In
summary, reprobation is a matter of God’s eternal, unconditional decree
regarding the destiny of the non-elect. This unconditional decree is divisible
into two elements, a negative element and a positive element. The negative
element is known as preterition, whereby God chooses to exclude the non-elect
from election unto salvation; to reject them and to leave them to justice. The
positive element of God’s decree is known as precondemnation. This is God’s
active decision before time began, and the non-elect would be held accountable
for all their actions; that there would be no mercy or forgiveness given to
them but rather that they would be held accountable to his holiness and
justice.
Distinct
from the decree of reprobation (which is resigned to eternity past) is the
execution of reprobation (which occurs in time and space). The execution of
God’s decree can also be subdivided into two elements: causality and
condemnation. The first, causality is enveloped in the concept pf
compatibilism. This refers to the compatibility between the human will and
God’s sovereign eternal plan. These two concepts are so compatible that God’s
decree is executed in such a manner that the creature always does what is in
his heart to do, what he wills to do, leaving him willfully responsible. With
regard to evil, God always being it to pass through secondary means. This
brings about the second element of the execution of the decree of reprobation,
condemnation, which involves man’s culpability and therefore worthiness of
condemnation. Condemnation is the act God goes through with holding humans
accountable for their sins; and the just consequence of this is damnation.
Based
on the aforementioned components of reprobation, it is inaccurate to say that
God reprobates humans to hell without any further qualification. This
simplistic manner of speaking disregards many essential elements to a proper
understanding of reprobation, which in turn lends itself to the false
caricature of hyper-Calvinism. When careful attention is not given to the
teaching of reprobation, the errors of hyper-Calvinism can easily creep in. But
with proper considerations given, it is easy to address common objections to
the doctrine of reprobation—most are founded on a false understanding of what
it actually teaches. (Peter Sammons, Reprobation and God’s Sovereignty:
Recovering a Biblical Doctrine [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Academic,
2022], 142-43)
Against the common appeal to God
just “permitting” the condemnation of the reprobate (non-elect), Sammons notes
that
Ultimately,
permissive language is inadequate to explain God’s relationship to explain
God’s relationship to evil in the world. It simply does not alleviate any of
the “problems” people have with God’s relationship to evil. To present divine
permission as the answer to the question of theodicy actually creates more
problems than it solves. It either introduces a force outside of God from which
he permits evil to proceed, or it undermines the will of God. (Ibid., 158)
The
Reformed confessions are consistent in maintaining that God in his sovereignty,
ordains everything that comes to pass, and God’s sovereignty itself is what
establishes men’s responsibility as secondary causes. (Ibid., 216)
