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. 146. The neglect of many modern Calvinists to mark the distinction...'
My summary
Today's reading continues discussing the human will.
We learn:
(i) that the will is from the creator;
(ii) about the error of Pelagianism;
(iii) about moral desires;
(iv) the difference between sensuous and mental desire;
(v) the defects of philosophical understandings of the will;
(vi) the responsibility of man.
What grabbed me
I liked Shedd's unashamed affirmation of the sovereignty of God over the human will: '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: “Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of you and of your own have we given you.” The benevolent disposition of the will is a “willing” disposition. It is the spontaneity of the man; his own personal activity. But that the man is “able” thus to energize is due to divine impulse and actuation. God “works in him to will” in this manner. The holy will is compared by our Lord to a vine branch which bears fruit “of itself” (aph’ heautou); but in order to do so it must “abide in the vine.” The holy will is spontaneous and self-moving, but in order to this the Holy Spirit must be under and behind the self-motion. This important truth, which precludes human egotism and pride, is abundantly taught in revelation and from thence has passed into all orthodox theology.'
God has total dominion over man.
Next week's reading
Continue Anthropology by reading up to the paragraph beginning: 'Vol II. p. 172. How (Vanity of Man as Moral, sub fine) argues in the same way as Anselm'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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