Everybody Knows God (even if they deny it)

      

Calvin’s Institutes, Reading #3, January 3, 2013                 Institutes I, iii, 1-3.

What Calvin proceeds to do in Chapter 3 is to reiterate the teaching of Scripture that God has so vividly revealed himself to us that nobody can possibly ever legitimately say, as I have heard more than one man argue, “you cannot prove the existence of God,” or “where is the evidence for the existence of God.”  Of course, whenever people say that they show that they are already in a state of denial, and unwarrantably demanding that God do more than He has already done to meet their arbitrarily imposed criterion of proof.

So, what does Calvin say here?  First, that we all have a knowledge of God, a sense, a feeling, of Deity.  We know it, as Calvin says, instinctively.  He will go on to prove this in this chapter.   Second, that this is endued by God.  It is, we might say, co-created with us as is our sense of self.  Third, there is a purpose to this indwelling and abiding sense of Deity, namely, to prevent us from pretending ignorance.  Fourth, God not only has created this sense, but He renews and enlarges it.  Every day God is exposing us to these created things which bear testimony to their creator, and, apart from some artificial contrary obstruction of their testimony their accumulated testimony will only increase the strength of that sense.  A scientist, whose mind is not trained to see every fact he observes through the spectacles of evolution will, with each discovery of the wonders of the cell will the more humbly acknowledge the awesome intelligence behind their design and, as we saw in the previous chapter, apart from the effects of the fall, would see that that creator was worthy of “piety.” Indeed, so clear and strong is this sense of deity in every man that it takes positive mental effort to put down the resultant voice of conscience which condemns us for a failure to turn that knowledge of God into love of God. 

As proof, Calvin offers the following arguments: 1) the universality of belief in some deity.  2) the improbability that men would opt for something so demeaning as idolatrous worship if he did not have an overriding sense that there is some god and that he is to be worshipped.

To the still oft repeated charge that religion was invented to keep the masses in line (“the opiate of the people”—Karl Marx), Calvin argues that it wouldn’t work at all if the people lacked the God-given sense of deity and even the most ardent opponent of the truth still can be found demonstrating a fear of divine punishment.  “The most audacious despiser of God is most easily disturbed, trembling at the sound of a falling leaf. How so, unless in vindication of the divine majesty, which smites their consciences the more strongly the more they endeavour to flee from it. They all, indeed, look out for hiding-places where they may conceal themselves from the presence of the Lord, and again efface it from their mind; but after all their efforts they remain caught within the net.” 

So, Calvin argues, every man has this sense of Deity and cannot rid himself of it.  He can make some progress at smothering it, drowning it out, as we see many do today with a myriad of distracting amusements, but he cannot eradicate it and it will always find a way to make itself heard.  For a great allegorical description of this read about the sad story of “Mr. Conscience” in John Bunyan’s Holy War.  He may, on the other hand endeavor to “shake off the knowledge of God,” that is, the true knowledge of the true God, by substituting false worship in its place. Nevertheless, it is never truly eradicated.

One way (among others) this truth is so practical is his comment that, “if all are born and live for the express purpose of learning to know God, and if the knowledge of God, in so far as it fails to produce this effect, is fleeting and vain, it is clear that all those who do not direct the whole thoughts and actions of their lives to this end fail to fulfil the law of their being.”  Wow!  Calvin is saying that if you don’t first and last and in between live for attaining the knowledge of God, you have utterly failed in your reason for being.  Well, the Apostle Paul would certainly have agreed with him. 

One last thought.  We see here several examples of Calvin’s familiarity with the ancient authors.  We will see more of a vast grasp of the writings of antiquity both Christian and Pagan.  Calvin is not averse to recognizing when the Pagans utter truth.  But, on the other hand, he does a great job of exposing their weaknesses in contrast to the truth of Christ.  This will prove to be such a great advantage to us.  Why?  Why does a man writing nearly 500 years ago about philosophy from well over 2000 years ago have anything to say to us in the 21t^st Century?  The short answer is that much of today’s thoughts, ideas, world and life view, etc., are actually re-plays of ancient Pagan ones.  So Calvin will appear to be quite relevant to us today.

That’s all for now.  Come back tomorrow after reading Chapter 4: 1-4, and share your thoughts.