II - THE REACTION OF ARMINIUS AND THE SYNOD OF DORT

In the latter part of the 16th. century, however, a minister in Amsterdam, Holland, by the name of Jacob Arminius, began preaching certain things that were contrary to the confession of the Reformed churches of his country (the Belgic Confession of faith). Inasmuch as Arminius, like all the other ministers, had pledged to uphold and preach the doctrines set forth in the Confession, this was a serious offence, and he was challenged concerning it.

Although he again pledged to uphold the Reformed doctrine it was not long before his preaching again revealed that he had departed from the position of the Reformation, especially in the area of God's work in salvation. Great controversy ensued, and although Arminius died in the middle of the conflict his followers continued to promote his teachings in opposition to the confessions of the Reformed churches. The proponents of these anti-Reformation teachings became known as Arminians, the name being taken of course from Jacob Arminius, and in 1610 they drew up a document in which they set forth five doctrinal "articles" in the area of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) exactly opposite to the teaching of the Reformers. These articles were known as the "5 remonstrants".

The Arminians stated:

1. that God's election was based upon the fact that God "foresaw" that a man would repent and believe of his own "free will"
2. that Christ's death did not actually secure the salvation of any man in particular, but simply made it possible for all men to be saved
3. the need for regeneration (however further explanation of this revealed that even here they did not agree with the Reformers as to the nature of regeneration, or the depravity of human nature)
4. that God's grace could be resisted totally; that is, that God might "try" to convert a man but might fail
5. that a Christian might after all be lost again after being once saved.

In 1618 a great council was called in the Dutch town of Dort in order to examine the teachings of the Arminians in the light of the Word of God. Representatives from all the "reformed" churches of Europe were present, including a number from England. After more than six months of careful deliberation the "synod" issued its decisions and findings. The teachings of Arminius were shown to be without true biblical foundation, and the "5 remonstrants" were answered by five articles of scriptural truth set out by the synod. It should be kept in mind that the synod was composed of the finest preachers and theologians of the Protestant world of that day.

The churches of the Reformation declared:

1. that Man's nature was totally effected by sin, which meant that his will was affected by sin, and was in bondage to his sinful nature, and therefore his salvation did not arise out of his "free-will"
2. that God's election was not conditioned by foreseen faith in man, but was "according to the good pleasure of His will"
3. that Christ's death secured, and made certain the salvation of the elect, purchasing for them all the gifts (including repentance and faith) that were necessary to it, and that it was restricted in its intent to them only
4. that God's grace always secured its designed end
5. that God's elect would persevere in faith and holiness unto the end, they being kept by the power of God.

It is important to notice that these were not new teachings, but these were the doctrines upon which the Reformation had been built. Just as the teaching of Arminius became known as Arminianism, so the position of the reformed churches and the synod of Dort became known as "Calvinism", and the five articles that were presented in opposition to the new teaching of Arminius became known as the "five points of Calvinism".

Calvin's name was linked with these doctrines simply because he was the foremost theologian of the Reformation movement and had most ably and systematically set forth the Biblical doctrines preached by the Reformers. These doctrines did not originate with him; they come directly from the Word of God itself, and they had been ably expounded centuries before by the great Augustine.

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