Reformed Baptist Distinctives Part I--Sovereignty of God in Salvation

What are some of the characteristics of Reformed Baptist Theology as formulated in the BCF that make it distinctive from other kinds of Baptist theology? I will list some distinctive characteristics in a series of 4 posts with some relevant quotations from the BCF with Scriptural proofs and links to articles that talk about each characteristic.

I. God's Sovereignty in all things, including the salvation of men.

From the BCF CH 3 Of God's Decree:

Chapter 3: God's Decree

3.1 God has decreed all things that occur, [1] and this he has done in himself, from all eternity, by the perfectly wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably. [2]

Yet he has done this in such a way that God is neither the author of sin, nor does he share with anyone in sinning, [3] nor does this violate the will of the creature, nor is the free working or contingency of second causes taken away but rather established. [4]

In all this, God's wisdom is displayed in directing all things, as is his power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree. [5]

1. Daniel 4:34-35 Romans 8:28 Romans 11:36 Ephesians 1:11
2. Proverbs 19:21 Isaiah 14:24-27 Isaiah 46:10-11 Psalms 115:3 Psalms 135:6 Romans 9:19
3. Genesis 18:25 James 1:13 1 John 1:5
4. Genesis 50:20 2 Samuel 24:1 Isaiah 10:5-7 Matthew 17:12 John 19:11 Acts 2:23 Acts 4:27-28
5. Numbers 23:19 Ephesians 1:3-5

3.2 Although God knows everything which may or can come to pass under all imaginable conditions, [1] yet he has not decreed anything because he foresaw it in the future, or because it would come to pass [anyway] under certain conditions. [2]

1. 1 Samuel 23:11-12 Matthew 11:21,23 Acts 15:18
2. Isaiah 40:13-14 Romans 9:11-18 Romans 11:34 1 Corinthians 2:16

3.3 By God's decree, and for the demonstration of his glory, certain human beings and angels are predestined (or foreordained) to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace. [1] Others are left to continue in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice. [2]

1. Matthew 25:34 1 Timothy 5:21
2. John 12:37-40 Romans 9:6-24 1 Peter 2:8-10 Jude 1:4

3.4 Those angels and human beings who are predestined and foreordained to eternal life, are specifically and irreversibly designated, and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished. [1]

1. Matthew 22:1-14 John 13:18 Romans 11:5-6 1 Corinthians 7:20-22 2 Timothy 2:19

3.5 God chose those human beings who are predestined to life before the foundation of the world, in accordance with his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will. God chose them in Christ for eternal glory, solely out of his free grace and love, [1] without anything in the creature as a condition or cause moving him to choose them. [2]

1. Romans 8:30 Ephesians 1:4-6,9 2 Timothy 1:9
2. Romans 9:11-16 Romans 11:5-6

3.6 As God has appointed the elect to glory, so he has by the eternal and completely free purpose of his will foreordained all the means. [1] Therefore those who are elected (being fallen in Adam) are redeemed by Christ, [2] effectually called to faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season, justified, adopted, sanctified, [3] and kept by his power through faith to salvation. [4] None but the elect are redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved. [5]

1. Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 2:10 2 Thessalonians 2:13 1 Peter 1:2
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 Titus 2:14
3. Romans 8:30 Ephesians 1:5 2 Thessalonians 2:13
4. 1 Peter 1:5
5. John 6:64-65 John 8:47 John 10:26 John 17:9 Romans 8:28 1 John 2:19

3.7 The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, [1] so that those who are heeding the will of God revealed in his Word, and who are obeying it, may be assured of their eternal election from the certainty of their effectual calling. [2] So shall this doctrine promote the praise, reverence, and admiration of God, [3] and encourage humility [4] and diligence, [5] and bring much comfort [6] to all who sincerely obey the Gospel.

1. Deuteronomy 29:29 Romans 9:20 Romans 11:33
2. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 2 Peter 1:10
3. Ephesians 1:6 Romans 11:33
4. Romans 11:5,6,20 Colossians 3:12
5. 2 Peter 1:10
6. Luke 10:20

From the BCF CH 9 "Of Free Will"


Chapter 9: Free Will

9.1 God has provided the human will by nature with liberty and power to act upon choice; it is neither forced, nor determined by any intrinsic necessity to do good or evil. [1]

1. Matthew 17:12 James 1:14 Deuteronomy 30:19

9.2 In his state of innocence, Adam had freedom and power to will and to do what was good and well-pleasing to God; [1]but he was unstable so that he might fall from this condition. [2]

1. Ecclesiastes 7:29
2. Genesis 3:6

9.3 The human race through the fall into a state of sin, has completely lost all ability of will to perform any spiritual good accompanying salvation. In our natural state we are altogether opposed to spiritual good and dead in sin; we are not able, by our own strength, to convert ourselves, or even to prepare ourselves for conversion. [1]

1. Romans 6:16,20 John 8:31-34 Ephesians 2:1 2 Corinthians 3:14 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 John 3:3 Romans 7:18 Romans 8:7 1 Corinthians 2:14 Matthew 7:17-18 Matthew 12:33-37 Luke 6:43-45 John 6:44 Jeremiah 13:23 John 3:3,5 John 5:40 John 6:37,39,40,44,45,65 Acts 7:51 Romans 3:10-12 James 1:18 Romans 9:16-18 John 1:12-13 Acts 11:18 Philippians 1:29 Ephesians 2:8-9

9.4 When God converts sinners and transfers them into the state of grace, he frees them from their natural bondage to sin, and by his grace alone he enables them freely to will and to do what is spiritually good. [1] Nevertheless, because of their remaining corruption, they do not perfectly nor exclusively will what is good, but also will what is evil. [2]

1. Colossians 1:13 John 8:36 Philippians 2:13
2. Romans 7:14-25 Galatians 5:17

9.5 Only in the state of glory will our wills be made perfectly and permanently free to do good alone. [1]

1. Ephesians 4:13 Hebrews 12:23

From the BCF CH 10 "Effectual Calling"

Chapter 10: Effectual Calling

10.1 Those whom God [1] has predestined to life, [2] he is pleased (in his appointed and accepted time) [3] to effectually call [4] by his Word [5] and Spirit. [6] He calls them out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. [7] He enlightens their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God. [8] He takes away their heart of stone, and gives to them a heart of flesh. [9] He renews their wills, and by his almighty power causes them to do what is good. [10] He effectually draws them to Jesus Christ, [11] yet in such a way that they come completely freely, for they are made willing by his grace. [12]

1. Romans 8:28-29
2. Romans 8:29-30 Romans 9:22-24 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 2 Timothy 1:9
3. John 3:8 Ephesians 1:11
4. Matthew 22:14 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Romans 1:6 Romans 8:28 Jude 1:1 Psalms 29 John 5:25 Romans 4:17
5. 2 Thessalonians 2:14 1 Peter 1:23-25 James 1:17-25 1 John 5:1-5 Romans 1:16-17 Romans 10:14 Hebrews 4:12
6. John 3:3,5-6,8 2 Corinthians 3:3,6
7. Romans 8:2 1 Corinthians 1:9 Ephesians 2:1-6 2 Timothy 1:9-10
8. Acts 26:18 1 Corinthians 2:10,12 Ephesians 1:17-18
9. Ezekiel 36:26
10. Deuteronomy 30:6 Ezekiel 36:27
11. John 6:44-45 Ephesians 1:19 Philippians 2:13
12. Psalms 110:3 John 6:37 Romans 6:16-18

10.2 This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not on account of anything at all foreseen in us. It is not made because of any power or action in us, [1] for we are altogether passive in it, we are dead in sins and trespasses until we are made alive and renewed by the Holy Spirit. [2] By this [regeneration] we are enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, this power being none other than that which raised up Christ from the dead. [3]

1. 2 Timothy 1:9 Titus 3:4-5 Ephesians 2:4-5,8-9 Romans 9:11
2. 1 Corinthians 2:14 Romans 8:7 Ephesians 2:5
3. John 6:37 Ezekiel 36:27 John 5:25 Ephesians 1:19-20

10.3 Elect infants [1] dying in infancy are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit who works when and where and how he pleases. [2] So also are all elect persons regenerated who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word.

1. The Constitution of Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3 states, "We do not adopt the assertion of some editions [of the 1689 Confession] in Chapter 10, paragraph 3 that 'infants dying in infancy are elect and regenerated,' and choose rather to adhere to the more authentic confessional statement which reads 'Elect infants...' "
2. John 3:8

10.4 Those who are not elected, even though they may be called by the ministry of the Word and may experience some common operations of the Spirit, [1] cannot be saved because they are not effectually drawn by the Father, therefore they will not and cannot truly come to Christ. Much less can those who do not profess the Christian religion be saved, [2] no matter how diligently they order their lives according to the light of nature and the teachings of the religion they profess. [3]

1. Matthew 13:20-21 Matthew 22:14 Hebrews 6:4-5 Matthew 7:22
2. John 6:44-45,64-66 John 8:24
3. Acts 4:12 John 4:22 John 17:3

Related articles and audios:

"The Sovereignty of God" by Arthur W. Pink

"The Sovereignty of God in Salvation" by Arthur W. Pink

"A Defense of Calvinism" by Charles Spurgeon [not a defense of all the thought of John Calvin, but rather a defense of the sovereignty of God in Salvation, what is often commonly referred to as "Calvinism". ]

"The Five Points of Calvinism" by Robert Lewis Dabney [again, not a defense of Calvin's thoughts, but a defense of the Sovereignty of God in salvation]

"Arminian Theory of Redemption" by Robert Lewis Dabney

"God's Sovereignty in the Salvation of Men" by Jonathan Edwards

"Free Agency and the Will" by Robert Lewis Dabney

The complete text of John Gill's books "A Body of Doctrinal Divinity" and "The Cause of God and Truth", cover the subject of God's sovereignty in man's salvation exhaustively.

Introductory Essay to John Owen's "Death of Death in the Death of Christ" by J.I. Packer

"Death of Death in the Death of Christ" by John Owen

"Saved by Grace" by John Bunyan

"Reprobation Asserted" by John Bunyan

17 audio messages on the Sovereignty of God by Albert N. Martin

"A Southern Baptist Looks at the Biblical Doctrine of Election : Election Stated and Defended" by Ernest C. Reisinger

The following are transcripts of messages by John MacArthur on the subject of election from the Bible Bulletin Board's John MacArthur Collection (A-G)

Election [01]	Who Chose Whom? - "What a privilege and honor it is to address you from the Word of God on such a marvelous theme as the doctrine of election. Churches today are struggling through a severe identity crisis. Many churches, many church leaders and pastors are trying to figure out what style to follow, what mode to follow. Trendy new options compete with ancient ones. They capture the commitment of churches, and leaders, and believers. And there is in the midst of this is a sad and, I think, needless confusion with regard to the character of the church, usually based on some notion that somehow culture creates the church, culture informs ministry, style produces spirituality, things like that. As we think about settling the matter of the churches identity, I really believe we have to go back to the heart of that identity which is bound up in the eternal decree of God with regard to the church, namely the doctrine of election." John MacArthur
Election [02]	Series: "Chosen for Eternity" "Chosen by GodPart 1" (1 Peter 1:1) "Chosen by GodPart 2" (1 Peter 1:2) "Chosen by GodPart 3" (1 Peter 1:2) "The Sovereignty of God in Salvation" (Ephesians 1:3-14)
Election [03]	Election and Predestination: The Sovereignty of God in Salvation - A Grace Bridge Panel Discussion with Pastor John MacArthur, Pastor Phil Johnson, Dr. Richard Mayhue and Pastor Carey Hardy as Moderator
Election [04]	"Is the Doctrine of Election Biblical?" - The doctrine of sovereign election has always generated controversy. Maybe it’s time to see what Scripture really says about it.
Election [05]	"Answering the Key Questions about the Doctrine of Election" - Two radio broadcasts, with Phil Johnson and John MacArthur, addressing some of the hard questions about election. Some of these questions will make us feel uncomfortable. Some questions that stretch our ability to think and to understand, but this is a subject about which the Bible has a lot to say and we want to be like the Bereans.
Election [06]	What is the Doctrine of Election?