In God's School

Foundations for a Christian Life

Marcel, Griffith

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2009
• eBook ISBN: 9781498271479
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

In God's School (A L' Ecole de Dieu) is foundational Christian instruction. It follows the outline of John Calvin's Geneva Catechism along with the Heidelberg Catechism. According to the ancient practice of the church, In God's School instructs in doctrine, expounding the Apostles' Creed. It enriches common evangelical treatments of these subjects by including fine sections on the church and the ministry of Word and sacraments as means of grace. It lays out basic Christian ethics by expounding the Ten Commandments. It teaches Christian worship by explaining the Lord's Prayer. This book may be used over the course of a school year. Students read a chapter each week. It also familiarizes students with the fine catechetical materials of the Protestant Reformation. Each chapter is divided into daily readings that include Scripture, so the student receives doctrinal teaching along with daily Bible study. Perhaps the greatest strength of In God's School is the presentation of the Commandments and Prayer. John Calvin's stress on the grace of God shines through ethical exhortation. Maturity in Christ comes from a growing knowledge of God through the gospel of his Son, a clearer understanding of the life he calls us to walk before him, and the Spirit's love and strength. With spiritual wisdom and rigor, Pierre Marcel leads us in knowing God.

Part One

Lesson 2

The Misery of Man

SUMMARY: The law of God reveals to me my misery and sin. The holiness of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ shows better still the destructive work of sin in my spirit and in my heart.

Given over to my strength alone, I am inclined to evil and I am in­capable of doing good; I disobey without ceasing the holy, just and good will of my God; I bear in my body and in my soul the wages of my sins which lead me to suffering and to death, and expose me to the fearful consequen­ces of God’s indignation and judgment.

Bible readings for the week: Monday, Question 6: (1), (2), and Question 7: 1, 2. Tuesday, Question 9: 1, (2), 3, 4. Wednesday, Question 9: (5), 6, 7, (8), 9, 10. Thursday, Question 11: (1), 2, and Question 12: (1), 2, 3. Friday, Question 14: (1), 2, 3. Saturday, Question 15: 1, 2, (3).

6. How do you know of your misery?

By the law of God. “It is the law,” said Saint Paul, “which gives the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20). We feel in our conscience a testimony of this law.

Bible readings:

1. The law and the conscience: Romans 2:12–16.

2. Sin is manifested by the law: Romans 7:7–13.

7. What does the Law of God require of us?

Jesus Christ teaches us by the summary of the Law of which he reminds us in the Gospel:

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremo­st commandment; and a second is like it, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”. On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37–40; Luke 10:27).

I must recognize myself as guilty before my own conscience. And this in two respects: (1) for the things that it tells me I ought to do and I have not done. What are they? And (2) for the things which it forbids to me and I do in spite of it. What are thes­e?

But though the conscience is a universal “preaching” by God to the heart of all men, it is only a very imperfect testimony of the requirements of his Law revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

What are the sins that I presently know, revealed to me by the Law of God and which my conscience ignores? (Cf. Romans 7:7–1­3) Are there things which I love to do simply because God forbids them?

8. Can you keep all these commandments perfectly?

No, because I am not spontaneously inclined to love God and my neighbor.

As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become use­less; there is none who does good, there is not even one. There is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:10–12, 22, 23

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiv­ing ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to clea­nse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and his Word is not in us. 1 John 1:8–10; cf. Romans 8:7, 8, Ephesians 2:3, 4.

Bible readings:

1. We are all convicted of sin by the law: Romans 3:9–20.

2. I will, but I do not!: Romans 7:14–25.

9. Is the law the only means by which you have a knowledge of your misery?

No. I also receive a knowledge of great misery by the fact that God makes Himself known to me in the Scripture as the thrice-Holy God whose purity is infinite.

Bible readings:

The holiness of God reveals the sin of man.

1. Isaiah 6:1–7.

2. Daniel 10:4–12, 15–19.

3. Job 4:17–19, 15:14–16.

The knowledge of my misery and sin is even more clearly seen if I consider that Jesus, in his humanity, is like us in all things except sin. Every difference between Jesus the man and myself can be attributed to my sin. If I were not a sinner I would be identical to the man Jesus.

In measuring the abyss which separates me from my Savior, I measure too the greatness of my sin and the depth of my misery.

In the light of this revelation I understand that I do not possess in myself real love, that is, the purity and the humility that God requires of me. Instead of seeking his glory, I seek mine. Instead of living for him I live for myself. I do not operate out of love for God but love for myself.

Bible reading:

4. We do not seek the glory of God: John 5:41–47.

Sin creeps into every area of our life. By our own power we are not able to escape. We remain “carnal men” who only love our own selves. Our existence is nothing more than open or secret revolu­tion against God. We are all as straying sheep, each following his own way (cf. Isaiah 53:6).

Do you see that your situation before God is quite impossible, and that before his holiness you have only one alternative: you can revolt against Him in an act of despair or accept his judgment and confess your sin?

Bible readings:

5. The revolution of men: Isaiah 1:2–4.

6. They hate and run from the light: John 3:17–21; 7:7.

7. They speak and believe the lie: John 8:42–47.

8. They do not believe the truth: 2 Corinthians 4:3–5.

9. They disguise themselves as servants of righteousness: 2 Corinthians 11:15.

10. They make God a liar: 1 John 5:9–13.

10. Did God therefore create man so wicked and perverse?

No, on the contrary! God created man good and in his image (Genesis 1:26–27), in true righteousness and holiness, and in complete innocence, in order that he might love Him with all his heart and live with Him in eternal happiness, glorifying and praising Him.

Do you believe this is the reason that God gives you your life, why He created you?

11. What is the source of this corruption of man?

It comes from the disobedience...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Translator’s Preface
• Dr. Marcel’s Preface to the First Edition
• General Introduction
• Part One
• Part Two: Man’s Salvation and Faith in God
• Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed
• Part Three: Our Gratitude to God and The Works of Faith