Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - Fallen Man Ought to Seek Redemption in Christ

After the fall of Adam, humanity underwent a radical transformation, perishing in Adam and losing its original excellence. This transgression resulted in estrangement from God, subjecting humanity to God's curse and the condemnation of conscience. Consequently, the natural world, once a means to know God, became obscured, and human minds and senses were corrupted, hindering a true perception of God. As Paul stated, the world did not know God through wisdom.Therefore, knowledge of God the Creator alone became insufficient for salvation. The sources emphatically state that apart from the Mediator, Jesus Christ, no saving knowledge of God exists after the fall. Christ himself defined eternal life as knowing the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. He is presented as the sole door to salvation.Even in the Old Covenant, God never showed favor nor gave hope of grace apart from the Mediator. The sacrifices of the law pointed to Christ's atonement, and the blessed state of the church was founded on Him. Prophecies concerning the Davidic kingdom consistently anticipated the coming Messiah as the source of deliverance and salvation. The faith and hope of believers in the Old Testament were directed towards this promise.Ultimately, faith in God is now inextricably linked to faith in Christ. Christ commanded belief in Himself as a pathway to believing in God. God's majesty is too lofty for fallen humanity to approach directly without the Mediator. As John stated, whoever does not have the Son does not have the Father. Thus, Christ as Mediator is absolutely essential for fallen humanity to know God as a gracious Father and to attain salvation.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianPatreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed