Wilson's theology is determined by history

 "Wilson writes: 'The subsequent redemptive covenant was equally grounded in history' (64). In this passage Wilson seems to be confusing the Covenant of Redemption with the Covenant of Grace, for the 'redemptive covenant' is not subsequent. But he is wrong about both: Neither the Covenant of Redemption nor the Covenant of Grace is 'grounded in history.' Rather, history is grounded in the invisible and eternal decree of God, and that decree includes the invisible Covenant of Redemption, made between the persons of the Trinity in eternity, and the invisible Covenant of Grace, made between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as the substitute for and representative of his people. To suggest that any divine covenant is 'grounded in history' is to get things precisely backwards. Events do not precede thought and doctrine (theology), either logically or chronologically. That is the evolutionary view of the world. The Christian view of the world is that Truth, the Word, Wisdom, Logic is eternal and prior to all history." - John W. Robbins and Sean Gerety, Not Reformed At All, Page 96 and 97

We are dead in Christ so that we are no longer in bondage to the law

"Christ was not always kept in a state of humiliation, did not always suffer, and did not frequently die. Rather, all of that state of humiliation and suffering obedience fell on Him for a short time and for the days of His flesh. Psalm 8:6, 'And you made Him a little lower, for a short time,' because He also is called God (Heb. 2:7-8; 5:7; 7:27). And He could not be held by death (Acts 2:24), first because the covenant of works required that everyone subject to it for obedience, especially with labor, toil, and the sufferings of death, bring back the happy reward and glory. . . . Second, because the law does not require obedience for satisfaction and merit beyond death (which would be worthy of His excellence, that He could be received as the price, and ransom, and sacrifice of a good aroma, and means of expiation). For such death justifies from sin. Romans 6:7, . . . . And so in the death of Christ we died to the law and the law to us. Romans 7:1, 4, 6, 'The law rules over man as long as he lives. You have died to the law through the body of Christ. We have been set free from the law,' having died (or dead for a different reading) in Him for whom we are kept. Third, He could not be held by death, because neither the glory of the Son nor the righteousness acquired for us could be blotted out." - Johannes Cocceius, The Doctrine of the Covenant and Testament of God, Pg. 98 - 99

For the Believer his standing depends not on works but on the perfect rightouesness of Christ imputed

"The law which believers are under is the law of Christ, and of God in Christ, which has no promise of eternal life to them for their obedience to it. The promise of eternal life to the saints is the promise of  the covenant of grace or the gospel, and not of the law, as a rule of duty. Eternal life is promised to them not in consideration of their sincere obedience to the law as a rule of life, but on account of Christ's perfect obedience to it as a covenant of works received by faith and imputed by God. It is promised to them not as a reward of debt for their sincere obedience, but as 'the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord' (Romans 6:23). The righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to them gives them a perfect title to life; they are already heirs of it, 'and joint heirs with Christ.' They have begun possession of it, and have the gracious promise of the gospel that they shall, in due time, attain the perfect and everlasting possession."

John Colquhoun, A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel

The law for believers does not condemn but is a rule of life

"The law as a rule of life to believers, especially in this view of it, is very different from the law as a covenant of works. The precept of the law as a covenant is 'Do and live,' but the command of the law as a rule is 'live and do'; the law of works says, 'Do or you shall be condemned to die,' but the law in the hand of Christ says, 'You are delivered from the condemnation; therefore do.' The command of the former is 'Do perfectly that you may have a right to eternal life,' but that of the latter is, 'You already have begun possession of eternal life, as well as the promise of the complete possession of it, therefore do in such a manner as to advance daily toward perfection.' By the former, a man is commanded to do in his own strength; but by the latter he is required to do in the strength that is in Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus says to every believer, 'My grace is sufficient for you; My strength is made perfect in weakness; therefore do.' The commandments of the law, both as a covenant and as a rule, are materially, but are not formally, the same."

John Colquhoun, A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel

Martin Luther - a benefit of Faith

"The third incomparable benefit of faith is that it unites the soul with Christ as a bride is united with her bridegroom. By this mystery, as the Apostle teaches, Christ and the soul become one flesh [Eph. 5:31-32]. And if they are one flesh and there is between them a true marriage - indeed the most perfect of all marriages, since human marriages are but poor examples of this one true marriage - it follows that everything they have they hold in common, the good as well as the evil. Accordingly the believing soul can boast of and glory in whatever Christ has as though it were its own, and whatever the soul has Christ claims as his own. Let us compare these and we shall see inestimable benefits. Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation. The soul is full of sins, death, and damnation. Now let faith come between them and sins, death, and damnation will be Christ's, while grace, life, and salvation will be the soul's; for if Christ is a bridegroom, he must take upon himself the things which are his bride's and bestow upon her the things that are his. If he gives her his body and very self, how shall he not give her all that is his? And if he takes the body of the bride, how shall he not take all that is hers?"
- Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian

John Calvin on the work of Christ

"'All that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me; and him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.' here we have three things, briefly indeed, but most perspicuously expressed. First, that all who come unto Christ were before given unto Him by the Father; Second, that those who were thus given unto Him were delivered, as it were, from the hand of the Father into the hand of the Son, that they may be truly His; thirdly, that Christ is the sure keeper of all those whom the Father delivered over to His faithful custody and care, for the very end that He might not suffer one of them to perish. Now if a question be raised as to the beginning of faith, Christ here gives the answer, when He says that those who believe, therefore believe because they were given unto Him by the Father." - John Calvin, The Eternal Predestination of God

Two wills of God discussion.

Josh said: God is more complex than for us to limit Him to only one emotional disposition towards individuals. He can desire every human to be saved and at the same only desire to unconditionally save the elect.


Me (Kirk said): if you say God is complex then we in fact cannot know Him. Scripture does not say that God is complex but that God is one. Scripture does not say that God is unknowable, but that He is inexhaustible. This is why Scripture says that what has been revealed is for the purpose that you should follow. God has not revealed to us everything about Himself, but only that which we should know. What God knows as Creatures we to can know. The difference in our knowledge is quantitative and not qualitative. Jesus says that we worship what we know. What we know that is what we speak.


Josh: Well, the idea is not that there are two wills, but two things that He wills. One more than the other. Massive difference. One is confusing and nonsensical, the other is very relatable and understandable.



Me: God wills two things? No one disagrees with that statement. Obviously the command is based upon God's will. You have not clarified the issue. The issue is not whether or not God wills two things. The issue is whether or not God desires in the same sense the salvation of the reprobate that He does the salvation of the elect. Does he at the same time desire to save all when in fact he does not save all? I'd say you should read the Van Til/Clark Controversy which speaks on this issue. 



I (Kirk) asked him: would it not be better to say that God COMMANDS that all would repent and believe the gospel, but only WILLS that the elect should repent and believe the gospel?


Josh: My response is that the idea of a command, if it has any real significance, is that it accords with God’s desires at some level.



Me: I'd disagree. Command does not mean that God actually longs for someone to do something or not. By this you are arguing the same line of the Arminian. God is the legislator.  God as the creator of the universe is the governor of His creation. Apart from salvation-history, Adam (Creature of God) does not have the right to salvation because salvation is a prerogative right that God freely does. As a Creature of God however Adam should obey God. This does not mean however that Adam by obeying God should merit eternal life (this is only grounded in Christ alone - which is covenant language).



Josh: This is how the whole distinction between wickedness and righteousness has fundamental distinction: it is rooted in God’s very nature (i.e. what pleases Him) expressed in desires, which is the formal cause of His will. For example, God makes real commands against wickedness and evil, and those commands are rooted in His character which manifests in desires.



Me: Well God commands are different from what God wills to do. God makes a command because He is the creator. This is the responsibility of man. No one denies the fact that the commands are grounded in who God is. But, you must be careful. God is not bound to certain commands. He could have justly commanded that murder is just as righteous as not to murder. The distinction between wickedness and righteousness is found in Christ. However,  the distinction between wickedness and goodness is ground in sin. However, the distinction between the elect and reprobate is based upon God's free elective choice.





Josh: However, He may, and very often does, desire other things more than “everything” happening according to that set of desires. In the case of His moral commands, He desires that all men obey them, but more than that, at the same time, He desires His plan to unfold as He has ordained according to the counsel of His will. The chief example of this is seen in the Cross: God opposing sin at all times, but because of His grater plan, He ordained the sufferings of Christ at the hands of wicked men.



Me: God command is rooted in God's will of election and reprobation. You cannot make the two on the same level. Nor should you condition the will of election and reprobation on the command. You are using desires and commands equivocatively. However, as Calvin says the command serves the doctrine of election and reprobation so that although God commands not to murder, He however wills that a person does murder. The command based upon God's righteousness is stated to serve the doctrine of election in that sin is revealed by it and that the reprobate are destroyed because of sin.



Calvin says, "Take the matter more briefly and condensedly thus: God wills that adultery should not be committed, in as far as it is a pollution and violation of the holy bond of matrimony, and a great transgression of His righteous law. But, in as as far as God uses adulteries, as well as other wicked doings of men, to execute His own acts of vengeance on the sins of men, He certianly executes the office and performs the sacred duty of judge, not unwillingly, but willingly!"

- John Calvin, Calvin's Calvinism Part two of the work on Providence



In as far as God wills a thing in His word that which should be done, He also wills in His secret counsel that which should not be done this is far because there are two wills in God.

 But that the first further reveals the latter. That in the latter God has so decreed to damn the Reprobate for sin. He does so in righteousness but in God's rejection of the reprobate he withholds His grace and hardens them making them into vessels of wrath to condemn them. He often times uses their sins to chastise his people to bring them unto glory. The command serves the doctrine of election and reprobation.



Josh: So it is with Salvation: God desires the salvation of all men, but more than that desire, He desires the salvation of the elect, being part of His eternal plan, so that the purpose of election might stand, and so He intentionally ordains their salvation and ensures that it will happen by His Spirit, knowing, and ordaining, that without His Spirit irrevocably changing people, they will never repent and believe and so be saved.



Me: Actually salvation is rooted in the justice of God. God desires solely the salvation of the elect, if he had not then the reprobate would not be reprobate but also the elect. What the two wills fail to explain is the fact that salvation is established with the elect alone who are in Christ alone. It is not true that because God commands Christians to preach the Gospel that this administering of the Gospel is actually itself the desire. Again the reprobate by hearing the Gospel are condemned more harshly for the light which they have. Further, they even suppress the truth of God clearly revealed. If God supremely desired to save the reprobate then he would have them to be saved, but he does not. Unless of course you are wanting say that natural revelation is in fact genuine and is capable of saving without the special work of the Spirit to reveal to Him the truths.



Josh: So, it is a surface level distinction to say that the difference between the reprobate and the elect, as regards God’s disposition, is that God wills one set to repent while commanding both to repent because commands are rooted in desire and will.



Me: No the command is that all should repent and believe. The command is that all men should glorify God. But not all do so. God however, in the administration of the gospel commands all to repent, but the command is also effectual and so calls the elect unto Christ.


Josh: All people have lesser desires they will forgo for the sake of more deep and abiding desires.



Me: God's desire is perfect and not complex. Human beings whose nature is fallen are complex and may desire anything under the sun.

  

On Grace, Love, and God

Gods grace is an act of God giving himself. Whereas His love is the act of giving Himself. In other words to be saved by grace alone means that God himself gave Himself to one and it is in love that He does so. Tantamount anyone who has not the Son has not the Father. I lay down my life for them the sheep as Jesus said.

On Gospel, Justification, and Reconciliation by Robert Traill

"There can be no justification without a righteousness; no righteousness can suffice but that which answers fully and perfectly the holy law of God; no such righteousness can be performed but by a divine person; no benefit can accrue to a sinner by it unless it is in some way his and applied to him; no application can be made of this but by faith in Jesus Christ." - Robert Traill, Justification Vindicated

On the Covenant of Grace 3

Essentially the Covenant of Grace is Unconditional and Eternal. Because it is Unconditional therefore it not based upon man's own willing or work. The promises of God ensures that the Creature will recieve the gifts of salvation. Through my reading of David J. Engelsma's book Covenant and Election in the Reformed Tradition I have learned that the Covenant of Grace is governed by God's election what this means is that God's free elective choice essentially gives the scope and intent of the Covenant so that it is not for anyone outside of the elect and therefore is not conditional. Because God's election is not based upon man's goodness or badness (unconditional) therefore God's covenant promises being interwined with election is also unconditional. In Genesis 15 we read how God establishes His covenant with Abraham - this covenant is seen to be apart from works. Nor was Abraham involved in this covenant. Abraham recieved the circumcision after he recieved the covenant not before. So as Paul says it depends not on the one who willeth or who runs, but on Him who chooses sovereignly and most freely.
Because the Covenant was made in eternity past, it therefore means it is unchanging. Nothing in this world will cause the covenant that God so wills to establish to break. God is faithful Romans 3 says. This is the purpose of the world to display this covenant life that God has within himself and which he graciously gives most freely to His elect people in Christ to enjoy by the power of the Holy Spirit. Truly it is because of this that the atonement is effectual and will fail in its purposes.
In summary there is only one covenant that is being established throughout salvation history. The covenant is made between God and Christ and all those in Him as sureties or promises so that the covenant includes election salvation and all things that pertains to eternal life. Praise God.
It is important to understand the Covenant aspect of Calvinism for from it all the other doctrines make more sense and also one is able to respond/answer those who see that the covenant is conditional and seperated from divine election. Anyways I hope I have given some help for those who are wanting understand this part of theology. I am by no means able to explain sufficiently enough this doctrine.

On the Covenant of Grace 2

"The covenant which is eternal is unconditional and not based upon anything found in the creature."

On the Covenant of Grace

I want to start a brief series on the Covenant of Grace to see how my thoughts progress. Hopefully the truth Lord Willing will present itself more and more clearly.

The unconditional covenant was made in eternity past and has been established throughout the history of salvation until the fullness of time had come in which this covenant was made complete in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him the saints recieve the gifts of salvation.