Towards the formulation of a Pentecostal doctrine of election CFJ Kotzé 24072532 Thesis submitted for the Degree Philosophiae Doctor in Dogmatics at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University Promoter: Prof dr FP Möller Co-promoter: Prof dr SP van der Walt October 2016 Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 ii Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the following: Prof. Dr. Francois Möller, my promoter, for his advice, encouragement and guidance; Prof. Dr. Sarel van der Walt for his encouragement and gentle guidance; Dr. Jason Fawcett, for his continuous interest, encouragement, guidance, and the language revision of the manuscript; My sister Carin Stoltz-Urban for her encouragement and support; My loving wife Louise, my brave son Conrad, and my beautiful daughter Michaela, to whom this thesis is dedicated. iii Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 KEY TERMS ENGLISH AFRIKAANS Act-structure Akt struktuur Arminianism Arminianisme Calvinism Calvinisme Competency of will Wilsbevoegdheid Election Uitverkiesing Infralapsarianism Infralapsarianisme Limbic system Limbiese sisteem Pentecostal theology Pinkster teologie Predestination Predestinasie Sovereignty of God Soewereiniteit van God Supralapsarianism Supralapsarianisme ABREVIATIONS BCF The Belgic Confession of Faith Cat. Calvin’s Catechisms CD Church Dogmatics II/2 COD The Canons of Dordt Comm. Calvin’s Commentaries HC The Heidelberg Catechism Inst. The Institutes of the Christian Religion WCF The Westminster Confession of Faith iv Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 “There is a need to understand one’s continuing degree of blindness, even while one is rejoicing in the degree to which one has come to see” (Ringenberg, 2005:50). In systematic theology, we do not simply sit passively, listening to the discussion at the round table. Rather, we bring our questions to the dialogue and listen for the various responses to be uttered. Ultimately, we seek to integrate these responses into a coherent answer (Menzies, 1994:245). v Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 ABSTRACT The Calvinistic and Arminianistic interpretations of the doctrine of election are researched and evaluated as well-established and tested paradigms in an attempt to formulate a doctrine of election that is unique to Pentecostal theology. Reference is made to the development of Pentecostal theology from the beginning of the twentieth century, and specifically the development of the concept of election in Pentecostal thought. While considering Calvinism and Arminianism, a specific Pentecostal perspective is developed concerning the sovereignty of God and human responsibility from a Christocentric paradigm. Man’s competence of will is described in relation to God’s sovereignty, Dooyeweerd’s act-structure, and its implications with regards to the Pentecostal doctrine of election. vi Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 AIM AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................ 2 1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT .............................................................................................. 4 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION .............................................................................................. 4 1.5 HYPOTHESIS ............................................................................................................... 5 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 5 1.7 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................ 6 1.7.1 John Calvin and the Arminian - Calvinist debate ................................................... 6 1.7.2 How it all began - Pelagius and Augustine ............................................................ 7 1.7.3 Pelagius ................................................................................................................ 8 1.7.4 Augustine .............................................................................................................. 8 1.7.5 The influence of Augustine and others on the theology of Calvin ........................ 11 1.7.6 The influence of Theodore Beza on Reformed Theology and on the theology of Arminius .............................................................................................................. 14 1.7.7 Jacob Arminius.................................................................................................... 18 1.7.8 The counsel of Dordt ........................................................................................... 22 1.7.9 The development of Arminian Theology ............................................................. 23 1.8 CONCLUSION TO CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 2 CLARIFICATION OF TERMS vii Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 2.1 INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 2 .............................................................................. 26 2.2 CLARIFICATION OF TERMS ..................................................................................... 27 2.2.1 The sovereignty of God and human responsibility (freedom) ............................. 28 2.2.2 Libertarian freedom ........................................................................................... 29 2.2.3 The doctrine of divine limitation .......................................................................... 31 2.2.4 Determinism ..................................................................................................... 32 2.2.4.1 Hard determinism ........................................................................................ 36 2.2.4.2 Soft determinism ......................................................................................... 37 2.2.5 God’s foreknowledge .......................................................................................... 40 2.3 CONCLUSION TO CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................. 41 CHAPTER 3 THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION AS ARTICULATED IN CALVINISM 3.1 INTRODUCTION AND DEMARCATION OF THE TERM “CALVINISM” ...................... 44 3.2 THE FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM EVALUATED ..................................................... 50 3.2.1 “T” - Total depravity ............................................................................................. 50 3.2.1.1 Supralapsarianism and Infralapsarianism .................................................... 51 3.2.1.1.1 Supralapsarianism ............................................................................. 51 3.2.1.1.2 Infralapsarianism ............................................................................... 52 3.2.1.2 General objections to the doctrine of total depravity .................................... 54 3.2.1.2.1 The imputation of sin and guilt of sin to Adam’s progeny ................... 54 3.2.1.2.2 The implication of the doctrine of original sin: paedo-baptism ........... 59 3.2.1.3 The problem of sin and evil ........................................................................ 62 3.2.1.4 An evil inclination ....................................................................................... 66 3.2.1.5 God decreed sin due to causal determination ............................................ 68 3.2.1.6 A distinction is made between God’s decrees and God’s desires ............... 69 3.2.1.7 The three wills in God .................................................................................. 69 viii Ph.D. Thesis by C.F.J. Kotzé - 24072532 3.2.1.8 God withholds His grace ............................................................................. 70 3.2.1.9 God (effectively) wills sin and unbelief unwillingly ....................................... 71 3.2.1.10 God hardens the heart of the reprobate ...................................................... 72 3.2.1.11 Human guilt with regards to the sin of Adam ............................................... 73 3.2.1.12 Sinners cannot choose good over evil ......................................................... 75 3.2.1.13 Sinners cannot seek after God .................................................................... 75 3.2.1.14 Regeneration precedes faith ...................................................................... 78 3.2.1.15 A person receives a new nature ................................................................. 81 3.2.1.16 The Early Church (before Augustine) believed that “free will” was a faculty of man’s constitution. ........................................................................ 83 3.2.2 “U” - Unconditional election ................................................................................. 85 3.2.2.1 Christ as the elect of God in Reformed theology ........................................ 86 3.2.2.2 Unconditional election (predestination) described ...................................... 88 3.2.2.3 Romans 9 as grounds for unconditional election ........................................ 91 3.2.2.4 Conditional or unconditional election? ......................................................... 95 3.2.2.5 Reprobation (double predestination) ..........................................................