Think Wink.

We are drawing to a close in this series as we have two more posts, one more after this post. We are examining Calvin’s arguments for OS, as found in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, in connection with Adam as a result of some discussion that started, or should I say restarted, at Theology for the Masses. In the previous post, after defining OS, Calvin briefly argued for the whole of man being corrupted by OS, not just a small part. In the next two sections, Calvin will examine how sin and our natures relate in light of this discussion. So now we look at ICR II.i.10.

Calvin opens up with an attack on what he has just argued for in this chapter of book two. “Now away with those persons who dare write God’s name upon their faults, because we declare that men are vicious by nature! They perversely search out God’s handiwork in their own pollution, when they ought rather to have sought it in that unimpaired and uncorrupted nature of Adam. Our destruction, therefore, comes from the guilt of our flesh, not from God, inasmuch as we have perished solely because he have degenerated from our original condition.” Calvin is reacting against the charge that he is saying that God is responsible for our fallen nature. He denies that but places the burden of our guilt upon ourselves. It is our fault that we are guilty of sin, not God’s fault.

Calvin continues, “Let no one grumble here that God could have provided better for our salvation if he had forestalled Adam’s fall. Pious minds ought to loathe this objection, because it manifests inordinate curiosity. Furthermore, the matter has to do with the secret of predestination, which will be discussed later in its proper place.” Again, God did what he did and let us not question what he did. That is “inordinate curiosity” to question God, to call him into court, about why he let Adam fall.

Instead Calvin admonishes us with this, “Let us accordingly remember to impute our ruin to depravity of nature, in order that we may not accuse God himself, the Author of nature. True, this deadly wound clings to nature, but it is a very important whether the wound has been inflicted from outside or has been present from the beginning. Yet it is evident that the wound was inflicted through sin. We have, therefore no reason to complain except against ourselves. Scripture has diligently noted this fact. For Ecclesiastes say: ‘This I know, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.’ [Ch. 7:29] Obviously, man’s ruin is to be ascribed to man alone; for he, having acquired righteousness by God’s kindness, has by his own folly sunk into vanity.” We must remember that we are responsible for our own demise. God cannot be blamed for our sin and condemnation to hell for eternity.

Calvin and Original Sin: Part 2

Calvin and Original Sin: Part 6

Calvin and Original Sin: Part 5