Grace

"We saw in the last chapter that, because death and corruption were gaining ever firmer hold on them, the human race was in process of destruction. Man, who was created in God's image and in his possession of reason reflected the very Word Himself, was disappearing, and the work of God was being undone. The law of death, which followed from the Transgression, prevailed upon us, and from it there was no escape. The thing that was happening was in truth both monstrous and unfitting. It would, of course, have been unthinkable that God should go back upon His word and that man, having transgressed, should not die; but it was equally monstrous that beings which once had shared the nature of the Word should perish and turn back again into non-existence through corruption. It was unworthy of the goodness of God that creatures made by Him should be brought to nothing through the deceit wrought upon man by the devil; and it was supremely unfitting that the work of God in mankind should disappear, either through their own negligence or through the deceit of evil spirits……. It was impossible, therefore, that God should leave man to be carried off by corruption, because it would be unfitting and unworthy of Himself." St. Athanasius

In Reformed theology I've heard it said many times that it would of been perfectly ok for God to leave mankind in their sin and not save them. So is that true? I've heard some outside Calvinism use such a statement in order to discredit Reformed theology in order to paint Calvin's God as a monster. 

So where is the truth in all of this? Well, I think that Athanasius sets forth perfectly what is found in Calvinism's preaching of the Gospel. Athanasius vivid painting of God's grace in the above passage is quite frankly beautiful. We in ourselves are undeserving of God love, but he has chosen through his grace to have mercy on his elect by sending his Son and through is sacrificial death, resurrection and the sending of his Spirit he is saving his people. Simply put. 

Question 30: Does God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery ?

Answer: God does not leave all men to perish in the estate of sin and misery,into which they fell by the breach of the first covenant, commonly called the covenant of works; but of his mere love and mercy delivers his elect out of it, and brings them into an estate of salvation by the second covenant,commonly called the covenant of grace. Westminster Larger Catechism