In Book 4 of the Institutes, John Calvin turns to the visible Church as our mother, the ordinary means by which God gathers, nourishes, and perfects his children. In Chapter 1 (Sections 4–5), he shows that there is no salvation outside the Church, that she is essential for our growth from infancy to maturity in faith, and that God has committed the ministry of the word to pastors and teachers so that we might be built up together in unity until we attain the full stature of Christ.

Today’s Readings

John Calvin — Institutes of the Christian Religion Book 4, Chapter 1 (Sections 4-5)

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