Saturday, 17 September 2016

2. the divine wisdom displayed for all to see



Observation through science (for Calvin) declares God’s wisdom as does observation “by untutored and ignorant persons”.  Does our world view observation by those who are scientists with such high esteem as those who are not educated in this way?  Does the modern mind always seek more sophisticated or exact knowledge?

How then do we view the human body? Calvin says the following about the human body  “a composition so ingenious that its Artificer is rightly judged a wonder worker”.  Many people would not see their bodies in this way for the media tell us that we are masters of our own bodies and our destiny.  No wonder the song “I did it my way” is so popular for funerals.  Can you imagine what Calvin would have thought of that?

What do we understand by the word “Artificer”? It is not commonly used day by day in the twenty first century.  The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as follows: craftsman, skilled mechanic in the army or navy.  How do we relate that definition to almighty God?  Perhaps some component is the ordering and discipline exerted by the natural world.  Predator prey relationships ensure that populations do not become too large.  Chromosomal segregation upholds the transfer of genes from parent to progeny and so on.  May be also there is a sense that God is in overall charge as a  craftsman can fashion whatever he desires from the material he works with or as a naval  commander has authority over a ship.

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