elnwood
Puritan Board Junior
I have never stated that it is a sin to doubt a person's salvation and neither does Dordt. You miss the point completely in your haste. You really could learn some lessons from Elihu.
Rich, then why did you post the following? You stated "sinful speculation" thrice.
What you think and what is actually the case are two different things. It is not an inconsistent reading unless you believe that we ought to doubt the election of those in the Church whose status we have no reason to question. It is a guard against sinful speculation.
My main point is demonstrating a consistency here: we're not commanded to speculate on the things hidden. Who is/isn't elect belongs to God and Him alone. Nevertheless, we are commanded, in some ways to expect the best of all we are in Covenant with. To do otherwise would be to constantly look with suspicion upon everyone: old, young, wise, and simple. When a member of the Church dies and has done nothing to leave us to believe they are deniers of the faith ought we be somber and questioning: did this man truly believe? Was he truly elect? We simply do not live this way although we could if we were given to a sinful speculation all the time.
It is sinful to speculate where God has not spoken and to doubt a dead infant's election and salvation is pure speculation.
It seems pretty clear that you're saying that this speculation on salvation is sinful. And I still haven't seen a bible verse to back up this claim. You said "we are commanded, in some ways to expect the best of all we are in Covenant with." Where is this command?
You even seem to misread the sermon as well. You're a young man Don. You really need to place yourself in the position of the learner because you're proving to be quite unteachable even in trying to understand a position that you might disagree with. You're so hasty, however, you don't take the time to learn the position before you offer strawman critiques of it.
Alright Rich, I'll let you teach. What does the sermon mean when it says that the promise of eternal life through Christ belongs to the children of godly parents?
"Children of godly parents are in the covenant and the covenant promise of eternal life in and through Christ belongs to them. They are considered to be part of the kingdom of God. They are counted as holy – separate and set apart as part of the church. With all of this in mind, Article 17 says 'godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.'"
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