The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Accurate or Not?

Sproul was defending "Positive-Negative Predestination" and was of the view, of which I agree, that God's predestination is a definite determination of the end of all men, i.e., all being worthy of damnation, some He positively acts to change some (regeneration, justification, sanctification and glorification) to be saved. And, some He likewise for the rest; the reprobate, made a determination (decreed) that they should receive their just punishment. The "passing them by" refers to God's intervention of having mercy on the elect and giving them saving grace. It is NOT as some would say, that God left them to themselves whereby they 'earned' damnation due to their refusal to believe upon Christ. ALL are worthy of damnation by nature and God's judgment rests upon them, cf. Rom 9:11-13; Jh 3:18, et al. Predestinate; to PRE-determine leaves no room for any gray area wherein there are individuals who could become elect or non-elect dependent upon their "free-will choice" or life.

There are those who hold to Supralapsarianism and those who hold to Infralapsarianism. Are you familiar with those terms? They are used to differentiate the views on the order of God's decree(s). In a nutshell..... Supra's believe that God predestinated man without any regard to the Fall. Infra's believe that God predestinated all men in regard of the Fall. The WCF and most every Reformed confession or creed which includes this subject takes the Infralapsarian view. Supralapsarians have the serious hurdle of trying to defend the accusation that their view makes God the author of sin.

Not to send you down a side path, but I would recommend the following:
Election by G.H. Kersten
Supralapsarianism and Infraplapsarianism by Herman Bavinck
Double or Nothing: Martin Luther's Doctrine of Predestination by Brian G. Mattson

There are a few more salient articles on The Highway, e.g., John Bunyan's treatise, Lorraine Boettner's discussion re: Predestination, etc.

Are you contused yet?