It’s not fair…

The Canons of Dort: The First Main Point of Doctrine

Divine Election and Reprobation

The Judgment Concerning Divine Predestination Which the Synod Declares to Be in Agreement with the Word of God and Accepted Till Now in the Reformed Churches, Set Forth in Several Articles

Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People

Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire ­human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. As the apostle says: “The whole world is liable to the condemnation of God” (Rom. 3:19), “All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

Translation © 2011, Faith Alive Christian Resources, Christian Reformed Church in North America.

“But dad… its not fair.” I can’t even count the number of times I have heard my children say this to me. My oldest daughter is only six, and I expect to hear it many more times from all of my kids as they grow older.

At their ages, I’m not even really sure they know what fairness is or what the concept even really means. To my children, fairness means getting what they want, and un-fairness means they didn’t get what they wanted while someone else did. (As I consider this idea it occurs to me that many adults also view fairness in this light). 🤦‍♂️

The discussion of predestination almost always ruffles feathers for people outside of the Reformed tradition, (and sometimes even for those within) and almost always the discussion revolves around the ideas of Justice and Fairness.

The topics of justice and fairness seem to be especially volatile in our culture right now, the very definitions of the terms seem to be in a state of flux, but in general the common western or American ideal seems to be a form of egalitarianism where all people are viewed as being equal and deserving equal rights and opportunities.

On the surface the idea of egalitarianism is a good thing. Our Founding Fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

The problem with this idea is when we apply it to our understanding of human sinfulness and God’s grace, we bring a lens with us that colors our understanding from a cultural perspective instead of a biblical one. The writers of the canons anticipated this and in order to address this, Robert Godfrey says:

In discussing the great topic of predestination, there are many places where one might begin theologically. One could begin in eternity, in the mind of God, to consider the plans or decrees of God. The canons instead begin in history with the human problem of sin.

Saving the Reformation: The Pastoral Theology of the Canons of Dort
by W. Robert Godfrey

The biblical lens

This biblical lens starts off by laying out the argument for the human condition through scripture:

• All of humanity is subject to the just judgement of God

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God." ~ Romans 3:19 NRSV 

• All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory [his righteous requirements for perfect obedience

"since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," ~ Romans 3:23 NRSV

• The human race is under the curse—which is death

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 6:23 NRSV

The cultural lens

The lens of cultural starts with a different set of arguments based on human ideals:

• All people should have equal opportunity for salvation. A loving God would not unfairly deny them that that opportunity. If they lose the opportunity it must be because of their actions.
• Sure, everyone sins (does wrong), but we have the natural ability to make different choices.
• We may be guilty of sin, but we can ask for God’s forgiveness and if we choose Christ He will help us remove the curse.

There is a fundamental difference between this Reformed idea that “we can do nothing” towards our salvation and the cultural ideal that “everyone deserves an equal chance” at salvation. It is this difference that makes the reformed idea of predestination so hard for many to accept. It seems like God is being unfair, it seems like He is being unjust, and that idea hurts us at the core of our western sensibilities.

The question of whether or not God has the right to condemn people is older than Arminianism and Calvinism. I often like to argue that John Calvin was an Augustinian, and that Augustine was Paulian, and Paul was a follower of Christ, or simply a Christian. (I was really voting for naming our next kid Augustine, but to my wife’s great relief we are having a girl, so Alice it is). 😉

In the early 500th century St. Augustine argued against Pelagianism about the doctrine of grace. Augustine argued that sinners are unable to help themselves in any manner and that it is God’s work that saves sinners from the beginning until the end.

Pelagianism argued that God’s standard of holiness must be achievable because it would be unfair of God to command people to a standard that was impossible; therefore it must be possible to live up to the divine command. Also, it taught that no one should be held guilty for another’s sin, so babies must be born innocent. Pelagius said that Christians should live sinless, blameless lives and that salvation came by living this way.

Dr. Kim Riddlebarger argues that most Christians are semi-Pelagians, where they believe that God has done His part by sending His Son to die (grace) and now we must do our part by contributing (faith).

Augustine said:

“The grace of God does not find men fit for salvation, but makes them so.”

Augustine of Hippo

Or for a more contemporary qoute:

WE ARE NOT SINNERS BECAUSE WE SIN. WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE SINNERS.

R. C. Sproul

The scriptures are quite clear on the matter:

"You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else."  ~ Ephesians 2:1-3 NRSV

"There is no one who is righteous, not even one;
     there is no one who has understanding,
        there is no one who seeks God." ~ Romans 3: 10-11 NRSV
  

Read alone, the first article of the canons may seem like a cruel statement if it were not seen in light of the rest of the points and the gospel. Instead of being something we should fear and loathe, for Christians it should be a great comfort and assurance.

The article tells us that God was under no obligation to save sinners. Perhaps we should stop and think about what we are asking for when we cry out for fairness and justice. The scriptures tell us that justice, would be eternal death for all. Justice wouldn’t be Christ dying in the place of sinners, fairness wouldn’t be the free gift of salvation. These things are the gifts of grace and mercy.

Justice does not require mercy. Any mercy goes beyond justice.

Saving the Reformation: The Pastoral Theology of the Canons of Dort
by W. Robert Godfrey

"The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
 He will not always accuse,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far he removes our transgressions from us." Psalm 103: 8-12

I love this comic from Bill Watterson’s, Calvin and Hobbes. For the believer in Christ, Calvin’s wish has come true. God has seen it fit to be unfair. He has deemed through His great love and mercy to send His Son and to save sinners.

Blessings,

Jory