John William Baier's
_Compendium of Positive Theology_
Edited by C. F. W. Walther
Published by:
St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1877
[Translator's Preface. These are the major loci or topics of
John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ as ed-
ited by Dr. C. F. W. Walther. These should be seen as the
broad outline of Baier-Walther's dogmatics, but please don't
assume that this is all. Each locus usually includes copious
explanatory notes and citations from patristics and other
Lutheran dogmaticians.]
Chapter Twelve
On predestination and reprobation.
1. God in time leads some humans and by a plan to salvation, and
the same people and by the same plan by which they are led in time
to salvation, God has decreed from eternity. And they see this by
the names of predestination and election.
2. However by the words of predestination and election are
indicated now the decree about the whole work of leading humans to
salvation, then peculiarly a decree about certain humans under a
certain plan of the knowledge of salvation certain to the divine
intellect.
3. For recognizing the decree of predestination, in so far as it
sees the whole business of human salvation, the order of divine
acts is seen diligently, just as in the sign of reason according to
divine revelation other things are followed by others.
4. And thus, because God loved his humans for the highest goodness
not only when in the first humans he created them in his divine
image, truly also seen in Adam's fall, but also sinners are
accompanied by his love, so that for the cause of procuring their
salvation he gave them the Son the redeemer for all; also it is
recognized, that, when God from all eternity foresees, humans by
sin to be gone to corruption, however for the cause of procuring
their salvation he decided to give the Son, who for all paid the
price of redemption.
5. Then, just as God declared in time, by act they had followed
salvation through the merit of Christ, those who had believed in
Christ; so that however all who were able to believe in Christ, God
himself thus proclaimed the doctrine of faith, so that it was
possible to extend to the ears and minds of all, thus it is
recognized, that God wished from eternity, that all humans believe,
and to have decided for, the mediator whom he decided to sin, and
by the published doctrine about him, to offer his embrace to all.
6. And in what manner God joined in time the divine strength by his
word, through which the supernatural assent of faith, by the word
supplied by himself, and thus faith in Christ is able to be excited,
and is excited, how often a human without a wicked resistance
admits that word; thus it is certain, that God from eternity
decided, with proclaiming the word in time strongly and graciously
to go along thus with the producing effect of faith, so that no one
might be without faith, unless those in the middle of faith or
grace being conferred had despised the same.
7. Further just as God in time justifies all, who believe in Christ
and, unless the same by sins against the conscience drive out faith
and the Holy Spirit, more and more he renews, or he sanctifies, and
he preserves that same faith and he confirms it continuously to the
end of life; thus it is known, that God from eternity decided, for
all who will believe in Christ, in time to confer the grace of
justification and renewal, by the means rightly to sanctify the
users further, and to preserve their faith and to confirm it
continuously to the end of their life.
8. Finally, just as God in time finally saves by act all who
believe in Christ, also the eternal decree of God is recognized
about all being certainly saved who finally believe in time.
9. And because God from eternity foresaw which humans might finally
believe, and so that he decides to save these, that the eternal
decree about the eternal salvation being shared to the finally
believing, in view of the merits of Christ and the foreseen faith
in Christ, done and precisely seen it is called especially by the
name of predestination or election.
10. However from the opposite, just as God in time punishes by
eternal damnation humans who either never believed, or on the
contrary they drove out faith and ended life without faith, thus it
is admitted, that God determined from eternity, those, who died
without final faith, to damn eternally.
11. And just as God foresaw from eternity, which humans in time
depart without faith in Christ, thus in the same way, so that such
is distinctly recognized, he determined to damn them eternally. And
this decree is called reprobation.
12. To election strictly speaking pertains the virtually causing
cause I. the efficient cause, which is the Triune God.
13. The impulsive internal cause is the goodness or mercy and free
favor of God.
14. The external impulsive cause, and it the principal, is the
merit of Christ.
15. The lesser principal external impulsive cause of the decree of
election is faith in Christ, and it final faith.
16. The object of predestination is human sinners, but finally
believing, and them all and singly.
17. The nearer end of election is the same salvation, applied to the
elect in time; however the ultimate end is the glory of the divine
goodness.
18. The decree of election, according to what is to this point, is
determined to be (1) particular and (2) immutable.
19. It is possible to define election or predestination broadly
speaking, that it is an eternal decree of God, by which God from his
immense mercy to all humans, whom He foresaw falling into sin, to
send a mediator and to offer through a universally embracing
proclamation, also to all, who will not be fighting, to justify all
believing and by the means of grace further to renew those using
the means and to protect faith continuously to the end of life in
them, and then those finally believing he arranges to save for the
glory of his goodness.
20. Strictly speaking predestination or election is able to be
defined, that it is an eternal decree of God, that God from his
immense mercy foresaw those humans all and singly, who will be
finally believing in Christ, according to that same merit of Christ,
by final faith being apprehended and thus foreseen, he arranges to
give eternal salvation, being the cause of that same salvation of
them and the cause of his glory.
21. Reprobation similarly is a decree of God, and to such an extent
it recognizes the efficient cause to be the triune God.
22. The internal impulsive cause is the punishing justice of God.
23. The external impulsive cause are human sins, also in so far as
they are joined with final unbelief.
24. The object of reprobation are impious humans finally
unbelieving.
25. The end of reprobation is the punishing of sinners and the
glory of the divine punishing justice.
26. Reprobation also is a decree not only particular, but also
immutable.
27. It is possible to define reprobation, that it is an eternal
decree of God, which God out of his avenging justice decides to
damn finally unbelieving human sinners according to their own sins
when joined to final unbelief for the punishing of their sins and
the glory of his divine justice.
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This text was translated by Rev. Theodore Mayes and is copyrighted
material, (c)1996, but is free for non-commercial use or distribu-
tion, and especially for use on Project Wittenberg. Please direct
any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther
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