The Westminster Confession of Faith: A Compartmentalized Theology

This study will examine and evaluate Chapter I of the Westminster Confession:
(The Westminster Assembly, 1646)


CHAP. I. - Of the Holy Scripture.

1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manner, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.

2. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these,

OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
The Song of Songs
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Gospels according to:
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John

The Acts of the Apostles
Paul's Epistles to the Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Phillipians
Colossians
I Thessalonians
II Thessalonians
I Timothy
II Timothy
Titus
Philemon
The Epistle to the Hebrews
The Epistle of James
I and II Epistles of Peter
I, II, and III Epistles of John
The Epistle of Jude
The Revelation of John

All which are given by inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.

3. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.

4. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man, or Church; but wholly upon God (who is truth itself) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

5. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverend esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

6. The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.

7. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all: yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.

8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.

9. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.

10. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.



Predecessors of this chapter of the Westminster Confession, from which much of it is copied:


IRISH ARTICLES OF RELIGION
(Irish Episcopal Archbishop James Ussher, 1615)


Of the Holy Scripture and the three Creeds.


1. The ground of our Religion, and rule of faith and all saving truth is the word of God contained in the Holy Scripture.


2. By the name of Holy Scripture we understand all the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, namely:


Of the Old Testament Of the New Testament

The 5 Books of Moses
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
The first and second of Samuel
The first and second of Kings
The first and second of Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
The Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah, his Prophecy and Lamentation
Ezekiel
Daniel
The 12 Minor Prophets

The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
The Acts of the Apostles
The Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans
Corinthians, 2
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
Thessalonians, 2
Timothy 2
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
The Epistle of S. James
Saint Peter, 2
Saint John, 3.
Saint Jude
The Revelation of S. John


All which we acknowledge to be given by the inspiration of God, and in that regard to be of most certain credit and highest authority.


3. The other Books commonly called Apocryphal did not proceed from such inspiration and therefore are not of sufficient authority to establish any point of doctrine; but the Church doth read them as Books containing many worthy things for example of life and instruction of manners.

Such are these following:

· The third book of Esdras.
· The fourth book of Esdras.
· The book of Tobias.
· The book of Judith.
· Additions to the book of Esther.
· The book of Wisdom.
· The book of Jesus, the Son of Sirach, called Ecclesiasticus.
· Baruch, with the Epistle of Jeremiah.
· The song of the three Children.
· Susanna.
· Bel and the Dragon.
· The prayer of Manasses.
· The First book of Maccabees.
· The Second book of Maccabees.


4. The Scriptures ought to be translated out of the original tongues into all languages for the common use of all men: neither is any person to be discouraged from reading the Bible in such a language as he doth understand, but seriously exhorted to read the same with great humility and reverence, as a special means to bring him to the true knowledge of God and of his own duty.


5. Although there be some hard things in the Scripture (especially such as have proper relation to the times in which they were first uttered, and prophesies of things which were afterwards to be fulfilled), yet all things necessary to be known unto everlasting salvation are clearly delivered therein: and nothing of that kind is spoken under dark mysteries in one place, which is not in other places spoken more familiarly and plainly to the capacity of learned and unlearned.


6. The holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation, and are able to instruct sufficiently in all points of faith that we are bound to believe, and all good duties that we are bound to practice.


7. All and every the Articles contained in the Nicene Creed, the Creed of Athanasius, and that which is commonly called the "Apostles" Creed ought firmly to be received and believed, for they may be proved by most certain warrant of holy Scripture.


The French Confession of 1559
(John Calvin)


I. We believe and confess that there is but one God, who is one sole and simple essence, spiritual, eternal, invisible, immutable, infinite, incomprehensible, ineffable, omnipotent; who is all-wise all-good, all-just, and all-merciful.


II. As such this God reveals himself to men; firstly, in his works, in their creation, as well as in their preservation and control. Secondly, and more clearly, in his Word, which was in the beginning revealed through oracles, and which was afterward committed to writing in the books which we call the Holy Scriptures.


III. These Holy Scriptures are comprised in the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, as follows: the five books of Moses, namely: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; then Joshua, Judges, Ruth, the first and second books of Samuel, the first and second books of the Kings, the first and second books of the Chronicles, otherwise called Paralipomenon, the first book of Ezra; then Nehemiah, the book of Esther, Job, the Psalms of David, the Proverbs or Maxims of Solomon; the book of Ecclesiastes, called the Preacher, the Song of Solomon; then the book of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zecharaiah, Malachi; then the Holy Gospel according to St. Mathew, according to St. Mark, according to St. Luke, according to St. John; then the second book of St. Luke, otherwise called the Acts of the Apostles; then the Epistles of St. Paul: one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, one to Titus, one to Philemon; then the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of St. James, the first and second Epistles of St. Peter, the first, second, and third Epistles of St. John, the Epistle of St. Jude; and then the Apocalypse, or Revelation of St. John.


IV. We know these books to be canonical, and the sure rule of our faith, not so much by the common accord and consent of the Church, as by the testimony and inward illumination of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to distinguish them from other ecclesiastical books upon which, however useful, we can not found any articles of faith.


V. We believe that the Word contained in these books has proceeded from God, and receives its authority from him alone, and not from men. And inasmuch as it is the rule of all truth, containing all, that is necessary for the service of God and for our salvation, it is not lawful for men, nor even for angels, to add to it, to take away from it, or to change it. Whence it follows that no authority, whether of antiquity, or custom, or numbers, or human wisdom, or judgments, or proclamations, or edicts, or decrees, or councils, or visions, or miracles, should be opposed to these Holy Scriptures, but, on the contrary, all things should be examined, regulated, and reformed according to them. And therefore we confess the three creeds, to with: the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian, because they are in accordance with the Word of God.



Other canon-affirming confessions immediately following Calvin’s French Confession:


The Scotch Confession of Faith (1560 – Church of Scotland)
The Belgic Confession (1561—Dutch Reformed)
The Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England (1562—Anglican)


Study Text:

Argument #1: Hermeneutics


Does the gospel authenticate scripture or does scripture authenticate the gospel? This is a question that has mystified Bible teachers of all sects for many centuries. Since the only record of the apostolic gospel that we have is found in the scriptures, interpreters have a difficult time distinguishing the message of Christ from the Bible as a whole. Yet there is a very important distinction between the two that is vital to understand for the serious student of God’s revelation.

Many other confessions of faith do not begin with the Bible as the starting point and baseline of every other aspect of truth. There is a good reason for this. The heart, focus, and mainstream emphasis of the Christian gospel are not reflected in the entire content of the Old and New Testaments. It is rather the message of Christ that was first proclaimed in the New Testament era before any scriptures from the apostles were written. Even the prophetic teachings of the era before Christ were first proclaimed, not written. In the early days of human history, little or no scripture had been engraved. Yet the elect of Christ knew and rejoiced in a message of future redemption that had been spoken by God himself (Gen. 3:15) and maintained in a historic stream of teachers. These believers progressively expanded upon the original prophecy (through oral and written message) as led by the Lord.

The elect people of God come to embrace the whole of scripture as it has come down to us in history because it is authenticated by the gospel contained within. It is not the other way around. Men do not first rejoice in the accuracy and wonder of the Bible as a body of writing independent of the apostolic gospel; then believe the gospel only because the Bible teaches it. That would be the cart pulling the horse which never actually happens. The Holy Spirit regenerates a person in conjunction with hearing the message of Christ, afterward the person comes to study and rejoice in the rest of the Bible as it is interpreted in light of that message.

Confusing the gospel with the entire Bible is much like confusing the gospel and the law. Men often claim that the message of Christ in its fullness can be preached equally from the Proverbs and the Song of Solomon as from John and Paul. But this is simply not true. The hermeneutic of analogy must be resorted to in order to justify such a notion. In the scriptures we have the central message of God’s nature and plan of salvation—starting in Old Testament prophecy and culminating in Christ’s person and work. This message has other supporting scripture of history, law, and wisdom. But the two should never be confused as one and the same.

Liberal skeptical scholars often recite many of the facts stated here. But there are two important differences between a gospel-centered hermeneutic and the methodology of deception promoted by such teachers:

1. They do not believe the true gospel as recorded by God’s prophets and apostles. Instead they have constructed a ‘fragmented’ gospel of their own from snippets of scripture to please themselves.

2. As a result, they believe that the Bible is full of errors. The parts of it that do not suit their perverse gospel constructed from fragments of scripture are rejected outright.

To conclude this beginning argument, the purpose of our study is not to overly criticize the framers of Westminster for putting the doctrine of scripture first in the confession. It is rather to point out the potential pitfall of conclusion that some might reach from such a placement: the notion that 66 books of scripture authenticate the gospel to follow and are the starting point of faith. That is a dangerous belief that needs to be opposed with a clear and certain sound.

Argument #2: Canon

As illustrated in the confessions cited, Westminster was not the first to go beyond affirming “The Old and New Testaments of Scripture” as the repository of God’s written revelation. That honor apparently belongs to John Calvin’s earlier French Confession. Unlike the early Lutheran confessions and that of Zwingli, Calvin enshrined a list of what comprises the Old and New Testament canon within the confession itself. The reasons for this action were identical to the reasons for framing the very detailed and comprehensive statements of doctrine surrounding such an affirmation. In that era, men were quick to end all controversy surrounding issues of what comprised the Bible or the entirety of true biblical doctrine. The pressure of state-church governments and indeed the Papacy itself governed every action on these matters. At the Diet of Regensburg, papists had demanded conformity to certain books as canon in order to maintain peace with Rome and the ‘historic unity of the church.’ From the beginning of Protestant rebellion, Charles V had demanded that any territory rejecting the Papacy prove itself by establishing its own state church and detailed confession of belief. That was a condition of military unity between Catholics and Protestants against Muslim or barbarian invasion. So men were not willing to wait for the spiritual wisdom of centuries to develop. Every significant detail of belief had to be nailed down right there-and-then. It was unthinkable to imagine waiting on such difficult issues as what composed the canon or true doctrine on any significant controversial matter.

Calvin rejected all historic standards of what should constitute the canon; issues such as early attestation, testimony to Christ’s person and work, and demonstrated apostolic authority were dropped. Since he was well-aware of historic and recent controversies on the issue, he simply resorted to self-authentication by the Holy Spirit as the basis for identifying the canon. We know these books to be canonical, and the sure rule of our faith, not so much by the common accord and consent of the Church, as by the testimony and inward illumination of the Holy Spirit, which enables us to distinguish them from other ecclesiastical books upon which, however useful, we can not found any articles of faith. But confessions soon to follow, though affirming the same canon as John Calvin, would ignore the historic arguments and pompously affirm that there was never any doubt in the Church (Thirty-Nine Articles, VI) on the authority of the exact set of canonical books! So although Calvin admitted the historical issues and opted out for a pure Spirit-ethic, those after him committed a historical revisionism that has gone unchallenged by conservative Protestants ever since!

Argument #3: Interpretation


There is little to criticize outright in the affirmations of Westminster surrounding the canonical list. More significant is what is lacking: a gospel hermeneutic to define the interpretation of scripture. The set of logical axioms demanded by confession of the true gospel are not distinguished from ALL logical axioms contained within the 66 books of scripture affirmed. The doctrines of good and necessary consequence, the superiority and ultimate authority of God’s revealed word as interpreted by the Holy Spirit, and the teaching that clear scripture must interpret the less clear are all indispensable truth. In addition, a methodology of true interpretation based on the central message of the Bible should be confessed. It is not enough to laud the fact that the Bible is infallible and true, it is even more essential to confess its central message. So the best-framed statement of belief would begin with the core doctrines of Christology, soteriology, and God’s sovereignty. From that foundation we go on to profess absolute confidence in the full accuracy of God’s written revelation in the Old and New Testaments of scripture.

This study will examine and evaluate Chapters 2 and 3 of the Westminster Confession.

(The Westminster Assembly, 1646)


CHAPTER 2
Of God, and of the Holy Trinity

1. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will, for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and withal, most just, and terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.
2. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever himself pleaseth. In his sight all things are open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent, or uncertain. He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require of them.
3. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

CHAPTER 3
Of God's Eternal Decree

1. God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.
2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.
3. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.
4. These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.
5. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to the praise of his glorious grace.
6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.
7. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.
8. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men, attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.

Predecessors of these chapters of the Westminster Confession, from which much of them is copied:

IRISH ARTICLES OF RELIGION
(Irish Episcopal Archbishop James Ussher, 1615)

Of faith in the holy Trinity.

8. There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one and the same substance, power, and eternity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
9. The essence of the Father doth not beget the essence of the Son; but the person of the Father begetteth the person of the Son by communicating his whole essence to the person begotten from eternity.
10. The holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

Of God's eternal decree, and Predestination.

11. God from all eternity did by his unchangeable counsel ordain whatsoever in time should come to pass: yet so, as thereby no violence is offered to the wills of the reasonable creatures, and neither the liberty nor the contingency of the second causes is taken away, but established rather.
12. By the same eternal counsel God hath predestinated some unto life, and reprobated some unto death: of both which there is a certain number, known only to God, which can neither be increased nor diminished.
13. Predestination to life, is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, before the foundations of the world were laid, he hath constantly decreed in his secret counsel to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honor.
14. The cause moving God to predestinate unto life, is not the foreseeing of faith, or perseverance, or good works, or of any thing which is in the person predestinated, but only the good pleasure of God himself. For all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory, and his glory being to appear both in the works of his Mercy and of his Justice; it seemed good to his heavenly wisdom to choose out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy, leaving the rest to be spectacles of his justice.
15. Such as are predestinated unto life be called according unto God's purpose (his Spirit working in due season) and through grace they obey the calling, they be justified freely, they be made sons of God by adoption, they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ, they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity. But such as are not predestinated to salvation shall finally be condemned for their sins.
16. The godlike consideration of Predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their minds to high and heavenly things: as well because it doth greatly confirm and establish their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: and on the contrary side, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination is very dangerous.
17. We must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth unto us in holy Scripture; and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God.

The French Confession of 1559
(John Calvin)

I. We believe and confess that there is but one God, who is one sole and simple essence, spiritual, eternal, invisible, immutable, infinite, incomprehensible, ineffable, omnipotent; who is all-wise all-good, all-just, and all-merciful.
VI. These Holy Scriptures teach us that in this one sole and simple divine essence, whom we have confessed, there are three Persons: the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father, first cause, principle, and origin of all things. The Son, his Word and eternal wisdom. The Holy Spirit, his virtue, power, and efficacy. The Son begotten from eternity by the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeding eternally from them both; the three persons not confused, but distinct, and yet not separate, but of the same essence, equal in eternity and power. And in this we confess that which has been established by the ancient councils, and we detest all sects and heresies which were rejected by the holy doctors, such as St. Hilary, St. Athanasius, St. Ambrose, and St. Cyril.
VII. We believe that God, in three co-working persons, by his power, wisdom, and incomprehensible goodness, created all things, not only the heavens and the earth and all that in them is, but also invisible spirits, some of whom have fallen away and gone into perdition, while others have continued in obedience. That the first, being corrupted by evil, are enemies of all good, consequently of the whole Church. The second, having been preserved by the grace of God, are ministers to glorify God's name, and to promote the salvation of his elect.
VIII. We believe that he not only created all things, but that he governs and directs them, disposing and ordaining by his sovereign will all that happens in the world; not that he is the author of evil, or that the guilt of it can imputed to him, as his will is the sovereign and infallible rule of all right and justice; but he has wonderful means of so making use of devils and sinners that he can turn to good the evil which they do, and of which they are guilty. And thus, confessing that the providence of God orders all things, we humbly bow before the secrets which are hidden to us, without questioning what is above our understanding; but rather making use of what is revealed to us in Holy Scripture for our peace and safety, inasmuch as God, who has all things in subjection to him, watches over us with a Father's care, so that not a hair of our heads shall fall without his will. And Yet he restrains the devils and all our enemies, so that they can not harm us without his leave.
XII. We believe that from this corruption and general condemnation in which all men are plunged, God, according to his eternal and immutable counsel, calls those whom he has chosen by his goodness and mercy alone in our Lord Jesus Christ, without consideration of their works, to display in them the riches of his mercy; leaving the rest in this same corruption and condemnation to show in them his justice. For the ones are no better than the others, until God discerns them according to his immutable purpose which he has determined in Jesus Christ before the creation of the world. Neither can any man gain such a reward by his own virtue, as by nature we can not have a single good feeling, affection, or though, except God has first put it into our hearts.

From The Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England (1562—Anglican)

XVII. Of Predestination and Election.
Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.
As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.
Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God.

Commentary

As discovered in our first study, comparing Westminster with the earlier confessions makes it apparent that there is little originality in relation to what had been written by other men years earlier. The theology of the Reformed movement was first dogmatized by Calvin and then re-stated for the most part by subsequent professors. Especially in relation to Ussher’s Irish Articles over thirty years earlier, the wording of the Westminster Assembly on the subjects under consideration almost identical.

The reality of God in three persons and his essential attributes are well-stated in the confessions. No disagreement will be here expressed. The focus of this study will rather be the nature of God as related to his eternal decrees, which is the real ‘sticking point’ that is not fully defined or resolved. The Calvinistic statements of belief are clear on the predestination of all events, including both the salvation of the elect and the damnation of the reprobate. In order to sharply contrast their position with Arminian doctrine, a special emphasis is given to the fact that God does not elect on the basis of foreseen faith but out of pure sovereign mercy. But the doctrine of God in relation to double predestination is clearly confessed as a doctrine of infralapsarian selection and not pure supralapsarian election. The Augustinian doctrine of a common fall of humanity is the background to this theology. Calvin’s infralapsarian doctrine of selection from an equal mass of fallen humanity is clearly stated in statement XII of the French Confession: We believe that from this corruption and general condemnation in which all men are plunged, God, according to his eternal and immutable counsel, calls those whom he has chosen by his goodness and mercy alone in our Lord Jesus Christ, without consideration of their works, to display in them the riches of his mercy; leaving the rest in this same corruption and condemnation to show in them his justice. Chapter 3, verse 7 of Westminster echoes a similar sentiment but is worded carefully so as not to offend supralapsarians as much: The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. Though the great Passover in the scriptures is a redemptive act to save a portion of mankind from destruction, the confession teaches a strange doctrine of God ‘passing over’ some of the subjects under the condemnation of Adam’s sin and refusing to give them the redemption that might easily be theirs--if only they were selected as the others. Some principle called God’s ‘glorious justice’ would not be properly praised if ALL were selected! So ‘eternal law’ philosophy is still the basis of Westminster’s doctrine of God’s decrees, just as it is with the earlier Reformed confessions.

A pure supralapsarian doctrine of salvation and reprobation does not picture God’s decree as a ‘selection’ or a ‘passing over’ in any sense. Both the saved and the damned are subjects of pure, positive, and unwavering election in the Lord’s infinite, transcendent, and eternal purposes. The goodness and severity of God, i.e., eternal grace and wrath, are both in every way superior to law. Law comes in historically to cause those appointed unto grace to trespass for a time, in order that their sin and unworthiness will stage the way for God’s redemption in Christ. Law comes in historically to cause those appointed unto wrath to rebel eternally, so that God’s glory will be manifested in their damnation. But grace and wrath are transcendent of history and rooted in God’s everlasting decree.

The judgment/justice of God comprises both grace and punishment in the biblical order of things. It is the very judgment and justification of God that brings about the redeeming work of Christ and salvation of the elect. These confessions of man that contrast justice and mercy as opposite attributes of God do not speak aright of his purposes and decree. To avoid a mass of confusion regarding the redemptive acts of God and their divinely inspired meaning, it is critically important that we use the language of scripture with the meaning and context of scripture itself.

All of the confessions warn against proposing God as the author of sin. If this is interpreted to mean that God does not cause and create evil for his own purposes, we must ignore such a warning as Platonic philosophical gobbledygook. In creating evil, God does not make an entity that reflects his own image, nature, or character. He does make an entity that is used in his decrees to bring glory to himself in the dual matter that has here been discussed.

One last issue needing evaluation from these confessions is the warning against teaching predestination to the lost. The Thirty Nine Articles of Anglicanism and Episcopal Irish Articles are explicit on this point, whereas the Westminster Confession deleted it entirely. We can be thankful that on this point the Assembly purged some completely unbiblical comments from the earlier creeds. Christ himself told the reprobates of his day that they would not believe because they were not of his predestined sheep. Our testimony to rebellious souls must equally teach that God hardens those predestined to damnation against believing the gospel of salvation. That is the truth. It is an aspect of the truth that God indeed may use as a part of awakening an elect soul who is yet in slumber. The making of certain persons jealous of God’s elect who have received grace is an important part of bringing those very persons to a faith that proves salvation!

The Doctrines of Creatiion, Providence, and the Origin of Sin


This study will examine and evaluate Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of the Westminster Confession.


All believers should affirm the twin truths of Creation and Providence taught in the historic confessions of doctrine. God alone is the creator of all persons and things and He only sustains them in every age subsequent to their creation. The teachings of Darwinism that deny the biblical view of Creation and Providence must gain no sympathy among those who believe the evangel of Jesus Christ. It is a sad fact of history that many scholars and their taught students have accepted and believed fables such as Evolution, Process Theism, and Deism. All such notions originate in the denial of God’s sovereign predestination and immanent control of all history.

We joyfully affirm the many historic doctrines where we are in agreement with those who have subscribed to the confession for 360 years. However, the main focus of the current series on the Westminster Confession is to evaluate where the Assembly erred. So the major doctrine to be examined in this study will be the confessional teaching on the Origin of Sin.

In our last study we examined the falsity in the notion of God merely ‘passing by’ the non-elect in his eternal decree of election. The current study will demonstrate how this concept of a permissive will of God toward evil formed the basis of additional erroneous points in the confession. Five aspects of a doctrine of ‘permissive will’ in God’s decree of reprobation will be examined:


1. God created all persons and things with absolute perfection.
2. The cause of evil’s origin is not God’s positive decree and creative act. Man is the sole cause of his own rebellion which God merely permits.
3. The evil originating within a perfectly righteous man and caused solely by him is imputed to all his posterity. The immediate and primary cause of man’s everlasting torture of body and soul is Adam’s personal sin.
4. As a consequence of imputed guilt, Adam’s fallen and perverse nature resulting solely from his original sin is biologically transmitted to all his descendants.
5. God purposes to select some out of this common and universal fallen mass for everlasting salvation in Christ and leave the rest (the non-elect) to the just deserts of Adam’s imputed guilt.


In addition to looking at the Westminster teaching and commenting upon it, we will again examine some of the predecessor confessions that formed the basis of what the 1646 Assembly affirmed. The most casual reading of these will turn up the five points of doctrine stated above, which will be noted in parenthesis by (1) thru (5).

IRISH ARTICLES OF RELIGION
(Irish Episcopal Archbishop James Ussher, 1615)
NOTE: Ussher is widely accepted as the person most likely to have been the primary contributor to this confession.

Of the creation and government of all things.

18. In the beginning of time when no creature had any being, God by his word alone, in the space of six days, created all things, and afterwardes by his providence doth continue, propagate, and order them according to his own will.
19. The principal creatures are Angels and men.
20. Of Angels, some continued in that holy state wherein they were created, and are by Gods grace for ever established therein: others fell from the same (1), and are reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgement of the great day.
21. Man being at the beginning created according to the image of God (which consisted especially in the Wisdom of his mind and the true Holiness of his free will) (1) had the covenant of the law ingrafted in his heart (1): whereby God did promise unto him everlasting life, upon condition that he performed entire and perfect obedience unto his Commandments, according to that measure of strength wherewith he was endued in his creation (1), and threatened death unto him if he did not perform the same.

Of the fall of man, original sin, and the state of man before justification.

22. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death went over all men, for as much as all have sinned.
23. Original sin standeth not in the imitation of Adam (as the Pelagians dream) but is the fault and corruption of the nature of every person that naturally is ingendered and propagated from Adam: whereby it cometh to pass that man is deprived of original righteousness, and by nature is bent unto sin (4). And therefore, in every person born into the world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation (3).
24. This corruption of nature doth remain even in those that are regenerated, whereby the flesh always lusteth against the spirit, and cannot be made subject to the law of God. And howsoever, for Christ's sake there be no condemnation to such as are regenerate and do believe: yet doth the Apostle acknowledge that in itself this concupiscence hath the nature of sin.
25. The condition of man after the fall of Adam (what about before?) is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasing and acceptable unto God without the grace of God preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.
26. Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing unto God, for as much as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School Authors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done in such sort as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they are sinful.
27. All sins are not equal, but some far more heinous than others; yet the very least is of its own nature mortal, and without God's mercy maketh the offender liable unto everlasting damnation.
28. God is not the Author of sin: howbeit he doth not only permit (2), but also by his providence govern and order the same, guiding it in such sort by his infinite wisdom, as he turneth to the manifestation of his own glory and to the good of his elect.

The French Confession of 1559
(John Calvin)

VII. We believe that God, in three co-working persons, by his power, wisdom, and incomprehensible goodness, created all things, not only the heavens and the earth and all that in them is, but also invisible spirits, some of whom have fallen away and gone into perdition, while others have continued in obedience. That the first, being corrupted by evil, are enemies of all good, consequently of the whole Church. The second, having been preserved by the grace of God, are ministers to glorify God's name, and to promote the salvation of his elect.
VIII. We believe that he not only created all things, but that he governs and directs them, disposing and ordaining by his sovereign will all that happens in the world; not that he is the author of evil, or that the guilt of it can imputed to him, as his will is the sovereign and infallible rule of all right and justice (2); but he has wonderful means of so making use of devils and sinners that he can turn to good the evil which they do, and of which they are guilty. And thus, confessing that the providence of God orders all things, we humbly bow before the secrets which are hidden to us, without questioning what is above our understanding; but rather making use of what is revealed to us in Holy Scripture for our peace and safety, inasmuch as God, who has all things in subjection to him, watches over us with a Father's care, so that not a hair of our heads shall fall without his will. And Yet he restrains the devils and all our enemies, so that they can not harm us without his leave.
IX. We believe that man was created pure and perfect in the image of God (1), and that by his own guilt (2) he fell from the grace which he received, and is thus alienated from God, the fountain of justice and of all good, so that his nature is totally corrupt. And being blinded in mind, and depraved in heart, he has lost all integrity, and there is no good in him. And although he can still discern good and evil, we say, notwithstanding, that the light he has becomes darkness when he seeks for God, so that he can in nowise approach him by his intelligence and reason. And although he has a will that incites him to do this or that, yet it is altogether captive to sin, so that he has no other liberty to do right than that which God gives him.
X. We believe that all the posterity of Adam is in bondage to original sin, which is an hereditary evil (3, 4), and not an imitation merely, as was declared by the Pelagians, whom we detest in their errors. And we consider that it is not necessary to inquire how sin was conveyed from one man to another, for what God had given Adam was not for him alone, but for all his posterity; and thus in his person we have been deprived of all good things, and have fallen with him into a state of sin and misery.
XI. We believe, also, that this evil is truly sin, sufficient for the condemnation of the whole human race (3), even of little children in the mother's womb, and that God considers it as such; even after baptism it is still of the nature of sin, but the condemnation of it is abolished for the children of God, out of his mere free grace and love. And further, that it is a perversity always producing fruits of malice and of rebellion, so that the most holy men, although they resist it, are still stained with many weaknesses and imperfections while they are in this life.
XII. We believe that from this corruption and general condemnation in which all men are plunged (3), God, according to his eternal and immutable counsel, calls those whom he has chosen by his goodness and mercy alone in our Lord Jesus Christ, without consideration of their works, to display in them the riches of his mercy; leaving the rest in this same corruption and condemnation to show in them his justice. For the ones are no better than the others, until God discerns them (5—No eternal justification!) according to his immutable purpose which he has determined in Jesus Christ before the creation of the world. Neither can any man gain such a reward by his own virtue, as by nature we can not have a single good feeling, affection, or though, except God has first put it into our hearts.

The Belgic Confession (1561—Dutch Reformed)

Article 12: Of the Creation.

We believe that the Father, by the Word, that is, by his Son, hath created of nothing, the heaven, the earth, and all creatures, as it seemed good unto him, giving unto every creature its being, shape, form, and several offices to serve its Creator. That he doth also still uphold and govern them by his eternal providence, and infinite power, for the service of mankind, to the end that man may serve his God. He also created the angels good, to be his messengers and to serve his elect; some of which are fallen from that excellency (1), in which God created them, into everlasting perdition; and the others have, by the grace of God, remained steadfast and continued in their primitive state. The devils and evil spirits are so depraved, that they are enemies of God and every good thing, to the utmost of their power, as murderers, watching to ruin the Church and every member thereof, and by their wicked stratagems to destroy all; and are, therefore, by their own wickedness, adjudged to eternal damnation, daily expecting their horrible torments. Therefore we reject and abhor the error of the Sadducees, who deny the existence of spirits and angels: and also that of the Manichees, who assert that the devils have their origin of themselves, and that they are wicked of their own nature, without having been corrupted.
Article 13: Of Divine Providence

We believe that the same God, after he had created all things, did not forsake them, or give them up to fortune or chance, but that he rules and governs them according to his holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without his appointment: nevertheless, God neither is the author of, nor can be charged with, the sins which are committed (2). For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that he orders and executes his work in the most excellent and just manner, even then, when devils and wicked men act unjustly. And, as to what he doth surpassing human understanding, we will not curiously inquire into, farther than our capacity will admit of; but with the greatest humility and reverence adore the righteous judgments of God, which are hid from us, contenting ourselves that we are disciples of Christ, to learn only those things which he has revealed to us in his Word, without transgressing these limits. This doctrine affords us unspeakable consolation, since we are taught thereby that nothing can befall us by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly Father; who watches over us with a paternal care, keeping all creatures so under his power, that not a hair of our head (for they are all numbered), nor a sparrow, can fall to the ground, without the will of our Father, in whom we do entirely trust; being persuaded, that he so restrains the devil and all our enemies, that without his will and permission, they cannot hurt us. And therefore we reject that damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God regards nothing, but leaves all things to chance.
Article 14: Of the Creation and Fall of man, and his Incapacity to perform what is truly good.

We believe that God created man out of the dust of the earth, and made and formed him after his own image and likeness, good, righteous, and holy, capable in all things to will, agreeably to the will of God (1). But being in honor, he understood it not, neither knew his excellency (1—Adam did not know that he was perfect and therefore rebelled!), but willfully subjected himself to sin, and consequently to death, and the curse, giving ear to the words of the devil. For the commandment of life, which he had received, he transgressed; and by sin separated himself from God, who was his true life, having corrupted his whole nature (4); whereby he made himself liable to corporal and spiritual death. And being thus become wicked, perverse, and corrupt in all his ways, he hath lost all his excellent gifts, which he had received from God, and only retained a few remains thereof, which, however, are sufficient to leave man without excuse; for all the light which is in us is changed into darkness, as the Scriptures teach us, saying: The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not: where St. John calleth men darkness. Therefore we reject all that is taught repugnant to this, concerning the free will of man, since man is but a slave to sin; and has nothing of himself, unless it is given from heaven. For who may presume to boast, that he of himself can do any good, since Christ saith, No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him? Who will glory in his own will, who understands, that to be carnally minded is enmity against God? Who can speak of his knowledge, since the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God? In short, who dare suggest any thought, since he knows that we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but that our sufficiency is of God? And therefore what the apostle saith ought justly to be held sure and firm, that God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. For there is no will nor understanding, conformable to the divine will and understanding, but what Christ hath wrought in man; which he teaches us, when he saith, Without me ye can do nothing.
Article 15: Of Original Sin.

We believe that, through the disobedience of Adam, original sin is extended to all mankind; which is a corruption of the whole nature, and an hereditary disease (4), wherewith infants themselves are infected even in their mother's womb, and which produceth in man all sorts of sin, being in him as a root thereof; and therefore is so vile and abominable in the sight of God, that it is sufficient to condemn all mankind (3). Nor is it by any means abolished or done away by baptism; since sin always issues forth from this woeful source, as water from a fountain; notwithstanding it is not imputed to the children of God unto condemnation, but by his grace and mercy is forgiven them. Not that they should rest securely in sin, but that a sense of this corruption should make believers often to sigh, desiring to be delivered from this body of death. Wherefore we reject the error of the Pelagians, who assert that sin proceeds only from imitation.
Article 16: Of Eternal Election.

We believe that all the posterity of Adam being thus fallen into perdition and ruin, by the sin of our first parents (3, 4), God then did manifest himself such as he is; that is to say, merciful and just: Merciful, since he delivers and preserves from this perdition all, whom he, in his eternal and unchangeable counsel of mere goodness, hath elected in Christ Jesus our Lord, without any respect to their works: Just, in leaving others in the fall and perdition wherein they have involved themselves (5).
Article 17: Of the Recovery of Fallen Man.

We believe that our most gracious God, in his admirable wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had thus thrown himself into temporal and eternal death, and made himself wholly miserable, was pleased to seek and comfort him, when he trembling fled from his presence, promising him that he would give his Son, who should be made of a woman, to bruise the head of the serpent, and would make him happy.

The Westminster Confession of Faith
(The Westminster Assembly, 1646)

CHAPTER 4
Of Creation

1. It pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days; and all very good.
2. After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness (1), after his own image; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it: and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change (2). Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.

CHAPTER 5
Of Providence

1. God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
2. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes (2), either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
3. God, in his ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure.
4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering, and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin (2).
5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave, for a season, his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and, to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends.
6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous Judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden, from them he not only withholdeth his grace whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin; and, withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves (2), even under those means which God useth for the softening of others.
7. As the providence of God doth, in general, reach to all creatures; so, after a most special manner, it taketh care of his church, and disposeth all things to the good thereof.

CHAPTER 6
Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof

1. Our first parents, being seduced by the subtlety and temptation of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin, God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit (2), having purposed to order it to his own glory.
2. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body (4).
3. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed (3); and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation (4).
4. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.
5. This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be, through Christ, pardoned, and mortified; yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.
6. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal (3).

Commentary:

On these doctrines there is more contrast between Westminster and the prior confessions than what has been observed in the earlier chapters. Nonetheless, there is still a continuity of doctrine on the five points under consideration. Conflicting arguments within the assembly made it impossible to affirm a definite teaching on the origin of angelic evil. Not all were convinced that the views of John Milton expressed in his Paradise Lost were entirely biblical. In addition, the strong infralapsarian language of earlier confessions was toned down to gain acceptance of both the supra and infra participants. All of this goes to show that Westminster is not a final position on the matters under consideration. Instead, we should learn that understanding truth is an ever-advancing and toilsome process. Those who want to canonize Westminster as THE SYSTEM OF DOCTRINE THAT SCRIPTURE TEACHES are fooling themselves. The truth is that the conclusions reached on some matters are evidence of a struggle in grasping many of the teachings of scripture that had been lost in centuries of Augustinian dogma.

1. God created all persons and things with absolute perfection.

The Heidelberg Catechism states:

Question 6. Did God then create man so wicked and perverse?
Answer: By no means; but God created man good, and after his own image, in true righteousness and holiness, that he might rightly know God his Creator, heartily love him and live with him in eternal happiness to glorify and praise him.

The Protestant confessions are unanimous in the affirmation that man was originally created in true holiness and perfection. It is notable that Westminster, unlike the other confessions, does not propose a doctrine of fallen angels or how sin arose in the angelic creation. It merely mentions Satan as the agent of man’s original temptation. But the ontological perfection of Adam and Eve in the original creation is considered sacrosanct by all. The universal consensus on this teaching by well-published teachers within Protestantism remains to this day.

Westminster states that Adam and Eve were having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill it: and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. This introduces a doctrine of mutability in man’s original state that is missing from the other confessions. The fact that Adam’s nature was subject to sin is confessed, yet there is no explanation of where the original proclivity to rebel against his spotless nature free of sinful desire came from. The Belgic confession had taken a different approach in affirming that Adam sinned because he did not know of his excellency!So he was ontologically sinless but did not know it! Many theories have sprung up as to how a perfect being with no desire to sin rebelled against God. All are wholly inadequate and hopelessly paradoxical. The fact is that the proclivity to rebel arose due to God’s sovereign decree and the created condition of Adam’s heart. The nakedness of Gen. 2:25 was not merely physical but also spiritual. Adam and Eve already possessed the tendency to rebel but did not realize it until the ‘opening of eyes’ in Gen. 3:7.

Apart from allegorical interpretation, nothing in scripture teaches that Adam and Eve were created without a nature of sin. As only an evil tree bears evil fruit, it is impossible that Adam should sin unless a tendency to rebel already existed within his heart. The fact that God’s shadow creation is called ‘very good’ (Gen. 1:31) is not evidence that it contained no defects; this only teaches us that any evil within it cannot destroy its goodness. The temporary creation of God is still as ‘very good’ today as it was at any time in the history of the world! And in its original state, the temporal creation was perfect for its God-ordained purpose.

2. The cause of evil’s origin is not God’s positive decree and creative act. Man is the sole cause of his own rebellion which God merely permits.

Westminster affirms that the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.Nonetheless, in context this statement is an improvement over prior confessions. An affirmation immediately preceding states that the sin of angels and men occurs not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering, and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends. So we can see further evidence of a struggle between factions within the Assembly to arrive at a proper definition of the issue.

The proposition that sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God is inherently paradoxical as related to the rest of the points confessed. Some of the Westminster participants were very careful to propose God as the sovereign determiner of all things including evil. Yet that confession cannot be true unless there is some sensein which the sin of creatures is caused by God. Evil is not a part of God’s nature, therefore it cannot proceed from Him in the sense of creation in His image; i.e., there is no ‘likeness of attribute’ between the creator and the creature in God’s sovereign creation of evil. But the logic of Neo-Platonism and its proponent Augustine would propose that since wickedness is foreign to God’s own attributes, He cannot purpose to create it as an alien entity without being wicked Himself. All well-published Christian interpreters since Augustine (including the framers of Westminster) merely follow Augustine and the Greek philosopher Plotinus on this issue.

3. The evil originating within a perfectly righteous man and caused solely by him is imputed to all his posterity. The immediate and primary cause of man’s everlasting torture of body and soul is Adam’s personal sin.

The doctrine of Adamic representation is found only in Paul the apostle. Those theories proposing an imputation of Adam’s sinful act and guilt to all his biological descendants are confusing substitution with representation. 1 Cor. 15:20-28 is the only other passage on Adamic representation besides Rom. 5:12-21. The 1 Cor. passage clearly limits the application of Adam’s representative sin and death to the ALL of the elect. Another passage illustrating Paul’s ALL parallelism after this fashion is Rom. 11:32. Rom. 5:18 is the heart of Paul’s argument in the Romans passage and contains the exact same ALL parallelism. So Rom. 5 is dealing with soteriology only and is discussing the representation of Adam in his original sin toward the ELECT ONLY.

Imputation is tied to substitution. A substitute is necessary only when the person in whose stead the substitution occurs can NEVER experience the reality required in God’s just and sovereign purpose. So Christ in his atonement becomes a substitute for sinners; he never experiences sin himself and those receiving the benefit of his atonement never experience the wrath of God. The sin of the elect is imputed to Christ and the atoning death of Christ is imputed to the believer. The same principle is true with the imputed perfection of Christ’s divine/human life. This perfect righteousness is never experienced by the believer; it can only be imputed to him. Thus substitution applies in both instances.

In representation as contrasted with substitution, the person in whose stead the representation occurs indeed experiences what the representative does. This is why Paul refers to Christ as the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. In His resurrection He is not the substitute for believers but their representative! Believers will also experience a human resurrection in Christ’s likeness. The representation of Adam in the negative sense is exactly the same. All believers commit and experience sin in his likeness. Adam is not their substitute and therefore his sin is not imputed in their stead. He was merely the first-fruits of elect sinners to follow.
Although the Reformed confessions teach that the wicked bear both the guilt of Adam’s and their own personal sin, the logic of Adam as substitute means that in reality no personal sin is needed. If the imputation of Adam’s sin is enough to bring everlasting torture of body and soul, there is no logical point in the reprobate being conceived in iniquity. They might as well be conceived in true holiness and still go to eternal misery without measure and without end. In fact, that scenario would highlight and magnify the truth of Adamic substitution very well!

4. As a consequence of imputed guilt, Adam’s fallen and perverse nature resulting solely from his original sin is biologically transmitted to all his descendants.

Since traditional expositors cannot think of proposing God as the creator of the first proclivity to rebel, either in Adam or any of his descendants, the Augustinian theory of the biological transmission of sin is promoted. Coupled with Tertullian’s theory of traducianism, proposing the biological transmission of souls, this philosophy prides itself on exempting God from any responsibility for the origin of sin in any creature. Of course, it doesn’t work for the non-elect angels—only humans! This is probably why the Westminster scholars eliminated the doctrine of fallen angels from their confession.

Reformed Augustinians will always accuse those who reject their dogma on this issue as Pelagians. Such name-calling is engaged in the hope of ending all argument. Yet Pelagius denied the sovereignty of God in election, the biblical truth that all are conceived in iniquity, and the fact that even elect persons are experientially without God, hope, and any ability to believe until they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit in gospel conversion! Historic churchmen want to define all issues in terms of two poles and the resultant polarization. ‘Outside the pole’ thinking seems to be impossible for them!

In opposition to traditional Augustinian dogma, we propose that God creates the sinful nature in each elect spirit in preparation for his glorious work of salvation in the same.

5. God purposes to select some out of this common and universal fallen mass for everlasting salvation in Christ and leave the rest (the non-elect) to the just deserts of Adam’s imputed guilt.

Due to the supralapsarian influence in the Assembly, the language of selection and passing over is toned down in Westminster in contrast to the earlier confessions. Yet it continues. For an expositor who has a true supralapsarian view of scripture, i.e., that God’s purposes are to be reasoned from the end to the beginning rather than vice-versa, there is absolutely no need to propose a common fall doctrine. If God purposed extremely different destinies to two different seeds transcendent of time, the fact that this purpose involves both seeds experiencing sin and rebellion has no logical connection to the notion that both seeds are subjectively made entirely equal in Adam and his ‘fall’. Sin and rebellion were also present in the devil. So why is he excluded from Adamic imputation? It doesn’t make sense.
Since the elect and non-elect are both conceived in iniquity and deserve God’s wrath according to the merit of their deeds and persons, the ‘passing over’ in God’s decree is strictly directed to the elect! The Passover of ancient times is the type of this biblical model of salvation. God does not select a portion of humanity to salvation and leave the rest to damnation, i.e., those who might be saved if only God had selected them. He instead purposes to create two peoples for very different purposes. Both are plunged into sin and guilt but for entirely different reasons. In the case of the seed of the woman, those given over to temporal sin experience it as a precursor to magnify God’s glory in their redemption through Christ. In the case of the seed of the serpent, those given over to eternal sin experience it to magnify God’s glory in their damnation. The seed of the serpent is not created in God’s image, has no capacity to understand the truth of the gospel in its fullness, has no potential for salvation, is therefore unredeemable, and cannot repent even under the strivings of the Spirit. The seed of the woman (other than Christ) is conceived in iniquity, created in God’s image with a capacity to understand the truth of the gospel in God’s hour of visitation, but unable to repent and believe until the Holy Spirit regenerates. God is shown to be perfectly just in both his decree of election and reprobation.

We cannot settle on past confessions as the best exposition of biblical doctrine that sanctified man retaining the flesh might possibly create. Such activity is idolatry and resisting of the work of the Holy Spirit in advancing God’s truth over time!

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