John Calvin's Quote on Prosperity, Adversity and the Christian Life

Looking at this quote by John Calvin, this phrase fully agrees with the Bible to why we are even tested.  Based on my experience as a born again Christian, it's much easier to stay faithful when I am in danger than I am in prosperity.  Why is that?  Remember that even when a Christian is saved, they still have the flesh to struggle with and remember, the old nature has always been about "Me, myself and I." instead of "Father, Son and Spirit".  Even after a person accepts their own works cannot save, they can still become braggarts and say, "I did it!"

The Reformers were simply, "Sola Deo Gloria" or "Glory to God alone."  The problem is when a Christian faces too many successes, they end up undoing what they do for God.  I felt it myself that after some victory, it's very difficult to give the glory back to God.  So what does God do?  He uses adversity to remind us of Isaiah 42:8 saying that He will not give His glory to another neither share His praise to graven images.  Graven images do not only limit themselves to the use of idols to worship other gods or the images of saints and angels in Roman Catholicism.  Sometimes, some people can be as stupid to magnify their portraits to make others recognize their glory rather than give the glory back to God either in the newspapers, magazines or billboards,  Believe me, God will not share His glory with our self-portraits for publicity either.

What I learned is that from adversity rather than prosperity is when my faith is strengthened.  The faith of man is never strengthened in the grounds of ease.  When does a Christian's true color show?  Not when it's comforting and when the worldly love him or her.  Let a group of ISIS or Communists barge in and shoot the Christians, that timid Christian who was so comfortable may soon be bolder when persecution comes.  When the gun and the knife wasn't around, the Christian may be afraid to speak for Jesus but when the real threat comes, he or she by God's grace chooses to lose everything for Christ's sake.

Sola Deo Gloria, Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam!  And no, the Jesuits don't deserve to wear Ad Maoirem Dei Gloriam but only Ad Maoirem Jesuit Gloriam.