Calvin In Context, quote.. from the book by David Steinmetz.
“The problem of the natural knowledge of God in Calvin’s theology was sharply posed in the 1930′s in a famous debate between Karl Barth and Emil Brunner. In a little book, Natur and Gnade, Brunner argued for what he called a “Christian natural theology.” By the use of this somewhat ambiguous phrase, Brunner meant to suggest that the image of God had not been completely destroyed by human sin and disobedience. Remnants of the image were still present in human nature and formed a point of contact for the gospel. Furthermore, the revelation of God in nature was not lost to Christians, who, by using the spectacles of Scripture, could once again know God in and through his works. In all these contentions Brunner claimed Calvin as his ally and mentor.
Calvin considers this remnant of the imago Dei to be of great importance. One might almost say it is one of the pillars supporting his theology, for it identifies it with nothing less than the entire human, rational nature, the immortal soul, the capacity for culture, the conscience, responsibility, the relation with God, which – though not redemptive – exists even in sin, language, the whole of cultural life.” (Emil Brunner and Karl Barth, Natural Theology, trans. Peter Fraenkel (LondonL Geoffrey Bles, 1946), p. 37.) – Calvin, in Context, David Steinmetz, Second Edition Oxford, 2010, p. 23.
From → Christology, Church, Revelation, Theology
I think here in Brunner, it is the “imago Dei”, i.e. the image of God, buried in man, but now unable with sin to see and respond, save by God’s common grace, but this is not salvation, or saving grace. That is given alone, to the “Elect” or chosen of God! Yes, here is always Divine Mystery!
Sadly however, we live in a time of even greater moral loss and order, and even the moral law of God is greatly diminished, often almost non-existent!
Here, in my view, sexual sin has become even more open, and vacant toward God, the loss of God’s conscience, in moral order. Let us not deceive ourselves however, the practice and love of sexual sin can lead to the loss of God! (1 Cor. 6: 9)
Lust & lechery are seen in Ezekiel 23, in sexual desire descriptive of Israel’s spiritual idolatry! And the physical desire, outside God’s design, simply leads one away from God’s good and moral order. This is the whole point, i.e. God’s moral and creational order! And we see this in Romans 1, also. As St. Paul knows, where there is moral & creational loss, there also, is the loss of God, spiritually.. “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18).
Btw, I was pressed to this last quote of mine, by the question asked: Does sexual sin, especially homosexual, lead to sin before God? I think the answer is obvious, if we believe Holy Scripture!