Hi Nort,

Human beings are passionate creatures made in God's image! Surely that is why God loves us so much, for our passion! God is a passionate being and wants us to love him passionately. Unfortunately our passions are misplaced onto the countless idols that stand in the way. God took on the fury of all those misplaced passions in Jesus Christ. Why else do we call Jesus' suffering, "The Passion"? Take away the false love object of people and they will hate you! Misplaced passion is ultimately destructive. I read Calvin, too, in seminary. He was passionate. He understood how the law does not inhibit passion but redirects it in fruitful ways beneficial to all. We are not supposed to throw out our passion with our idols, but to passionately love God!

Tad