Saturday 19 December 2015

Chapter III The knowledge of God has been naturally implanted in the minds of men


1.       The character of this natural endowment

Calvin believes that in the human mind there is a natural awareness of divinity that has been planted there by God Himself.  As a progression from this human beings condemn themselves if they fail “to honour him and consecrate their lives to do His will”.  Any nation that does not honour God is therefore barbarous.  This is in agreement with the presupposition of Cicero in “On the nature of gods”  believing in a “sense of deity  inscribed in the hearts of all”.

The establishment of this comes through idolatry: for Calvin human beings prefer to worship wood and stone rather than admit or think that there is any god at all.  Thus Calvin believes that placing other creatures above themselves and turning them into gods is an unwilling human action.  Could this still be true today?  There are many who place other things far above any notion of god –could this be trying to hide from the knowledge of God that is naturally implanted?

May be the knowledge of God is so suppressed that it finds its way into aggression towards God and towards his representatives here on earth –those who actually do believe in Him?  Calvin believes it is impossible to erase the knowledge of God that is implanted in us: is that true for you?

Most people have moments of doubt: what brings you back to acknowledging God’s presence deep inside you?

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