What Humanity Was Before the Fall | John Calvin

Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Discussion of Human Nature as Created, of the Faculties of the Soul, of the Image of God, of Free Will, and of the Original Integrity of Man's Nature

John Calvin asserts that to possess a clear knowledge of God, one must understand human nature, distinguishing between man’s original upright condition and his subsequent corruption. He warns against attributing human defects to the Creator, as man came spotless from God’s hand. Man is comprised of a body and an immortal soul; the soul’s immortality is evidenced by the conscience, fear of divine judgment, and the mind's ability to conceive of the invisible.

Calvin identifies the "image of God" as residing primarily in the soul rather than the body, distinguishing humans from animals. This image originally consisted of spiritual integrity, right understanding, and the proper ordering of affections. However, the Fall corrupted this image, leaving only frightful deformity that can only be repaired through regeneration in Christ, who restores man to true righteousness, knowledge, and holiness. Calvin explicitly rejects the Manichaean error that the soul is a derivative of God’s essence, arguing instead that souls are created out of nothing.

Regarding the faculties of the soul, Calvin simplifies philosophical distinctions into two primary powers: understanding and will. The office of the understanding is to distinguish between good and evil to guide the soul, while the will chooses and follows what the understanding approves. In his original integrity, Adam possessed free will and the capacity to attain eternal life, with his reason and will perfectly aligned for obedience. Calvin notes that philosophers inevitably err in their discussions of free will because they seek it in man's current ruined state, failing to recognize that Adam's fall was a voluntary act that enslaved his posterity to corruption. Therefore, man voluntarily brought about his own destruction despite his excellent creation.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainer

Spotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdw

https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730