Nature points us the right way, but we get it wrong

In Chapter 5 Calvin explains that creation reveals the knowledge of God. Of course for Calvin, as we have seen, man cannot read what creation reveals properly. He basis this on Romans 1. However, this natural theology deepens man’s guilt. Footnote 2 reads, “Calvin holds God’s purpose in all revelation to be blessedness (cf. I. x. 2), but because of human sin, the effect of this revelation in creation is to deepen man’s guilt” (Pg. 51). Calvin basis this on Romans 1 too.

Here is the summary of chapter 5.

1. The universe and its ongoing order speaks out the knowledge of God. (Rom 1:20-21; Psalm 19).

On page 62 Calvin gives the great goal of natural revelation. “It is for us to contemplate him in his works whereby he renders himself near and familiar to us, and in some manner communicates himself.”

2. God is revealed in nature which strips man of all excuses. "Upon his individual works he has engraved unmistakable marks of His glory, so clear and so prominent that even unlettered and stupid folk cannot plead the excuse of ignorance (Ps 104:2-4; Ps 11:4; Heb 11:3; Ps 19)” (Pg. 52).

3. Due to human sin nature's revelation does not delight the unregenerate, but rather deepens and declares his guilt.

4. Nature talks to us, primarily about the wisdom of God and no where is this wisdom more prosperously displayed than in the being of man. Sadly however, though he is a "workshop graced with God's unnumbered works" (Pg. 53), sinful man denies and hates God.

5. Consequently, in this rebellion, this denial, or in what Calvin called “our stupidity" mankind grows “increasingly dull toward creation as revelation and these revelations then flow away without profiting us” (Pg. 63).

6. This “stupidity” is manifested by the myriad of people ascribing creation and the events of nature to fortune; or they delve into superstition and invent an immense crowd of idols; or the philosophers philosophize and end in error.

7. To persist in this error is to persist in pushing down the knowledge of God and substitute the true knowledge of God with man made opinions or feelings.

8. "To worship an unknown god (Acts 17:23) by chance is no light fault. Nevertheless, by Christ's own statement all who have not been taught from the law what god they ought to worship are guilty in this matter (Jn 4:22)" (Pg. 67).

9. Man, daily steals away the glory and praise God deserves when he holds down in unrighteousness, the truth God has displayed in nature. “Therefore we are justly denied every excuse when we stray off as wanderers and vagrants even though everything points out the right way” (Pg.69).

If we can’t see what creation actually shows we need God’s grace, God’s voice to come to us. That voice has come in the written and incarnate Word. Basically from chapter 6 to 15 Calvin deals with the revelation in Scripture. He deals with the incarnate word later. Interestingly, Karl Barth reverses this order in his Church Dogmatics.