Supralapsarianism - The Beauty of Logic & Doctrine

There are two major views of how God decreed to save the elect from all eternity: infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism. The dominant Reformed view is infralapsarianism, but noted theologians like Martin Luther, John Knox, Theodore Beza, Huldrych Zwingli, Jerome Zanchius, and Franciscus Gomarus have held to supralapsarianism. Further, three well known modern theologians have also fervently advocated supralapsarianism: Geerhardus Vos, Gordon Clark, and Dr. Robert Reymond.

Here is a brief analysis of the two views with an excellent restatement of supralapsarianism that is both convincing, biblical, and logically and doctrinally consistent:

Infralapsarianism – Refers to a historical order of the decrees of God in salvation. Thus they order the decrees of God in salvation as follows:

1. The decree to create the world and all men.
2. The decree of the fall of all men into sin
3. The decree to elect some sinners to salvation and the reprobate to justice.
4. The decree that Christ’s cross work would accomplish redemption for the elect.
5. The decree that Christ’s cross work be applied to the elect.

Essentially, they hold that God first decrees to create the world and permit the fall before enacting a particularizing principle in Christ amongst men – thus “infra” after “lapsarian” the fall. The order of decrees follows the chronological order of supposed execution in history. Infralapsarians further hold that their order of decrees has God distinguishing amongst men as sinners and NOT amongst men as merely men – this is their main accusation against supralapsarianism.

Supralapsarianism – Refers to the logical/teleological order of the decrees of God in salvation. Thus, they order the decrees as follows:

1. The decree to elect some men to salvation and the reprobate to justice.
2. The decree to create the world and all men.
3. The decree of the fall of all of man into sin.
4. The decree that Christ’s cross work would accomplish redemption for the elect.
5. The decree that Christ’s cross work be applied to the elect.

Supralapsarians hold that the particularizing principle of Christ’s cross work and whom it is for is the organizing and primary unifying principle of all the decrees – therefore it comes before “supra” the fall “lapsarian.” However, infralapsarians charge the traditional supralapsarian view as distinguishing amongst men as men and not sinners.

Theodore Beza - Successor to Calvin and Surpalapsarianist-Extraordinaire

However, Dr. Robert Reymond, formerly of Knox Theological Seminary, makes an adjustment to the historic view of supralapsarianism. The adjustment that Dr. Reymond makes creates a logically and doctrinally consistent supralapsarian scheme. It is as follows:

1. The decree to elect some sinners in Christ and the reprobate to justice in order to show forth the grace of God given to the elect.
2. The decree to apply Christ’s cross work to the elect
3. The decree to accomplish Christ’s cross work for the elect
4. The decree to permit the fall of man into sin
5. The decree to create the world and all men in and through Adam.

• Thus, the order of decrees is structured according to how a rational mind organizes a plan. Namely, a rational mind begins with its end purpose and moves progressively through each means to achieve that purpose. Therefore, the execution of the plan is done in retrograde order so that the first in accomplishment is the last decree and vice versa.
• Additionally, this scheme answers the infralapsarianism criticism and portrays God as choosing the elect amongst men as sinners – thus solving the traditional criticism against supralapsarianism.