Dr. Sproul discusses the fall of man (lapse) and the two major views concerning God's decree or decrees made in eternity past with respect to election and the fall. The two major views are infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism.
This controversy has been labeled as an arcane principle of theology, but as difficult and controversial as the issue has been historically, it is not without significance. It makes a big difference which side we come down on.
The debate between supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism has to do with the relationship of God’s decrees to election and the fall (also known as the lapse, the lapse of the human race into sin). The question is not when the decrees were executed by God in His eternal plan, but rather the order of the decrees. The significance of the debate is this. The infra position which is the vast majority report of historic Calvinism and of Reformed Theology is that God’s decree of election is made in view of the fall. Out of the corrupt mass of humanity all of which are dead in sins and trespasses. So the decree of electing grace is made in light of the fall.
2 окт 2024
