∙ Conditional Election. Election is based upon the foreknowl- edge of God concerning our faith and good works. God knew BIBLE STUDY: FREE REFORMED CHURCH who would believe and who would do good: They are the HISTORY (3) elected ones. Election in their opinion, is actually based upon what man chooses and what man does. ∙ Universal atonement. God intends the atonement to be for the LESSON 3: The Synod of Dort whole of mankind. That is His plan and His decree. Those who actually believe shall be partakers of this atonement. BIBLE READING: Ephesians 1 ∙ Free will. By means of natural strength, man after the fall is capable by his free will of exercising saving faith in Christ. In 1571 there was already a Reformed church synod convening in ∙ Resistible grace. Saving grace can be resisted by man in the Netherlands. Many were to follow. The most famous synod was spite of God’s power. the great Synod of Dort 1618-1619. This was an international re- ∙ Falling away of saints. It is possible that the saints do not per- formed synod, such as has never been held before that time and nev- severe, but fall back into the state of unbelief and perish. er since.

THE ARMINIAN HERESY AN INTERNATIONAL SYNOD

The main reason for the convening of this Synod of Dort was that These doctrines caused confusion within the Reformed churches. A the young Reformed churches had to be protected from heresies that controversy arose which had its influence throughout the international were creeping in. This concerned especially the Arminian heresies. reformed community. There were problems within the Reformed “Arminians” are the followers of a man called Jacob Arminius. His churches. Eventually a synod was convened by the Dutch national actual name was Jacob Harmenszoon, but, as the fashion of those parliament, to be held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in the year 1618. days was to change names into Latin, his name became Jacobus Delegates came from the Netherlands but also from various German Arminius. He lived from 1560 till 1609. He was first a minister in the countries as well as England, Scotland and Switzerland. The synod Reformed church but became later on a professor in theology. He de- also received letters from the French Reformed churches. The dele- nied the Biblical doctrine of election and maintained the free will of gates from France could not be there because the French king re- man. fused to give them passports to be able to leave the country. Various Many people followed the teachings of Arminius. In 1609 Arminius professors of theology were also among the delegates. The language died. His followers continued to propagate his ideas and in 1610 they spoken at the synod was Latin. The Dutch parliament paid all the ex- published a “remonstrance”, which is a declaration of their beliefs. penses. The five teachings of Arminianism are as follows: All the delegates had to vow that they would teach only that which is in agreement to the Word of God. The Arminians were also present but not as delegates. They were the accused party. The Arminians

1 had to defend their remonstrance and present the objections they had faith and above all the honour of God. That is something the fathers against the Heidelberg Catechism, which they refused to do. The at Dort clearly saw. That is why the Synod of Dort did not give in one Arminians did not want to be present at the synod as an accused par- inch to the ideas of Arminianism. ty. They just wanted to discuss matters and then let every one go At the heart of this controversy was the doctrine of total depravity. home again. As the Arminians kept on arguing about the procedures This doctrine of the total depravity of man is still denied by Arminians the moderator of the Synod, John Bogerman declared to them: “You and also by many liberal-minded churches. The Arminians view man started with lies and now again you have come with lies. You are dis- as still able to cooperate with God. But the Canons see man as totally missed, leave, leave.” lost, cleaving to sin and unwilling to break with sin. Man is on his way In this way the Arminians were expelled from the synodical meet- to hell, yet there is salvation only through God. The Canons of Dort ings. Then the delegates could finally get down to study the official underline the full and total depravity of man and then open up a way documents of the Arminians and to show from the Word of God why of salvation in the one sided work of the Triune God. and how they were unbiblical. The outcome is what we now know as For the Arminians, election is a horror but for the Reformed, election the Canons of Dort. is a great comfort. The offer of salvation and life comes to all. What a comfort that a poor and lost sinner, who can do nothing, may be told that there is a God Who can save and Who is willing to save and that the sinner, who cannot save himself, does not have to save himself, THE CANONS OF DORT for there is One Who works a full salvation! This call to salvation comes to all who are gathered in church. The The word “canon” means a rule of doctrine. The Canons of Dort are Lord tells you, while you are still unconverted and cannot save your- the official church doctrine opposing the false teachings of Arminian- self, that there is salvation outside of yourself in the full and finished ism. The biblical teachings of the Canons of Dort can be summarized work of Christ on the cross and in the perfect and fully applying and in five points. It is beneficial to know the contents of these “Five saving work of the Holy Spirit. We are urged to seek Him and we shall Points of Calvinism”. They convey to us the true biblical teaching con- live. cerning: After the great Synod of Dort, those ministers in the churches of the Reformation, who adhered to Arminianism were called to deny these ∙ Total depravity of man teachings or else they would be dismissed from their offices. Thus the ∙ Unconditional election protestant church became established as reformed in her doctrines. ∙ Limited atonement ∙ Irresistible grace ∙ Perseverance of the saints OTHER DECISIONS OF DORT The first letters of these points form the word “TULIP”. This word “tulip” is the acrostic commonly used to designate these five teach- An additional reason for organizing the great Synod of Dort ings of Calvinism. 1618-1619 was that the young Reformed Church had to be further or- What was at stake at the Synod of Dort: Nothing less than the sal- ganized and firmly established in its formal life. vation of man, the comfort of the Gospel, the joy and the assurance of Therefore certain decisions were made:

2 ∙ The liturgy for worship services, as we still conduct them was the name of a large Dutch city. Wall Street is actually a reference to a adopted: Votum, Salutation, Reading of the Law, (in the after- “wall,” that means a sort of dike. Staten Island refers to the Dutch noons the Apostle’s Creed), singing of Psalms, the use of government which was called the “Staten.” Liturgical Forms, etc. ∙ A better Bible translation was called for, which was published in 1637 as the official Dutch State translation (“Staten Vertal- ing”). QUESTIONS: ∙ The three creeds of the Reformed churches were officially adopted: These were the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons ∙ What is election? of Dort and the Belgic Confession of Faith. Every Sunday af- ∙ Why do churches generally tend to reject election? ternoon the ministers had to preach from the Heidelberg Cat- ∙ Explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and echism. School children had to learn the questions and an- man’s responsibility. swers by heart. ∙ Why is God’s election a rich comfort?

REFORMED PILGRIMS IN AMERICA

Now the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands were firmly estab- lished. The Reformed faith became the official religion in the Nether- lands. Many protestants throughout the whole of Europe fled to the Netherlands. Many book printers in the Netherlands printed numerous good theological books in Dutch, French, Hungarian, Latin and Eng- lish. Many books were exported to other countries. English Puritans fled to Holland to escape persecution, but from there many also emi- grated to North America where they founded the New England states of Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey etc. From the 1620’s and onward many Dutch people emigrated to the North American colonies which we now know as New Jersey and New York. They started the denomination which today is still known as the Reformed Church of America. The city of New York used to be called New Amsterdam. Many names in New York City still remind us of the Dutch background of early immigrants, eg. the name Harlem is

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