Dogmatic Theology Vol 3 - Shedd - XII - Anthropology continued

Required reading

Dogmatic Theology Vol 3 by William G.T. Shedd (Available from Amazon or here)  - Continue Anthropology by reading up to the paragraph beginning: 'Vol II. p. 113. That the holy self-movement of the human will is both the Creator's product and the creature's activity is taught in 1 Chron. 29:14.'

My summary  

Today we continue Shedd's notes on anthropology.

The readings are mostly concerned with discussing traducianism, including how it relates to the hypostatic union of Christ.

The final part of today's section is defining the free will of humans. 

What grabbed me

I liked the distinction made between Pelagian definition of free-will and the Bible's definition: 'Scripture defines freedom as choosing the one particular thing that is commanded by God and refusing the contrary: “I have set before you life and death: therefore choose life” (Deut. 30:19); “before the child shall know to choose the good and refuse the evil” (Isa. 7:16). Pelagian psychology defines freedom as choosing either the one particular thing commanded by God or its contrary. In this instance the contrary is not refused but may be chosen; in which latter case the thing commanded by God is refused. If the will chooses the spiritual good which is commanded and refuses the contrary spiritual evil, it virtually chooses all varieties of spiritual good and refuses all varieties of spiritual evil. But if it chooses either spiritual good or spiritual evil, it refuses no variety of the latter. The Scripture’s definition of freedom, which is that of Augustine and Calvin, connects freedom with moral obligation in making it to be the spontaneous inclining of the will to what the divine command enjoins and the spontaneous aversion of the will to what it forbids. The Pelagian definition wholly disconnects freedom from moral obligation by making it to be the indifference of the will to both divine command and its contrary.'

Next week's reading

Continue Anthropology by reading up to the paragraph beginning: 'Vol II. p. 146. The neglect of many modern Calvinists to mark the distinction...'

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.