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Kuyper on Common Grace.12 (The Change at the Flood)

24 Friday Apr 2020

Posted by memoirandremains in Abraham Kuyper, Uncategorized

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Abraham Kuyper, Common Grace, Flood, genetic entropy

Abraham Kuyper, Common Grace 12

In this chapter, Kuyper details both the continuities and the distinctions which take place before and after the Flood. Kuyper’s understanding of common grace underscores his understanding of the flood.

First, the fact of saving the entire human race – even though the race only consisted of one family – was an act of common, not special grace. Eternal salvation was not conveyed, only temporal. Moreover, it was not only human beings but animals and plants which were saved. Thus, it was common to all living creatures on the planet.

It is not that the church was saved in order to abandon everything outside the church to general ruin. But the grace shown here extends to the entirety of human life. Most surely the purpose was so that God’s church could find a place to set its foot, and also so that the church of the new covenant would gather together believers from all peoples and nations. But its purpose was also so that in a proper sense God the Lord would continue his work in that broad sphere of human life, not unto the saving of souls but no less unto the praise and glory of his great name.

Abraham Kuyper, Common Grace: God’s Gifts for a Fallen World: The Historical Section, ed. Jordan J. Ballor, Melvin Flikkema, and Stephen J. Grabill, trans. Nelson D. Kloosterman and Ed M. van der Maas, vol. 1, Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press; Acton Institute, 2015), 107.

Second, Kuyper notes some distinct physical discontinuities which took place at the Flood. The globe itself was changed, ground and atmosphere. The relationship between human and animals changed.

The nature of human life likewise changed. Following the flood, human life span significantly decreased. A fascinating observation, which is wholly consistent with this observation, is the problem of genetic entropy.

Kuyper explains this decrease in lifespan as a blessing because it limited the ability of the wicked to increase in skill. Likewise, the elect no longer need wait eight centuries until they can be with the Lord.

This new state of affairs would maintain regularly until the return of the Lord. And in this state of common grace, with the reordering of the world, the change in the relationship to the natural world, the decrease in life span as well as the institution of government, would permit the continued existence of the human race for the ultimate benefit of the Church and God’s glory.

Mortification of Sin, Study Guide Chapter 11c (John Owen)

08 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by memoirandremains in Biblical Counseling, Deuteronomy, Discipleship, John Owen, Micah, Mortification, Psalms

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Affections, Conduct, Desire, Fire, Flood, Genesis 3:6, James 1, James 1:14-15, John Owen, Mortification, Mortification of Sin, Obedience, Psalm 37, Puritan, Sanctification, Sin, Study Guide, Thoughts

The previous post in this series will be found here

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Seventh General:

Rise mightily against the first actings of thy distemper, its first conceptions; suffer it not to get the least ground. Do not say, “Thus far it shall go, and no farther.” If it have allowance for one step, it will take another.

  1. Sin in our actions begins as sin our hearts:

20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Mark 7:20–23 (ESV)

Thus, sin first begins in our thoughts and affections, it is an idea and desire before it ever becomes an action. Read James 1:14-15: What are the steps there listed for the beginning of sin?

Read Genesis 3:6: What takes place in Eve before she takes the fruit?

What about sins which seem to spring up spontaneously without any precursor, such a rage of anger: in what ways do such sins have start? Consider a recent experience of anger: What thoughts and desires had to be in place for anger to be possible? How would an increase in humility, pity, love have altered your heart in such a way that anger would not have been expressed? By way of comparison — consider other sins which you see others commit but you do follow in yourself. What is different your thoughts and affections that lead you to not following in that sin?

  1. We must stop sin at first actings.

It is impossible to fix bounds to sin. It is like water in a channel,—if it once break out, it will have its course. Its not acting is easier to be compassed than its bounding. Therefore doth James give that gradation and process of lust, chap. 1:14, 15, that we may stop at the entrance.

 

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