Total Depravity Flashcards
The history/origin of Tulip
- Ratified at the Synod of Dort, 1618-1619
- Synod of Dort was a response to Arminius’ 5 articles of the Remonstrance which were a critique of reformed soteriology
- Never meant to be a summary of reformed theology. The findings of Dort should be read in context of the 3 forms of unity.
- Acronym first appears in the 20th century by Loraine Boettner in his book “The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination.”
TULIP
- Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints.
- At the heart of Tulip is not 5 separate points, but one point “God Saves sinners in/through Jesus Christ”
- Tulip was never meant to be a comprehensive summary of reformed Theology.
Five Article of the Remonstrance.
- Drafted in 1610 by the Followers of Arminius
- critique of reformed Sotiereology
- Each of the 5 articles were rebuffed by the Synod of Dort which resulted in the Doctrines of Grace
1st Article of the Remonstrance
- Key text John 3:16
- Salvation is conditional, based on humans choice
- Problem, Salvation is “Contingent” and no longer sovereign.
2nd Article of the Remonstrance
- Christ Death is available for all, but effectual only for those who believe
- Objection to Calvin’s limited atonement, Christ died for the elect
- undermines the efficacy of the atonement. in essence stating Christ has died for people in Hell.
3rd Article of the Remonstrance
-Acknowledges an aspect of total depravity
-A kind of Grace is given to all people
-
4th Article of the Remonstrance
- asserts a resistible grace
- Objection to Calvins Irresistible Grace
- In essence, asserts man has a Primary role in Salvation
5th Article of the Remonstrance
- A response to Calvin’s Perseverance of the Saints
- Does not outright reject the doctrine but states more study of the topic required-
- However, as John MacArthur says “If you could lose your salvation you would”.
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, having purposed to order it to his own glory.
- WCF 6.1. The story of our parents and their fall.
- God permits sin to accomplish His will and to display his Holiness
- God is not obligated to create or redeem, but does so out of his wisdom
“Types” of Gods wills
-Decretive, what he decrees.
Permissive, what he allows.
Prescriptive, what he commands.
Dispositional, what brings him pleasure
-Should not be thought of as competing wills but different aspects of his divine will
-His will is undivided, “He is what He wills” -Mohler
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.
- WCF 6.2
- In essence, the fall has physical (death), spiritual (defiled) and liturgical (Communion) consequences.
- Asserts that man was made originally righteous but lost this due to their rebellion.
They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from the by ordinary generation.
- WCF 6.3
- Asserts the doctrine of Original sin, and Federal headship
- The fall of our parents (Federal heads) affected us. Imputed to us are their penal and moral consequences. Believers have Christs’s have his substitutionary atonement and righteousness imputed to them. Making Christ their federal head.
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.
- WCF 6.4. distinguishes from original sin and actual sin
- From our sinful nature (original sin), sinful acts emerge (actual sin)
- Original sin makes us wholly inclined to evil
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.
- WCF 6.5
- While we still sin we have been pardoned by Christ. The regenerate have hope.
- While we have been freed from the power of sin. The presence of sin remains until our glorification.
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.
- WCF 6.6
- All sin without exception dese the just wrath of God.
- Therefore the presence of sin Isolates us from God’s mercies without Christ.
