# Canons of Dordt



## humbled (Mar 1, 2006)

I have a question...

I've recently been introduced to Calvinism and the Doctrines of Grace, and at first I was resistant to them because it went against everything I was taught to believe, but after searching the Scriptures, I see it EVERYWHERE. I can't believe I missed it before! 

I've tried to 'splain a few things to my Arminian brethren on another board about the Total Depravity of man. I can sit there all day and explain how it means that man is incapable of coming to God on their own, I'll show Scripture that defends this view, and I'll even give numerous links that give a nice, clean definition of this Point.

So I decided to go to the horses mouth...the Canons of Dordt...and in there, at least on the reformed.org site, it says that man has a Total Inability which is what I've been trying to say!

So my question is...is the site quoting the Canon correctly? Was it originally written to say inability? If so, then when and why did it change?


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## Contra_Mundum (Mar 1, 2006)

John,
The "5 Points" are a means of summarizing vital truths concerning salvation. But they are just summary. And the "titles" they bear are even more abbreviated shorthand. Neither he words "total depravity" nor "total inability" are stated in so many words (at least I didn't find them in my cursory exam just now).

But here are some of them in an English translation:


> under Head III & IV. Article 3.
> Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto, and without the regeneration grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, or to dispose themselves to reformation.


So you see, both the words "Total Depravity" (focusing on the thorough corruption of man's whole nature) or "Total Inability" (focusing on man's utter helplessness to save himself) are equally good "titles" for this one of the "5 points."


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## R. Scott Clark (Mar 1, 2006)

> _Originally posted by humbled_
> I have a question...
> 
> I've recently been introduced to Calvinism and the Doctrines of Grace, and at first I was resistant to them because it went against everything I was taught to believe, but after searching the Scriptures, I see it EVERYWHERE. I can't believe I missed it before!
> ...



3/4 Heads of Doctrine, Art. 3 (3/4.3):



> Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and are by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto; and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, or to dispose themselves to reformation.



The Latin text says "naturam depravatam corrigere" (to correct the depraved nature). 

As Bruce says, when we say total depravity, we don't mean humans are as wicked as they can be but that all their faculties are corrupted and bent. It's not as if part of us is untouched by the fall (e.g., the intellect or the will). Our intellect, will, and affections are all corrupt. 

Hence it is only by the sovereign regenerating grace that anyone ever is made alive and only because it is a gift, that anyone comes to faith.

Try Hortons' _Putting Amazing Back into Grace_ - he really should give me a percentage for pushing his books so vigorously!

rsc


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## humbled (Mar 1, 2006)

Thanks for your replies, gentlemen.

On this website I found this statement about half way down, under the "Third and Fourth Main Points of Doctrine"



> Article 3: Total Inability
> 
> Therefore, all people are conceived in sin and are born children of wrath, unfit for any saving good, inclined to evil, dead in their sins, and slaves to sin; without the grace of the regenerating Holy Spirit they are neither willing nor able to return to God, to reform their distorted nature, or even to dispose themselves to such reform.



I know what the point means, I was curious if this is an accurate format? Does that make sense? When they originally wrote the canon, did it say "Article 3: Total Inability"? Or was this added by this website owner for clarity?

[Edited on 3-2-2006 by humbled]


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## Semper Fidelis (Mar 1, 2006)

It did not. Here's a translation without any added headings:

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/anonymous/canonsofdort.pdf


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## humbled (Mar 1, 2006)

> _Originally posted by SemperFideles_
> It did not. Here's a translation without any added headings:
> 
> http://www.ccel.org/ccel/anonymous/canonsofdort.pdf


Excellent.

Thank you, Sir.

And thank you for your service!


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