Higby argues that several theological truths derived from the five solas of the Reformation are consistently rejected by mainstream Christian scholars and theologians, including: equal ultimacy in God's positive decrees of election and reprobation, double predestinarianism as a doctrine to be celebrated rather than hidden, the early apostasy from apostolic gospel doctrine among the church fathers, creation's subjection to sin's curse before Adam's fall, the immediate divine creation of evil in each soul (rejecting both traducianism and infusionism), the validity of the homolegoumena/antilegomena biblical distinction (particularly regarding James's canonical status), and the ekklesia as comprising only elect believers rather than institutional church structures. The author contends these doctrines represent authentic Reformed theology grounded in Scripture but abandoned by both historical theology and contemporary evangelical scholarship.
What does the Bible say about predestination?
The Bible asserts that God predestines both the elect for life and the reprobate for death as part of His eternal decree.
Romans 9:18, Matthew 25:34
Why is justification important for Christians?
Justification is crucial for Christians as it is the means through which they are declared righteous before God through faith in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:28
How do we know God's sovereignty is true?
God's sovereignty is confirmed through scripture, which consistently depicts Him as the ultimate authority over creation and salvation.
Isaiah 46:10, Romans 8:28
In spite of those standing for the truth of Justification as taught in the apostolic gospel, these associated truths debated on P-Net for years cannot possibly be learned from the most advanced Christian theologians of repute. These are implications of the 5-solas of the Reformation that virtually all theologians deny. If anyone wishes to add to this list please post. If some want to shout 'scripture please' please start a new discussion and don't deny the existence of previous discussions that have presented the evidence.
1) Equal Ultimacy
Equal ultimacy of predestination to eternal life and predestination to eternal death. Both are positive purposes of God according to His eternal Want and part of a single decree determining all things. Nothing that occurs in all of history is due to some ‘permissive will’ of God that he regrettably ‘allows’. This does not mean that salvation and reprobation are equally Central in God’s plan, only that both are equally positive purposes that are irrevocable by man. Salvation in Christ is God’s Central purpose and reprobation outside of Christ is God’s subservient purpose in contrast to election unto life in Christ, with both destinies bringing immeasurable glory to Himself.
2) Double Predestinarianism
The joy of double predestinarian faith is something to be celebrated without apology or nervous trembling before the world, not a private talent to be buried in the ground fearing repercussion.
3) The Apostasy
The apostasy against the gospel prophesied by Paul was already operative in the teachings of the early ‘church fathers’ and has been carried forward in all time since. The doctrine of justification as taught in the Reformation tradition is absent from the fathers, as well as all the other associated Christian and apostolic truths mentioned in this summary.
4) Creation
The Earth as created in Genesis 1 and 2 was already subject to the curse of sin, before the rebellious act of Adam and Eve. All of the present Creation is imperfect by design, including the original souls of the pair in Eden. The FIRST and pre-eminent creation of the glorified Earth and elect humans will come only at the final Advent of Jesus Christ.
5) The Origin of Evil
The Origin of Evil in every soul is due to the immediate creation of God. Sin is not passed down through genetic inheritance at all. Both the nonconformist Jews pre-Christ and Pharisaic Jews recognized this doctrine, which is denied by Christianity at large due to the influence of Tertullian (‘traducianism’) and Augustine (‘infusionism’) based on an improper exegesis of Romans 5. The Pharisaic doctrine was false because of its free-will teaching of ‘equal motive’ in each created soul, not because it denied the ‘contrary motive’ of evil that was included in God’s creative purpose.
6) The homolegoumena / antilegomena distinction
The homolegoumena / antilegomena distinction in the understanding of scripture, though rejected by conservative Protestantism, is still valid today and was almost universal teaching from the First thru Sixteenth centuries. It is not the same issue as inerrancy, as falsely alleged by ‘evangelical’ scholars. The core homolegoumena of infallible scripture must be confessed by all believers as truth and serves as the basis of all gospel doctrine. However, the book named James (at least) completely fails all 3 tests of ‘canonicity’ as affirmed by Protestants (apostolic origin, early and ongoing attestation, apostolic gospel doctrine) and cannot be affirmed as homolegoumena.
7) The Ekklesia
The 'congregation' of the New Testament comprises all elect believers in Christ and is manifested in this world only where two or more elect gospel believers are gathered in His name. The congregation of the firstborn enrolled in heaven is all elect believers of all time. The concept of 'Church' in Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern tradition has nothing whatsoever to do with the Ekklesia founded by Christ.
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