As we discussed last week, a major concern with the doctrine of election is that viewing some people as elect would seem to cause arrogance, but in fact this idea actually leads to humility. Another common concern is that it may lead to Christians not seeking to live lives of obedience because...
“Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, God chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race.” This statement found in Point 1, Article 7 of the Canons of Dort is the source...
In many ways, the main issue that the Canons of Dort addresses is the subject of election, or as people often label it, predestination. This issue was the first point in the writings of the Remonstrants (those followers of Jacob Arminius), so it becomes the first main point of the Canons of...
As we prepare to “Dig into Dort,” I thought it would be wise to consider more of the context in which this document was produced. The official title of this document is, “The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands&rdquo...
When you hear "Canons of Dort" mentioned, do you ask yourself, "What is a Dort, and why are people shooting cannons there?" Those questions may be followed with, "And why exactly should I care about it?" What is a Dort, and why are people shooting cannons there? The Canons of Dort do not refer...
Rather than giving a “best of” list, reflections on 2017, or goals for next year, I thought it would be appropriate for my last blog of the year to include thoughts on approaching the last book of the Bible: the Book of Revelation. Over the past couple of months I have had several...
As we prepare for Christmas, the commercialization and busyness of the season often detracts from the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus, our Savior who came to save us and the world from the curse of sin. Another potential danger, however, is that our familiarity with the story of...
