Is God Fair?

Calvin's Institutes I.V.11-12
Calvin lays into the foolishness of man. In his corruption he cannot look at creation and see the Creator. Rather, the human mind, being a labyrinth of confusion and frustration, makes up its own philosophies on life. There is a multitude of such philosophies too many to list, so Calvin limits his attacks to well known philosophers such as Plato. He sees such men as having no excuse before God.

This line of thinking reminds me of the often-heard complaint amongst some evangelicals and others that it is not fair that God should condemn those who have not heard the gospel. For example, isn’t some tribe in some remote part of the world that has not had a missionary sent to it less culpable than those of us who have received the gospel. Indeed, will God not save them because in their best efforts they are sincere?

Such an argument does not recognise the fundamental problem of the corruption of the human heart. As we have seen creation does attest to a God of wisdom, might and power. God’s works attest to his providential care, which reveal a future hope for the righteous. Yet all of this is denied by the human mind. It is that denial that is the undoing of all men and women before God, not the lack of hearing the gospel.