All Articles For The Voice Of Our Fathers

Article 5. The cause or guilt of this unbelief as well as of all other sins, is no wise in God, but in man himself; whereas faith in Jesus Christ, and salvation through him is the free gift of God, as it is written: “By grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Eph. 2:8. “And unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him,” etc. Phil. 1:29.

Holy and Canonical “We receive all these books, and these only, as holy and canonical . . .” This is a statement of the faith of the church and its members concerning “these books,” that is, concerning the books mentioned in the preceding article. In Article III is the doctrine of the inspiration of the Scriptures. In Article IV is the list of the canonical books. In the present article is the statement of our faith with respect to these books that constitute the inspired Scriptures of the Old and of the New Testament. In the first place, we acknowledge...

PART TWO  EXPOSITION OF THE CANONS  FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE  OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS REJECTION OF ERRORS  (The true doctrine having been explained, the Synod rejects the errors of those:)

Article 7. For in the first place, in these. falls he preserves in them the incorruptible seed of regeneration from perishing, or being totally lost; and again, by his Word and Spirit, certainly and effectually renews them to repentance, to a sincere and godly sorrow for their sins, that they may seek and obtain remission in the blood of the Mediator, may again experience the favor of a reconciled God, through faith adore his mercies, and henceforward more diligently work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. 

PART TWO EXPOSITION OF THE CANONS  THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE  OF THE CORRUPTION OF MAN, HIS CONVERSION TO GOD, AND THE MANNER THEREOF  In the second place, our fathers carefully define and delineate the limits of this natural light. For we are told that through these glimmerings of natural light, man “retains some knowledge of God, of natural things, and of the difference between things good and evil (honorable and base), and show a kind of regard for virtue and external order.” 

In the first place, we must give our attention to the proposition that election is “out of mere grace.” The term grace has several connotations in Holy Scripture, all of which are rooted in the idea of grace as an attribute of God Himself. God, as the God of all infinite perfections, is in Himself gracious, that is, beautiful, pleasant. As such, His grace means that He delights in Himself also, and is filled with favor toward Himself as the triune God. He is graciously inclined toward Himself.

Article 6. That some receive the gift of faith from God, and others do not receive it proceeds from God’s eternal decree, “For known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world,” Acts 15:18. “Who worketh all things after the counsel of his will,”Eph. 1:11.

For a brief and concise explanation of this essential subordination of the decree of reprobation to the decree of election we can do no better than to quote from the mimeographed Dogmatics of the Rev. H. Hoeksema., He writes, “Theology,” page 201, ff.: 

Article 16. Those who do not yet experience a lively faith in Christ, an assured confidence of soul, peace of conscience, an earnest endeavor after filial obedience, and glorying in God through Christ, efficaciously wrought in them, and do nevertheless persist in the use of the means which God hath appointed for working these graces in us, ought not to be alarmed at the mention of reprobation, nor to rank themselves among the reprobate, but diligently to persevere in the use of means, and with ardent desires, devoutly and humbly to wait for a season of richer grace.

To those who murmur at the free grace of election, and just severity of reprobation, we answer with the apostle: “Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?” Rom. 9:20, and quote the language of our Savior: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?” Matt. 20:15.