The Synod of Dort - reservations

[foundinHim]

Bob asked me on another thread what I did not agree with in the Canons of Dort . I told him that in the main I agreed , but here I will talk only about one of the articles . I have more reservations . But I will keep it to just one for now . Perhaps others will comment on some disagreements they have on other sections .

Homer Hoeksema's book on the Synod is my reference . I will word it according to his preference . It concerns Article 17 : Of Divine Predestination .

Since we are to judge of the will of God from His Word , which testifies that the children of believers are holy , not by nature , but in virtue of the covenant of grace , in which they , together with the parents , are comprehended , godly parents ought not to doubt of the election and salvation of their children , whom it pleaseth God to call out of this life in their infancy .

I think this is more sentimental than scriptural . I do have my prejudices , I admit . I am baptistic in my orientation . That doesn't mean that I think the children of believers in a baptistic family are loved in a manner that is on a lower plane than children of a Presbyterian/reformed home . But even Hoeksema acknowledges : " ... the line of election and reprobation cuts directly through the generations of believers ... the element of age has nothing to do with election and reprobation essentially , since predestination is sovereign and has no regard to works . "

Hoeksema goes on to say that ... " there is a lack of clarity and precise definition which cannot be denied . For this reason the article is of little doctrinal or confessional value . In a confession the church gives expression to what it believes concerning the truth in God's Word according to the Scriptures . It can hardly be said that this is done in Article 17 . "

[Tobias Crisp]

FIH, thanks for your clarification on your disagreements with the Canons. And, on this particular point I would tend to agree with you. No man made document is inspired including the Canons. When you had stated in another thread that you had disagreements with the Canons I assumed that the disagreements were related to it's main teachings on the five points, but I assumed incorrectly. If your other disagreements are along these lines then I will probably agree with much that you would say, but then again I would have to see what else you disagree with.

[foundinHim]

Hi Anthony . I am sorry that I confused you with Bob . Yes , the Canons of Dort were a bit more expansive than just stating five propositions against the remonstrants . There are 59 Articles and 34 Paragraphs detailing their rejections of error .

[Robert R. Higby]

But even Hoeksema acknowledges : " ... the line of election and reprobation cuts directly through the generations of believers ... the element of age has nothing to do with election and reprobation essentially , since predestination is sovereign and has no regard to works . "

I stand on this! The line of election and reprobation also cuts directly through ANY OTHER entity of persons on earth (nations, extended families, churches, governments, races, etc.). God is no respecter of any of these human groups.

[foundinHim]

This is another reservation . It is found in Head 3-4 , Of Man's Corruption and Conversion , Article 8 . Homer's revision of the article follows as well as some of his remarks .

As many , however , as are called by the Gospel , are seriously called . For God has seriously and most truly shown in His Word , what is pleasing to Him . He even promises seriously to all those coming to Him and believing rest of soul and eternal life .

... it must be conceded that the fathers of Dordrecht are not at their best in this and in the ninth article . This is not to say that they were not Reformed ; they certainly were . But I do not believe that at Dordrecht the Reformed truth concerning the calling and closely related subjects had reached the zenith of its development... I nevertheless believe that the lack of clarity in this article to an extent gave an occasion for its being quoted in support of so Arminian a doctrine as that of the general , well-meant offer of salvation . Of course , the Synod of 1924 is not alone in this field . In fact , it is surprising how easily various writers and readers make the " jump " from the term " seriously " to " well-meaningly . "