration of John Bosco, Priest, Founder of the Salesian Teaching Order, 1888
Meditation:
    But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
    —1 Corinthians 15:23-24 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Meanwhile it is a great consolation to us to look forward, as I think we are authorized to do, to a time when not only the knowledge of the Gospel will be greatly extended, but also, the influence of the Gospel on Christians’ hearts, and tempers, and lives—“the knowledge and love of God,” and the “fruits of his Spirit,”—will be still much more increased;—when those who are Christians in name, will be much less disposed to content themselves with the name,—much more careful to be Christians in principle and in conduct, than the far greater part of them are now:—when Christians, generally, will not look, as they are apt to do now, on the Apostles and others of the early Church whom it is usual to distinguish by the title of Saint, as possessing a degree and a kind of Christian excellence which it would be vain and presumptuous for ordinary Christians to th! ink of equalling. (Continued tomorrow)
    ... Richard Whately (1787-1863), A View of the Scripture Revelations Concerning a Future State [1829], Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston, 1857, p. 158-159 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are our hope. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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