Infra/Supra

We had a lecture this morning by Garry Williams (much of this material here is his but the reflections on the material may not be held by him) on Infralapsarianism vs. Suprlapsarianism which are different postions held by Calvinists. Don't worry about the names, just follow the arguements...

Infralapsarianism argues that God decrees the events of history (according to purpose - do not think God is bound by time) in this order:

1. The decree to create the world and all men.
2. The decree that all men would fall.
3. The election of some fallen men to salvation in Christ (and reprobation).
4. The decree to redeem the elect sinners by the work of Christ.
5. The decree to apply Christ's redemptive benefits to those elect sinners.

Supralapsarianism argues that God decrees the events of history (according to purpose - do not think God is bound by time) in this order:

1. The decree to elect and to reprobate.
2. The decree to create.
3. The decree to permit the fall.
4. The decree to redeem the elect by the work of Christ.
5. The decree to apply Christ's redemptive benefit's to those elect sinners.

Notice, key here is the position of God's decree to elect and to reprobate (either after or before the decree to create the world and permit the fall ... the difference is pretty big ... And boils down to whether God made me without having my end in mind (infra) or with my salvation/ reprobation decreed (supra).

Readers of Grudem and Frame beware, the searching out of the result is important.

For my money I'm with the supras, not least because it makes me sound like i should be a star in the Pixar animation The Incredibles, but also because...

The end and substance of my life has to be the same as that which God intends first and formost. The end of my life, and substance of my eternity, is to be in either heaven or hell, so must be God's primary intention in creating me.

To Adam, with love.