12. What do you understand by Divine Predestination? By Election? By Reprobation?
(a) God’s Counsel with respect to the eternal destiny of His moral and rational creatures. (b) It is the gracious and sovereign counsel of God whereby He ordained some to eternal life and glory. (c) It is the righteous and sovereign counsel of God whereby He ordained some to eternal damnation and punishment for their sin.
13. Can you prove the doctrine of Election from the Bible? Reprobation?
(a) Reprobation and Election: Rom. 9:13; 9:18; II Tim. 1:9; (b) Reprobation: Jude 1:4; Prov. 16:4; and many others.
14. Why does Chapter I begin with a statement of the sin of all men in Adam? Cf. Art. 1.
The purpose of the authors of the Canons was to portray the fallen human race. The Canons present the doctrine of election as the decree of God according to which He chose some to eternal life out of the fallen human race. It is the purpose of the Canons to prove that God could justly so choose some because He might have left all in their sin and condemnation.
15. What, according to this first article is the standpoint of the Canons? Supra- or Infralapsarian?
Supra holds that God’s Counsel was made before the foundation of the earth. Infra places the counsel of election after the fall and creation. The standpoint of the Canons is Infra.
16. Of what does Article 2 speak?
Of the manifestation of God’s love in sending His Son into the world for the salvation of them that believe. The Canons proceed in the following: (a) Man is fallen; (b) God saves them that believe in His Son; (c) God gives faith to the elect only who are called to faith by the Gospel.
17. Can men be saved outside of the sphere of the preaching of the Gospel?
There is no Scriptural ground for the position that even in the heathen world outside of the sphere of the Gospel there is salvation. On the contrary we may surely believe that God will send His Gospel where He has His elect. The apostles were sometimes forbidden to preach the Gospel in a certain place, while in other places they had to labor at length because of God’s elect there.
18. To whom is the Gospel preached? (Art. 3)
The Gospel is preached to whom, when, and where it pleases God. It is God that prepares to preach the Gospel. It is God, too, that in due time prepares and calls them to preach the Gospel.
19. Why is not the Gospel preached to all men? Why not only to elect?
The Gospel is not preached to all men, in fact, there are comparatively but few that ever heard it. Ultimately it must be preached to all nations, but it need not be preached to every individual. The positive reason for this is that the Gospel must be preached only in those places and at that time, where and when, God has His elect. The negative reason, that the whole world organically considered, may be condemned when its representatives to whom the Gospel is preached reject Christ. To condemn the world it is not necessary that Christ be preached to every individual reprobate. On the other hand, the Gospel is not to be preached to the elect only even if this were possible. God wills that also reprobates shall hear the Gospel in order that sin may become fully manifest as sin.
20. What distinction is caused by the preaching of the Gospel? (Art. 4)
The distinction caused by the preaching of the Gospel is that between faith and unbelief. By the preaching of the Gospel both election and reprobation are brought to the surface. Fierce conflict is the result, a conflict that culminates in the wars between Christ and Antichrist. II Corinthians 2:14-17.
21. What is the significance of the preaching of the Gospel for the reprobate unbeliever?
The significance of the preaching of the Gospel for the reprobate unbeliever is: (a) that it reveals the perverseness of the sinful nature; (b) that it hardens him in sin; (c) that it aggravates his guilt; (d) that it makes his condemnation and damnation more severe.
22. Are children also saved by means of the preaching of the Gospel if they die before the age of discretion?
Children are not saved through the preaching of the Gospel if they die before the age of self-consciousness. Regeneration, therefore, in the narrow sense, in them is certainly immediate.
23. What does it mean to receive and embrace Christ? (Art. 4)
There is a difference between receiving the Gospel of Christ and embracing Him. Receiving Him rather looks at the matter from the viewpoint of that act of Christ whereby He imparts Himself to us and He prepares a place for Himself in our hearts. Embracing or accepting Him considers the same matter from the viewpoint of the activity of saving faith whereby we appropriate Him as our personal Redeemer. The former is always first.
24. Whose is the guilt of unbelief? Whence is the gift of faith? (Art. 5)
The guilt of unbelief is of the sinner himself. The gift of faith is from God through His grace.
25. Why do some receive the gift of faith, others not? (Art. 6)
This is solely to be attributed to God’s Sovereign election and reprobation. No other consideration enters in. It is on this point that Reformed people radically differ from all others. Faith is not an occasion; it is not the condition; it is not the cause of election; but it is the fruit. Only when this is maintained can absolute predestination be accepted as the truth.
26. Which expressions in Art. 6 reveal the infra-lapsarian standpoint?
The infra standpoint is evidently taken from the following: “While He leaves the non-elect in His just judgment to their own wickedness and obduracy”. “And the righteous discrimination of men equally involved in ruin.” In the first expression the decree of reprobation is referred to as the leaving of the non-elect in their sin. This presupposes sin. God, therefore, saw in His decree the reprobate as fallen and the wicked presuppose sin before the decree is made. Both expressions are infra.
27. In what way do men wrest the doctrine of predestination to their own destruction? (Art. 6) I Pet. 3:16;
Men wrest the doctrine of predestination to their own destruction in Art. 6 is evidently taken from II Peter 3:16, “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.” The ungodly do this: (a) by answering against God, Rom. 9:19, for they manifest the spirit of rebellion; (b) by denying the truth and teaching free will. By doing this they set themselves against God’s works.
28. What is the unspeakable consolation of the doctrine of election to holy and pious souls? Who are these?
The unspeakable consolation of this doctrine to pious souls is that they are assured that nothing can separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord, Rom. 8:37-39. This consolation, however, does not rest in a natural and a doctrinal assurance, for this reason that it is only for the holy and pious souls, that is, for those believers that walk carefully sealing their faith and confession by a sanctified life and an earnest desire to walk in all good works. All believers are not always holy and pious souls, and even believers have this comfort only as they walk in holiness.
29. How does the infra-view appear in Article 7?
Article 7 states that election is the purpose of God whereby He hath chosen from the whole human race which had fallen through their own fault into sin. This is evidently the infra standpoint—”God chose from a fallen race“. The same is true of the following expression: “This elect number involved in one common misery God had decreed to give to Christ.”
30. Which other terms beside “purpose” can you find in Scripture for the Counsel of God? Eph. 1:4, 5, 9, 11; Rom. 11:5; Rom. 8:29;
Note the following: “He hath chosen us… Eph. 1:4; Predestination… Eph. 1:5; The good pleasure of His will… Eph. 1:5; Mystery of His will… Eph. 1:9; The Counsel of His own will… Eph. 1:11; The purpose of God according to His election… Rom. 8; Election of His grace… Rom. 11:5; Foreknowledge… Rom. 8:29.”
31. Enumerate the different elements in the definition in Art. 7.
(a) It is the unchangeable purpose of God; (b) It is unconditional (mere grace); (c) It is sovereign (sovereign good pleasure); (d) It is from the whole human race; (e) It is unto redemption in Christ; (f) Christ is the chief elect, appointed the Head over all.
32. Unto what blessings of grace did God elect His people? (Art. 7)
They were elected unto the following blessings: (a) to give to Christ; (b) to be saved (redeemed); (c) to be called and drawn into His communion; (d) faith; (e) justification; (f) sanctification; (g) preservation; (h) glorification.
33. What does Art. 8 emphasize? Why?
Art. 8 emphasizes the oneness and unchangeableness of the decree of election in opposition to the Arminians who spoke of various decrees of election, general and indefinite; particular and definite; and the latter conditional or unconditional unto faith and unto final glory according as God foresaw that men would believe or not believe; persevere or not persevere. The Arminians invented their theory because they wished to maintain that the ground and reason of election is in man. See B, 1, 2.
34. What does Art. 9 teach and against whom is it directed?
That election is ultimate. It is the foundation and final ground of our salvation. All the blessings of grace flow from it as its only source. Election is not based on anything in man which God foresaw. The latter is the teaching of the Arminians or Remonstrants against whom Art. 9 is directed.
35. What did the Arminians teach instead of “personal” election? (Art. 10)
The Arminians teach instead of a “personal” election, that God had not elected a definite number of persons known unto Him by name while He had rejected another number equally well-known unto Him; but that election means that He had determined upon certain qualities or actions of men with which man must comply in order to be saved. He might have chosen many things such as the law and the righteousness of the law as conditions of salvation. Instead He chose faith as the quality that must characterize the group that is to be saved. I, B, 3-5.
36. What is said of the doctrine of election in Art. 11?
The decrees of God are rooted in God’s Being Himself and are characterized by all God’s attributes. As God is unchangeable, so are His decrees. But the Arminians, making God’s decree dependent on changeable men, presented the matter of election as being itself changeable. (See I, B, 6). Hence, Art. 11 emphasizes the unchangeableness of God’s decree and of the number of the elect.
37. How may we come to a personal assurance of our own election? (Art. 11)
We may come to a personal assurance of our own election. The Arminians naturally deny that one could ever be certain of his election unto glory seeing it depends to the very last upon man’s own will and faithfulness whether or not he is elected. But the Reformed fathers who taught that faith, sanctification, and perseverance, are not the ground but the fruit of election, maintained that the Christian does become assured of his election by observing in himself these fruits. And this is also the teaching of Scripture. II Peter 5:1-10 teaches that we make our calling and election sure in the way of faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. For the Arminian denial, see I, B, 7.
38. Which fruits especially may assure us that God hath chosen us to salvation? (Art. 12)
The fruits that especially assure us that God has chosen us to salvation are enumerated in the article. We may notice that the article refers especially to inward spiritual fruits rather than to outward good works. And, again among these such as hunger and thirst after righteousness, filial fear and godly sorrow for sin are very important because the elect Christian remains sinful and imperfect until the day of his death. Hence, it is not perfection as a fruit but the inward spiritual attitude according to which we hate sin and long for perfection that may and does assure us of our election.
39. What should be the effect of the doctrine of election upon them that believe? (Art. 13) What is often alleged to be the effect?
The effect of the doctrine of election upon us should be daily humiliation before God and an earnest desire to walk in all good works and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. This is the fruit of the faith of election and personal assurance regarding it. For it causes us to acknowledge our own insignificance and the greatness of God’s mercy, and it is quite impossible that the doctrine of election should cause carelessness and carnal security in the elect. The Canons correctly emphasize that such profanity is never found with them that really believe their personal election but only with wanton triflers that boast of election but know nothing of the conscious joy of the assured Christian and have no desire at all to walk in the way of the elect.
40. Ought the doctrine of election to be preached? If so, how should it be done? (Art. 14)
The doctrine of election should be preached. Most certainly this doctrine must be preached and taught in the church. The Canons remark that the prophets declared the doctrine; Christ preached it; and so did the apostles. It does not then belong to the secret but to the revealed things. The article, however, emphasizes that it must be done with reverence and in the spirit of piety and discretion. A mere old discussion of the dogma of election is not preaching. It should be a spiritual testimony of the significance of which is realized by the people of God. Besides, it must be done at the proper time and place. That it is not a doctrine separated from the rest so that for instance, once a year a sermon is preached on the doctrine of predestination, but so that its proper connection with the whole of the truth becomes manifest. Nor must it be contradicted in the sermon which pretends to preach it. And the Canons finally mention that we must not curiously investigate the secret ways of God. So, for instance, we must not attempt to discover our personal election except in the way which God has ordained. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God.
41. What is the relation between the doctrine of election and other doctrines?
The relation is such that it is of central significance. By the acceptance or denial of election or reprobation, the entire system of the truth is affected. Just think of the doctrine of total depravity, of atonement, of regeneration, faith, conversion and the perseverance of the saints. Principally they all stand and fall according as we accept or deny the doctrine of predestination. Hence, our fathers were want to refer to this doctrine as “the heart of the church”.
42. Of what doctrine does Art. 15 speak? What is its standpoint?
Of the doctrine of reprobation. Its standpoint is decidedly infra as is evident from the expressions “passed by in the eternal decree” and “hath decreed to leave in the common misery”. However, the expression “passed by in the decree” does not mean that the reprobate have no place in the decree, but that God sovereignly decreed not to save them.
43. Does the doctrine of reprobation make God the author of sin? (Art. 15)
The doctrine of reprobation does not make God the author of sin, as we have noticed before. Nevertheless, it does not merely present Him as the righteous judge and avenger of sin as Art. 15 has it, but also as absolutely sovereign performing all His good pleasure.
44. What is the purpose of reprobation? (Art. 15)
The purpose of reprobation is, according to Art. 15, the revelation of the justice of God and no doubt this is also true, but it is not the entire truth. There is also, according to Scripture, another purpose which must not be overlooked. It is that reprobation must serve the realization of election as the chaff serves the wheat.
45. Who need not to be alarmed at the truth of reprobation? Who should? (Art. 16)
Those who do not discern the work of God’s grace but faithfully walk in the covenant way should not be alarmed at this doctrine. They have no reason to draw the conclusion that they belong to the reprobates even when they do not have sufficient light confidently to confess that they are of the elect. Neither must the imperfect children of God who are troubled by their sin draw such a conclusion but they that walk in sin and lead a carnal life can in that way never have any other testimony in their hearts than that of being reprobate.
46. What does Art. 17 say about children that die in infancy?
Article 17 on the surface appears to teach that all children of believers that die in infancy are surely saved. However, it may be remarked: (1) that for such an absolute statement there would be no ground in Scripture. The Bible certainly teaches that not all the children of believers are elect. (Rom. 9:6-8) Only the children of the promise are counted for the seed. This must also be born in mind when we read in Scripture that the children of believers are holy. The Bible does not clearly teach that all the children of believers that die in infancy are saved. (2) That, however, upon closer consideration it is evident that Art. 17 does not make such a statement: (a) it does not speak of all believers but of godly parents. That is, parents that walk in the way of God’s covenant, receive their children from Him in answer to their prayers, earnestly consecrates them to God and instructs them in the fear of the Lord, and (b) the article looks at the matter from the viewpoint of those parents and merely expresses that they have no reason to doubt the election and salvation of their infant children that have died.
47. Does the Bible teach anything definite with respect to this?
Yes! The above is also true here. The examples of David and his child that was taken away and the child of Jeroboam are not to the point in question. Jeroboam and his wife are not godly parents and not even believing parents; and David’s expression evidently merely means that he shall also die as his child died. He is not thinking of the child’s salvation. Hence, although we will not deny that such children are saved and surely believe that the elect among them are saved, yet, we would never assert without qualification that all such children are surely saved. It is our conviction that here we are dealing with a matter that strictly falls in the class of secret things that belong to the Lord our God.
48. What should be our answer to them that murmur at the doctrine of election? (Art. 18)
Our answer to them that murmur should not be an attempt to defend God. For instruction in the truth of predestination we can turn to Scripture and clearly show that the doctrine is Biblical. But, if anyone understanding the doctrine, murmurs at it, opposes it by human arguments, we should do as the Scripture does in Rom. 9 and appeal to the high sovereignty of God overagainst mere man.
49. To what should a believing contemplation of election and reprobation lead us? Why? (Art. 18)
A believing contemplation of the truth of election and reprobation leads us on the one hand to humble ourselves with thankful hearts; on the other hand, to glorify and adore the living God. The glory of God is the manifestations of His divine, infinite goodness; to glorify Him is to know that infinite goodness and to express it. There is no doctrine that so maintains that God is all and man is nothing than the doctrine of sovereign election and equally sovereign reprobation. It leaves God as God and puts man in the dust.