[It Is Written Theme]
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>: It has stood 
the test of time.
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God's book, the Bible;
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still relevant  in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written, 
sharing hope around the globe.
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[sounds of thunder]
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[Serene melody]
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JB: This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me.
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If you live in the western
world  in the 21st century, the
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chances are you enjoy a certain
amount  of religious freedom.
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You're free to go to
church,  if you want to; or not,
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if you don't want to.
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You can believe the Bible to be 
your sacred text or the Koran or
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the Bhagavad Gita
 or something else,
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or you can ignore them all.
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You can be a Christian, Jewish, 
Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Atheist,
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whatever you please.
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You can be because you
 experience, you enjoy,
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religious freedom.
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But it hasn't
always  been that way.
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Think with me for a few minutes
 about where that religious
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freedom has come from.
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I'm in Geneva, Switzerland, 
at the site of the International
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Monument to the Protestant 
Reformation, otherwise known
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as the Reformers Wall.
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It was completed in 1909, 
the 400th anniversary of the
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birth of John Calvin, the great
 Reformer who helped to make
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the city of Geneva famous.
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And if you look at the Reformers
 Wall, across the top you see a
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certain phrase written in
Latin:  post tenebras lux.
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After darkness, light.
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And it was people like John 
Calvin who helped to cause light
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to shine into a world that until
 then had been full of darkness.
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In the Middle Ages, the
Roman  church, the Vatican City,
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was the ruling, dominant 
religious power in the world,
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and at that time there
 was nothing that really
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resembled religious freedom.
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Now, you were free
 to believe in God,
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you were free to
believe  certain teachings,
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as long as your beliefs 
and the teachings of the church
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were on the same page.
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If your views and the church's
 views digressed or diverged,
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you could be in real trouble.
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It could even 
cost you your life.
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That's where people 
like John Calvin came in.
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Gripped with a conviction that
 the Word of God should be the
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basis for a person's faith, 
they clung to the Word of God,
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believed the Word of God, 
they taught the Word of God,
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and the world would
never  be the same again.
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And you, as a result, 
have religious freedom today.
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This beautiful city, nestled
on  the shores of a spectacular
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lake, would prove to be a refuge
 for faithful worshipers of God
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throughout Europe, who fled 
their native lands so they could
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honor the Bible and the 
convictions of their hearts.
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And more than anyone else, 
the man who made this possible
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was John Calvin, 
one of the greatest
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of the Protestant Reformers.
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Our story starts with him.
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John Calvin was born about 60 
miles outside the city of Paris
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in France.
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He was the first of four
 children in his family to
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survive infancy, and his father 
was determined that he was going
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to have a son or sons who
would  study for the priesthood.
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John was a bright boy.
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At just the age of 12 
he was given a position
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of responsibility
 by a local bishop.
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And not long after,  he
was enrolled in university
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to study
philosophy  and to prepare
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for the priesthood.
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But his father got the idea that
 John could make a whole lot
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more money as a lawyer, so
John  changed directions and he
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enrolled again, this time
to  study law at a different
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college, in the year 1529.
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John loved the ancient classics,
 so he studied ancient Greek,
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and although he might not
have  realized it at the time,
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it prepared him for later 
understanding in a profound way
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the writings  in
the New Testament.
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But God had something other
than  a legal career in mind for
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young John Calvin.
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In 1533, he met Jesus for
the  first time, in a dramatic
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conversion experience.
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Reading his personal accounts of
 what happened, it appears that
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a long process of inner turmoil
 eventually led him to a sudden
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and total commitment to God
as  the Lord of his life and the
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arranger of his plans.
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It was about this time that
the  spirit of the Protestant
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Reformation, which had already
 begun with Martin Luther in
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Germany, began to
stir  in John's heart.
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As a result, he chose to leave
 the Roman Catholic church.
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You know, God will do
that in a  person's life.
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We make plans and have ideas and
 we're looking forward to the
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future, and then God intervenes
 and changes our direction.
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Sometimes that can come as
a  real surprise, particularly
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when it happens  in
your spiritual life.
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I was born into a certain faith,
 I discovered certain things,
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my friend brought
me  to this church.
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But then God reveals to you that
 He didn't bring you to where
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you are to stay
forever,  but he brought you
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to where you are so
that  you could learn enough
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to prepare you to move
on  and grow spiritually.
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And that's important.
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Now, in life generally it's 
right to make plans, it's right
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to have ideas and a direction 
for your future; but what's even
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more right is to submit
your  plans and ideas and your
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direction to God, because
God  may have another way.
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It might even be a better way.
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John Calvin found out that God's
 way was better, but certainly
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that God's way 
was more challenging.
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But submitted to God,
 Calvin lived the life
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God wanted him to live.
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And when we do that, 
we discover it's by far
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a more rewarding life.
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Then, in mid-October of 1534, 
something happened that altered
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John Calvin's life.
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A group of overzealous 
Protestants went around Paris
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posting placards attacking 
various Roman Catholic teachings
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and practices.
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They meant well enough, inasmuch
 as they thought they were doing
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something for the truth.
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But it was a foolish act that
 caused Catholic authorities
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around France to
react  violently.
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As a result, Calvin fled to
 Basil in Switzerland, a city
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with strong Protestant leanings.
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It isn't easy to know just how 
much damage was done to the work
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of the gospel by the posting
of  those placards in Paris.
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Evidently somebody didn't 
understand that even zeal for
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God really ought to be guided
by  the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
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Somebody succeeded in stirring a
 whole lot of anger, but God was
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no doubt more interested
 in stirring up hearts.
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That act of misguided enthusiasm
 set back the work of Reform.
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In fact, it no doubt had a 
negative impact on the future
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history of the nation of France.
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So, John Calvin had moved
into  Switzerland, and today in
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Switzerland his
image is etched  in stone.
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Now, for his image to be
etched  in stone, you know that
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something pretty remarkable
had  to have happened.
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And we'll find out what
that was  in just a moment.
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>: You are watching the weekly
 It Is Written program with
00:08:08.32\00:08:10.79
Pastor John Bradshaw,
 but did you know that
00:08:10.79\00:08:13.29
there's a daily program, too?
00:08:13.29\00:08:15.12
Every Word is a one-minute 
Bible-based daily devotional
00:08:15.12\00:08:18.86
presented by Pastor John 
Bradshaw and designed especially
00:08:18.86\00:08:22.00
for busy people like you.
00:08:22.00\00:08:23.80
Look for Every Word on selected
 networks, or watch it online
00:08:23.80\00:08:27.47
every day on our
website,  ItIsWritten.com.
00:08:27.47\00:08:30.91
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:08:30.91\00:08:32.67
Watch Every Word.
00:08:32.67\00:08:34.68
You'll be glad you did.
00:08:34.68\00:08:37.38
[Rythmic Melody]
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JB: There's a beautiful verse
 in the last chapter of the
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book of Daniel that shows us 
what a high value God places on
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people sharing their
faith in  God with others.
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It says in Daniel 12:3,
 "They that turn many to
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righteousness will shine as 
the stars for ever and ever."
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God says there's a special 
eternal blessing, or quality,
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about those who put an emphasis
 on winning souls to Christ.
00:09:04.41\00:09:07.94
And it's
something everyone  can do.
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That is, we can take the 
opportunities God brings to us
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to share our faith with others.
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Who is there in your life who 
might need to hear the good news
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of salvation through Jesus?
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Look for the opportunities
 God brings to you.
00:09:19.92\00:09:21.96
You can even pray that God would
 bring opportunities to you.
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Everyone you come in contact 
with is a potential soul for the
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kingdom of heaven, and those who
 win souls will shine forever.
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I'm John Bradshaw
 for It Is Written.
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Let's live today by every word.
00:09:34.77\00:09:37.47
JB: This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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It was while he was living in
 Basil, Switzerland, during the
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year 1536 that John Calvin 
published the first edition of
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his signature work, "Institutes
 of the Christian Religion."
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It was a hugely influential book
 and it's still read by theology
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students today.
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In a large degree, it outlined
 the theological positions taken
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by the major Protestant 
Reformers of that time, and one
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of the key subjects in the book
 is the subject of justification
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by faith alone; a major tenant
 of the Protestant Reformation
00:10:09.34\00:10:13.41
and a doctrine that
drove  Protestantism forward.
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It wasn't long after this
that  Calvin returned briefly to
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France, where his brother was in
 the process of settling their
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late father's financial affairs.
00:10:23.55\00:10:26.65
But the persecution of the 
Protestants was in full force in
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France just then, and so it was
 clear to John that he had no
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future in that country if he
was  to keep true to his faith.
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For a short time he fled to the
 city of Strasbourg, which then
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was on the border between France
 and the German states of the
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Holy Roman Empire.
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But due to both German and 
French pressure, Calvin was soon
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forced out of Strasbourg.
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Making a detour to the
south,  he ended up in Geneva.
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He'd only planned to
stay one  night in that city,
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but William Farrell, 
a fellow French Reformer
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who lived in Geneva, 
begged Calvin to stay.
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And so he did.
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The city of Geneva would
 never be the same again.
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Calvin's early experience
in  Geneva was a rocky one.
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Disagreements with other 
Protestants, together with the
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unease of the Geneva city 
councilmen who wanted a closer
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relationship with France, ended
 with Calvin and William Farrell
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fleeing to Basil, where Calvin
 had taken refuge once before.
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Soon he was invited to return
to  Strasbourg and take up the
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position of pastor at a
new  Protestant church there.
00:11:32.45\00:11:36.12
The city welcomed John to his 
new position, which he held from
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1538 to 1541.
00:11:38.73\00:11:41.70
Now, in 1541 the city leaders of
 Geneva came to the conclusion
00:11:41.70\00:11:45.80
that they'd been wrong to
force  John Calvin to leave.
00:11:45.80\00:11:49.34
Church attendance was down,
 political tensions had not
00:11:49.34\00:11:52.91
eased, and disputes
within  Protestant circles
00:11:52.91\00:11:55.91
were growing more serious.
00:11:55.91\00:11:57.51
So the city council decided
to  ask Calvin to come back.
00:11:57.51\00:12:01.42
But he wasn't
interested,  at all.
00:12:01.42\00:12:04.59
He wrote in reply, "Rather would
 I submit to death a hundred
00:12:04.59\00:12:09.09
times than to that cross on
 which I had to perish daily
00:12:09.09\00:12:13.90
a thousand times over."
00:12:13.90\00:12:16.67
But true to his
character,  the great Reformer
00:12:16.67\00:12:19.40
was determined to
follow  the Lord's leading,
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.60
even if it didn't
promise  to be pleasant.
00:12:21.60\00:12:24.21
So Calvin came back
from  Strasbourg to Geneva on
00:12:24.21\00:12:27.08
September 13, 1541, 
with an official escort
00:12:27.08\00:12:30.61
and a wagon for his family.
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.05
Calvin was one of those men
who  realized that God sometimes
00:12:33.05\00:12:35.85
brings responsibilities that 
promise more pain than pleasure.
00:12:35.85\00:12:40.69
With the cause and the work
of  God being the most important
00:12:40.86\00:12:43.39
thing in his life, he was 
willing to sacrifice his energy,
00:12:43.39\00:12:47.33
his talents, and even his peace
 of mind all because he believed
00:12:47.33\00:12:51.67
God was guiding him.
00:12:51.67\00:12:54.74
Calvin's life in
Geneva  was often hard.
00:12:54.74\00:12:58.47
He had few if any
worldly  possessions.
00:12:58.47\00:13:01.08
His house and his furniture
were  owned by the city council,
00:13:01.08\00:13:04.08
though the home was large enough
 to accommodate both John's
00:13:04.08\00:13:06.82
family and that of his brother.
00:13:06.82\00:13:09.65
In 1545, John's wife,
Idalette,  gave birth to a son,
00:13:09.65\00:13:13.32
who died soon after.
00:13:13.32\00:13:15.52
Four years later,  Ida
Litt also fell ill and died.
00:13:15.52\00:13:20.30
John Calvin was
heartbroken,  as you'd expect.
00:13:20.30\00:13:23.30
He later wrote of his sorrow.
00:13:23.30\00:13:24.90
He said, "I've been bereaved 
of the best friend of my life,
00:13:24.90\00:13:30.04
of one who had it been 
so ordained would willingly
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have shared not only my
poverty  but also my death.
00:13:33.44\00:13:37.55
During her life, she was the 
faithful helper of my ministry.
00:13:37.55\00:13:41.48
From her I never experienced
the  slightest hindrance."
00:13:41.48\00:13:46.92
John Calvin never did remarry,
 but the Lord gave him true
00:13:46.92\00:13:49.99
friends who kept close to his
 side for the rest of his life.
00:13:49.99\00:13:53.03
Among them were William
Farel,  Nicholas Cop, and Martin
00:13:53.03\00:13:56.77
Luther's young
protégé,  Philip Melanchto.
00:13:56.77\00:14:01.37
Calvin and the officials of 
Geneva put together a list of
00:14:01.37\00:14:04.04
reforms for the city, mainly as
 a means of distinguishing the
00:14:04.04\00:14:07.34
authority of the Church from
 that of the civil government.
00:14:07.34\00:14:11.85
Now this would often prove
to be  a difficult relationship,
00:14:11.85\00:14:15.35
but most of his efforts were
 directed toward establishing
00:14:15.35\00:14:18.22
order within the Church and
in  nurturing the faith that had
00:14:18.22\00:14:22.49
spawned the Reformation.
00:14:22.49\00:14:24.99
It is said that Calvin preached
 as many as 2,000 sermons
00:14:24.99\00:14:29.33
during his stay in Geneva.
00:14:29.33\00:14:31.23
Many of his sermons lasted
at  least an hour, and he never
00:14:31.23\00:14:34.74
preached with notes.
00:14:34.74\00:14:36.57
He was a man of deep learning
 and vast biblical knowledge.
00:14:36.57\00:14:41.24
But, John Calvin 
wasn't without his faults.
00:14:41.24\00:14:45.51
His understanding of the Bible 
included some surprising errors.
00:14:45.51\00:14:50.15
Calvin taught what
became known  as the Doctrine of
00:14:50.15\00:14:54.39
Predestination, the idea
that  God has decided in advance
00:14:54.39\00:14:58.86
who's going to be saved 
and who is going to be lost
00:14:58.86\00:15:01.96
and there's nothing
 you can do about it.
00:15:01.96\00:15:03.97
Now, it's hard to fathom how a
 man of Calvin's learning could
00:15:03.97\00:15:06.90
believe predestination, when
 there are texts in the Bible
00:15:06.90\00:15:10.41
like these:  "For
God so loved the world
00:15:10.41\00:15:13.41
that he gave his only 
begotten son, that whoever
00:15:13.41\00:15:17.21
believes in him 
should not perish
00:15:17.21\00:15:19.01
but have everlasting life."
00:15:19.01\00:15:20.58
That's John 3 verse 16.
00:15:20.58\00:15:22.38
"The Lord is not slack
 concerning his promise,
00:15:22.38\00:15:25.42
as some count slackness, 
but is longsuffering toward us,
00:15:25.42\00:15:29.09
not willing 
that any should perish
00:15:29.09\00:15:32.19
but that all should
come  to repentance."
00:15:32.19\00:15:35.06
2 Peter 3 verse 9.
00:15:35.06\00:15:37.63
"But he who endures to
the end  shall be saved."
00:15:37.63\00:15:41.67
Matthew 24 and verse 13.
00:15:41.67\00:15:44.24
"The spirit of the Bride say 
come, and let him who hears say
00:15:44.24\00:15:47.31
come, and let him who thirsts
 say come, and whoever desires,
00:15:47.31\00:15:51.95
let him take of  the
water of life freely."
00:15:51.95\00:15:54.58
Revelation 22 verse 17.
00:15:54.58\00:15:57.39
It's hard to read these verses 
and come away with the idea that
00:15:57.39\00:16:00.42
God has arbitrarily
chosen  some to be saved
00:16:00.42\00:16:03.46
and others to be lost.
00:16:03.46\00:16:05.33
The verses found in this book, 
the Bible, give every indication
00:16:05.33\00:16:08.83
that salvation is not only 
available to everybody, but that
00:16:08.83\00:16:11.87
somebody can in fact
 lose their salvation.
00:16:11.87\00:16:15.47
But unfortunately, that's
what  John Calvin believed.
00:16:15.47\00:16:18.74
And it hurt his influence with
 many people who otherwise might
00:16:18.74\00:16:22.81
have accepted his convictions.
00:16:22.81\00:16:25.15
Now, sometimes Calvin used
the  power of civil authority in
00:16:25.15\00:16:29.72
Geneva to punish those
who  disagreed with him
00:16:29.72\00:16:32.42
or threatened his power.
00:16:32.42\00:16:34.26
There was one man by the name of
 Jacques Gruet, who was accused
00:16:34.26\00:16:37.19
of plotting against
 Calvin's authority.
00:16:37.19\00:16:39.93
He was even
subjected  to torture
00:16:39.93\00:16:42.53
as a means of getting him
to  confess was he'd done.
00:16:42.53\00:16:45.27
He was later
condemned to death  and beheaded
00:16:45.27\00:16:48.70
with Calvin's
consent,  on July 26, 1547.
00:16:48.70\00:16:52.67
Now, perhaps the most famous
 example of Calvin's misuse of
00:16:52.67\00:16:55.61
power was in the
case of  Michael Servetus,
00:16:55.61\00:16:59.35
a Spanish physician  and
theologian who disagreed on
00:16:59.35\00:17:02.38
Calvin on doctrines such as
the  Trinity and infant baptism.
00:17:02.38\00:17:05.72
He'd already been sentenced to 
death by burning at the stake in
00:17:05.72\00:17:08.42
the city of Vienna,
Austria,  but he escaped.
00:17:08.42\00:17:12.13
On his way to Italy, he stopped
 in Geneva and he was arrested
00:17:12.13\00:17:16.63
and tried for heresy.
00:17:16.63\00:17:18.73
On October 20, 1553, Servetus 
was condemned for his beliefs by
00:17:18.73\00:17:22.80
the city council of Geneva, and
 the following day he was again
00:17:22.80\00:17:26.51
sentenced to be
burned  at the stake.
00:17:26.51\00:17:29.81
It was October 27, 1553, 
when this terrible sentence
00:17:29.81\00:17:35.02
was carried out.
00:17:35.02\00:17:36.45
[somber music]
00:17:36.45\00:17:41.32
? I fear no foe, ?  ?
with Thee at hand to bless; ?
00:17:41.69\00:17:52.00
? Ills have no weight, ? 
? and tears no bitterness. ?
00:17:52.00\00:18:03.61
? Where is death's sting? ? 
? Where, grave, thy victory? ?
00:18:03.61\00:18:14.96
? I triumph still, if
Thou ?  ? abide with me. ?
00:18:14.96\00:18:36.34
JB: If you're looking for
the  security of salvation,
00:18:48.52\00:18:50.86
let me suggest that you call 
and request today's free book,
00:18:50.86\00:18:54.13
"Steps to Christ."
00:18:54.13\00:18:55.80
This book will help you in
your  daily walk with Jesus.
00:18:55.80\00:18:59.23
Please call or write us
and  "Steps to Christ" will be
00:18:59.23\00:19:02.87
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00:19:02.87\00:19:04.37
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00:19:04.37\00:19:06.98
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00:19:06.98\00:19:09.08
Just call 1 (800)
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00:19:09.08\00:19:13.88
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00:19:13.88\00:19:15.78
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00:19:15.78\00:19:18.02
They may be busy,  so
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00:19:18.02\00:19:20.92
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00:19:20.92\00:19:23.89
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00:19:23.89\00:19:26.46
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and we'll mail a copy to your
00:19:26.46\00:19:30.80
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For immediate access, you
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00:19:38.81\00:19:41.64
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00:20:57.72\00:21:05.29
[Folk tune]
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.90
JB: John Calvin's shortcomings,
 his errors, if you like,
00:21:19.41\00:21:22.71
reveal to us a couple
of  very important things.
00:21:22.71\00:21:25.38
One is that God uses
flawed,  imperfect people
00:21:25.38\00:21:29.55
to get His work done.
00:21:29.55\00:21:31.12
And God will use 
who He has to use,
00:21:31.12\00:21:33.82
those who are
willing  to be used by Him.
00:21:33.82\00:21:36.59
Another thing Calvin's 
experience teaches us is,
00:21:36.59\00:21:40.10
as profoundly important
 as the Reformation was,
00:21:40.10\00:21:42.46
as outstanding as the 
Reformers themselves were,
00:21:42.46\00:21:46.63
the work of the
Reformation  is not over.
00:21:46.63\00:21:49.54
There's still work
that needs to  be done.
00:21:49.54\00:21:52.87
The Bible tells us
in  Acts 17 verse 30,
00:21:53.41\00:21:56.64
that God winks at the 
times of our ignorance.
00:21:56.64\00:21:59.55
We also read in  the
epistle of James that
00:21:59.55\00:22:02.35
"To him who knows to do
good  and does not do it,
00:22:02.35\00:22:06.12
to him it is sin."
00:22:06.12\00:22:07.96
James 4:17.
00:22:07.96\00:22:10.66
In the book of Proverbs,
 the wise man declares,
00:22:10.93\00:22:13.86
"But the path of the
just  is like the shining sun
00:22:13.86\00:22:16.93
that shines even
brighter  unto the perfect day."
00:22:16.93\00:22:20.37
Proverbs 4:18.
00:22:20.37\00:22:22.47
The work of the Protestant
 Reformation is not over,
00:22:22.47\00:22:25.87
it still needs to be finished.
00:22:25.87\00:22:28.54
God doesn't hold men and
women  accountable for believing
00:22:28.54\00:22:31.65
or doing wrong  when
they don't know better.
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.82
The God of Scripture is 
infinitely fair in His judgment
00:22:34.82\00:22:39.32
of every case.
00:22:39.32\00:22:41.22
[Pensive Melody]
00:22:41.22\00:22:44.59
Geneva and Lake Geneva are 
especially beautiful, but during
00:22:46.13\00:22:50.77
the Reformation people flocked
 here not because of the beauty
00:22:50.77\00:22:53.30
of the area but because of the
 protection it provided from the
00:22:53.30\00:22:56.67
wrath of the established Church.
00:22:56.67\00:22:58.74
Now true, there were disputes
 from time to time among the
00:22:58.74\00:23:00.91
refugees who came here, but that
 didn't stop people from many
00:23:00.91\00:23:05.11
lands from seeking shelter here.
00:23:05.11\00:23:07.92
Shelter from a storm
of  persecution that raged
00:23:07.92\00:23:11.62
throughout Europe.
00:23:11.62\00:23:14.76
The natural fortifications
 of this community,
00:23:14.79\00:23:17.93
the towering Alps  and
rugged terrain, gave an
00:23:17.93\00:23:21.03
added protection to Geneva and
 to the rest of Switzerland when
00:23:21.03\00:23:25.43
foreign powers
threatened  their security.
00:23:25.43\00:23:28.84
When the French king Louis XIV
 reopened persecution of French
00:23:28.84\00:23:32.37
Protestants in 1685, the city of
 Geneva was quick to invite and
00:23:32.37\00:23:37.35
welcome all who sought refuge.
00:23:37.35\00:23:40.65
The faithful, Bible-believing 
Waldenses also found a home here
00:23:40.65\00:23:44.55
in a time of crisis.
00:23:44.55\00:23:46.96
More than a hundred years after
 John Calvin's death, the Alpine
00:23:46.96\00:23:51.16
valleys where the Waldenses had
 lived for centuries were stolen
00:23:51.16\00:23:55.30
by their enemies.
00:23:55.30\00:23:57.03
These faithful Christians
saw  their possessions plundered
00:23:57.03\00:24:01.10
and most of their
people  slaughtered.
00:24:01.10\00:24:04.34
The 12,000 or more who survived
 were thrown into prison,
00:24:04.34\00:24:08.18
most of them 
destined to die there.
00:24:08.18\00:24:12.58
Those who were released
were not  permitted to return
00:24:18.25\00:24:22.12
to their native
valleys  in northern Europe,
00:24:22.12\00:24:24.89
they were expelled from 
Italy even though the mountain
00:24:24.89\00:24:28.16
passes out of Italy were
clogged  with heavy snow.
00:24:28.16\00:24:32.30
It was, after
all,  late December.
00:24:32.30\00:24:35.57
But those 3,000 decided
that  they had to get to Geneva.
00:24:35.57\00:24:40.51
So they braved the brutal 
weather, they trudged through
00:24:40.51\00:24:43.71
the snow, and they made it.
00:24:43.71\00:24:46.51
They made it here, and
what a  welcome they received.
00:24:46.51\00:24:50.82
It is said that half of
the city  of Geneva turned out
00:24:50.82\00:24:54.26
to welcome them.
00:24:54.26\00:24:56.12
And they received
food  and clothing
00:24:56.12\00:24:58.93
and medical care  and shelter.
00:24:58.93\00:25:01.76
They received just about
every  kind of hospitality
00:25:01.76\00:25:04.23
you could imagine.
00:25:04.23\00:25:05.93
Heroes they were, 
they risked their lives
00:25:05.93\00:25:09.34
for one thing:  They
had to get to the place
00:25:09.34\00:25:13.64
where they could embrace 
the Bible and live their faith.
00:25:13.64\00:25:17.05
They had to get to the
place  where they would be free
00:25:17.05\00:25:20.38
to worship the God
 that loved them so.
00:25:20.38\00:25:23.52
They were driven by that.
00:25:23.52\00:25:25.79
They had to get to that place.
00:25:25.79\00:25:29.12
You know, it reminds me
of  Proverbs 18 and verse 10,
00:25:29.12\00:25:31.59
which says, 
"The name of the Lord
00:25:31.59\00:25:34.26
is a strong tower.
00:25:34.26\00:25:35.80
The righteous runneth
into it  and is safe."
00:25:35.80\00:25:40.37
Jesus is that safe
place  for you and me.
00:25:40.37\00:25:44.91
These brave souls 
had to get to Geneva,
00:25:44.91\00:25:47.14
this wonderful city
 that opened its arms
00:25:47.14\00:25:49.44
and embraced them, 
protected them, and kept them.
00:25:49.44\00:25:52.55
In the same way,  we
have to get to Jesus.
00:25:52.55\00:25:55.85
He's our safety, He's our hope.
00:25:55.85\00:25:59.69
These hardy, brave heroic souls 
demonstrated that truth matters.
00:25:59.69\00:26:03.69
It matters what you believe.
00:26:03.69\00:26:05.36
And it matters that
you live  what you believe.
00:26:05.36\00:26:08.06
So, how is it with you, friend?
00:26:08.06\00:26:10.50
Are you living what you believe.
00:26:10.50\00:26:12.10
You know Jesus is  the
Savior of all the world,
00:26:12.10\00:26:14.67
but are you living that belief?
00:26:14.67\00:26:16.07
You know the Bible
 is the Word of God,
00:26:16.07\00:26:18.37
but are you living that belief?
00:26:18.37\00:26:19.47
You know that God will forgive
 your sins and on top of that
00:26:19.47\00:26:23.01
give you a new heart that will
 keep you from going back into
00:26:23.01\00:26:26.28
the old ways,  but
are you living that?
00:26:26.28\00:26:29.88
You can live that today.
00:26:29.88\00:26:30.99
In fact, God can do that
work  and live that in you.
00:26:30.99\00:26:36.59
It's what He wants to do; 
it's what He delights to do;
00:26:36.59\00:26:40.86
it's what He will do, 
when you let Him do it.
00:26:40.86\00:26:43.80
Let's pray
together now,  shall we?
00:26:43.80\00:26:45.70
Our father in heaven, 
we are thankful for Jesus,
00:26:45.70\00:26:48.70
our example in all things.
00:26:48.70\00:26:50.84
We're thankful too  for
the example of the Reformers
00:26:50.84\00:26:54.24
and the brave
souls  who emulated them
00:26:54.24\00:26:56.48
and followed their lead 
and were faithful and true
00:26:56.48\00:26:59.38
to the teachings of the Bible.
00:26:59.38\00:27:01.12
You've given us Your Word to 
keep us, inform us, and guide us
00:27:01.12\00:27:05.42
down in what we
believe to be  the closing days
00:27:05.42\00:27:07.62
of this earth's history.
00:27:07.62\00:27:09.36
So let that work be done.
00:27:09.36\00:27:11.89
You know we are
weak,  but You've promised
00:27:11.89\00:27:13.90
that Your strength is 
made perfect in weakness,
00:27:13.90\00:27:17.17
and You've promised 
that the One who has begun
00:27:17.17\00:27:19.40
a good work in us  is
faithful to perform it
00:27:19.40\00:27:21.97
to the day of Jesus Christ.
00:27:21.97\00:27:23.77
Fill us with Your faith, 
Your Spirit and Your love,
00:27:23.77\00:27:26.98
we pray.
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.34
In Jesus' name.
00:27:28.34\00:27:30.08
Amen.
00:27:30.08\00:27:33.25
[Tender music]
00:27:35.15\00:27:39.15
JB: Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:48.33\00:27:49.66
I look forward  to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:49.66\00:27:51.77
Until then,
remember,  It is written,
00:27:51.77\00:27:55.87
man shall not
live  by bread alone,
00:27:55.87\00:27:59.11
but by every word  that proceeds
00:27:59.11\00:28:02.01
from the mouth of God.
00:28:02.01\00:28:03.91
? [Closing Theme] ?
00:28:03.91\00:28:08.22