The Unconditional Covenant in Contemporary Debate

The accurate--and honest--way of expressing their position would be, 'The covenant with its blessings and salvation is outside the sovereign control of predestination.' Or, 'the blessings and salvation of the covenant are broader, much broader, than election.' Or, 'the grace of God in the covenant i

An “Election Theology” of Covenant (5)

The basic charge against the Protestant Reformed doctrine of the covenant of grace by Canadian Reformed ("Liberated") theologian Dr. J. DeJong is that it is an "election theology" of the covenant. In his letter in the March 15, 199l issue of the Standard Bearer, Dr. DeJong wrote: Engelsma is only pe

Covenant of election or covenant of conditions (6)

By contrast, a covenant controlled by election is a covenant with election. Having election it is a covenant with assurance, which assurance has “no room for complacency” and is the real source of the zealous godly life. For the sake of “no complacency” and a real and genuine assurance as the sourc

The Unconditional Covenant in Contemporary Debate

A covenant liberated from election necessarily extends the covenant grace of God in Christ to many more than those only who are finally saved by this grace, posits a death of Christ for many members of the covenant who perish in the end, and allows for the falling away of many who were once united t

Herman Bavinck on Covenant and Election (1)

Covenant and election are different in important respects. They are not different in respect of sovereign grace. Covenant grace is as sovereign as is the grace of election. They are the one, saving grace of the triune God in Jesus Christ. And the grace of God in Jesus Christ is sovereign. Neither a

Reformed Theology, Vol. 1

I Remember Herman Hoeksema: Personal Remembrances of a Great Man (3)

However, the covenant promise and the covenant itself are conditional. Whether the promise is fulfilled in the everlasting salvation of a child and whether a child remains in the covenant depend upon conditions the child himself must perform. The covenant is conditional, that is, dependent upon work

Calvin’s Doctrine of the Covenant

Because, and only because, the covenant is governed by election is the covenant sure and steadfast. The source of the covenant is the sovereign, gracious will of God in eternity, not the bound will of totally depraved infants. The covenant depends upon the promising God, not at all upon the working

Two Different Covenants, Two Different Schools (1)

This covenant is not a conditional agreement, but an unconditional relationship formed by God. God takes His people unto Himself and makes them to be of His own party. Within the covenant, they become living and active in the life of fellowship with God. Therefore, this covenant is not a means to an

Remembering the Schism of 1953: The Doctrinal Issue

According to the conditional covenant, the cross fails to accomplish the redemption of all for whom it confirmed the new covenant. Likewise, the grace of God in the covenant promise fails to effect the salvation of all the children to whom God promises the covenant and its blessings. The gospel of