Institutes Chapter 5 first part

This chapter is important from the standpoint of apologetics and evangelism, Systematic Theology and Christian worship.  Let’s look at it.  It is divided into two parts.  The first part has to do with the evidence that exists for God.  The second part consists of a critique of those who reject the testimony God has made of Himself. 

Some Christians, upon a superficial reading of the topics to be introduced in this chapter will object because it refers to “proofs.”  They have learned that you cannot prove God, that the “Classical proofs” of God are inadequate for apologetics (the defense of the faith) because they are either rejected by unbelievers or because while they may prove something,  they fail to prove the God of Christianity.  Some, who aspire to be “presuppositionalist” in their apologetics (I am a presuppositionalist, by the way) mistakenly believe that presuppositionalists reject the use of evidences and proofs of the faith.  (For further correction of this error I refer the reader to Thom Notaro’s VanTil and the Use of Evidences.)  I believe that if one will take to heart just what Calvin is saying here it will result in a more accurate understanding of the proper use of the “proofs” God gives and their use.

It is important to start with seeing these proofs in their theological context.  God, says Calvin, is revealing Himself.  One thing that struck me about Calvin’s discussion of this revelation is right at the opening of the chapter.  I believe the opening words of this chapter are a very important and often neglected window for seeing that Calvin teaches a good will in God for the happiness of all men.  God has not created them in His image and in this God-revealing creation to be ignorant of Him, but to enjoy the “felicity” of knowing Him.  He does not hide Himself, but, Calvin says, “manifests his perfections in the whole structure of the universe and daily place himself in our view …. that none, however dull and illiterate, can plead ignorance as their excuse.”  He does this, again, “that none might be excluded from the means of obtaining felicity.”  Now, this does not answer all the questions about God’s revealed will and His sovereign decree, nor may it presented as a contradiction to the doctrines of a distinguishing unconditional election.  (i.e., it does not in the least provide the slightest space for the theological system known as Arminianism), but it does show that there is in some sense a will in God for the happiness of mankind as mankind.  Man’s ignorance of God is man’s willing fault and an insult to God’s goodness to him.  Calvin was no hyper-Calvinist.

I mentioned that this chapter is important for our worship of God.  After reading Calvin’s next point, the one beginning with the quotation of Psalm 104, why don’t you stop and sing a hymn or Psalm praising God for His creation, such as “I Sing the Almighty Power of God,” by Isaac Watts.  Here are the words—

1.         I sing the almighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,

            that spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies. 

            I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;

            the moon shines full at God's command, and all the stars obey. 

2.         I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,

who formed the creatures thru the Word, and then pronounced them good. 

            Lord, how thy wonders are displayed, where'er I turn my eye,

            if I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

3.         There's not a plant or flower below, but makes thy glories known,

            and clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from thy throne;

            while all that borrows life from thee is ever in thy care;

            and everywhere that we can be, thou, God, art present there.

If you can sing this and mean it, you are on a good way to understanding this chapter.  This brings up an important ingredient in our method of evangelism and for bringing up our children.  Let me explain a little of my history.  When I was saved on vacation at the age of ten, it was in a church other than the Methodist one I attended with my parents.  In my new church we sang songs about the cross and heaven, “Power in the Blood” and “I’ve Got a Mansion Over the Hilltop” and many similar, but only one, learned in vacation bible school, was about the creation.  It rightly said, “The Bible tells us of His power, and wisdom all way through, and every little bird and flower are testimonies too.”  A few years later I made mention of a hymn like the Watts one quoted above and was told by one of my teen buddies, “That’s a Methodist song.  We haven’t sung that since we left the Methodists and became Pentecostals.”  Well, I am not here seeking to start a discussion over denominational theologies but simply wishing to point out that the neglect of creation hymns and stories in evangelical churches in favor of redemption hymns and stories creates a distortion in the thinking of all.  Why?  Because, as Calvin has structured his Institutes to demonstrate, one does not know how to think about God the Redeemer and one’s relation to Him by the cross and the new birth, except upon the knowledge of God the Creator and one’s relationship to Him by creation.  That is,  I have to know that God is my Creator to whom I owe my being and worship and who I have sinned against before I will ever know or feel what is the enormity of the evil of my sin in sinning against Him.  Without these preparatory foundational convictions, I cannot really appreciate or understand the need or nature of Christ’s Person and Work in the incarnation and atonement.  So be sure your children study God’s wonderful creation and sing creation songs in worship.  It is only by appreciating these things that one can really make sense of John 3:16. 

 Calvin says that creation provides us with two kinds of proofs— A) the proofs that are visible to the scientist, i.e., the one who takes the time and effort to carefully examine the more hidden aspects of creation; and B) the proofs that even the youngest and most illiterate are exposed to every day and everywhere they look.  In my own experience, the reality of the first of these really hit me in college, at Penn State, in a course in Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy.  So, I can agree with Calvin’s reference to Galen.  Nowadays, the works of those scientists who point out the necessity of “intelligent design” in such things as cellular physiology are directing our attention to these proofs.  But, says Calvin, it doesn’t take such studies to behold the clear proofs of God’s wisdom and power.  As I was reading paragraph #3 I was reminded of Hamlet’s soliloquy, “What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!”  Calvin has taken a shared admiration of the human creature to its proper source, the admiration of the creator.  While we do well to point out the effects of sin in total depravity, Christians ought to be at the head of the line in the appreciation of the excellence of man.  Our mission involves showing unbelievers the ruin of man by sin, which we cannot do without compelling them to realize the splended creature he was created to be, much of which is indicated in the ruins that remain.  What remains is still a loud and clear testimony the Creator.  Note Calvin’s explanation of God as our Father here.  In a most important sense, God is the Father of Christians only.  When Jesus said, “I ascend to my Father and to your Father,” he was not making a contrast between the fatherhood of God to Himself vs. the fatherhood of God to His disciples, but emphasizing the common fatherhood of the Father to them both, together, with them being joint heirs with Him and possessing paternal blessings such as enjoyed by Jesus.  Clearly, Jesus’ words to his opponents, “You are of your father the devil,” show that there is a distinction to be drawn between the fatherhood of God to Christians and to non-Christians.  Many times we try to clarify and preserve the distinction by saying God is the Creator of non-Christians, but not the Father of them.  Calvin, however, says that being their Creator God is their Father.  No, Calvin is not unaware of the difference between non-regenerate and regenerate, he is simply pointing out that God has been a Father to all men, giving them life and showing them His paternal care and bounty.  Again, Calvin is arguing that men not only have reason to see that God is wise and powerful, but that He is good to them, and to respond in pious love and honor. “No one, indeed,” says Calvin, “will voluntarily and willingly devote himself to the service of God unless he has previously tasted his paternal love, and been thereby allured to love and reverence Him.”  That they do not do so is inexcusable madness, devilish pride, and shameful ingratitude.  We are not evolved slime, but fallen princes.

           

Next, Calvin says something very important from the standpoint of the defense of the faith and the use of these proofs in the defense of the faith.  First, he says, “they cannot but know that these are proofs of his Godhead, and yet they inwardly suppress them,” putting out “the light intended to exhibit God clearly to their minds.”  This is exactly in accord with the Word of God.   Then he makes an important observation, fundamental to the “presuppositional” approach of apologetics.  It is that the unbeliever is “not afraid to employ the seed of Deity deposited in human nature as a means of suppressing the name of God.”  He goes on to demonstrate this self-contradiction that exists in men when they endeavor to take things which are so many proofs of God, even those things which he accounts the greatest aspects of his humanity, and turn them against God.  Think about it. So, the presuppositionalist has, as one part of his strategy, the task of exposing this self-contradiction for what it is.  He not only presents these irrefutable self-testimonies of God, but argues that the unbeliever has no basis for not receiving them and is self-contradictory in rejecting them.  This has been justly called "pushing the antithesis."

 Just one more thing at this point (Calvin will return many times to these things) it is important to his argument, much in agreement with the apostle Paul, that the creation does not only reveal that God is, but what He is like.    For instance,--

  In regard to his power, how glorious the manifestations by which he urges us to the contemplation of himself; unless, indeed, we pretend not to know whose energy it is that by a word sustains the boundless fabric of the universe—at one time making heaven reverberate with thunder, sending forth the scorching lightning, and setting the whole atmosphere in a blaze; at another, causing the raging tempests to blow, and forthwith, in one moment, when it so pleases him, making a perfect calm; keeping the sea, which seems constantly threatening the earth with devastation, suspended as it were in air; at one time, lashing it into fury by the impetuosity of the winds; at another, appeasing its rage, and stilling all its waves.…  From the power of God we are naturally led to consider his eternity, since that from which all other things derive their origin must necessarily be self-existent and eternal. Moreover, if it be asked what cause induced him to create all things at first, and now inclines him to preserve them, we shall find that there could be no other cause than his own goodness. But if this is the only cause, nothing more should be required to draw forth our love towards him; every creature, as the Psalmist reminds us, participating in his mercy. “His tender mercies are over all his works,” (Ps. 145:9.)

Next time we will finish this chapter.