“Eternal generation of the Son necessary for God to create.”

Status
Not open for further replies.

Burke Devlin

Puritan Board Freshman
In his wonderful systematic theology, Robert Letham (referencing Bavinck) says at least five times (pp. 61, 166, 277, 280, 624) “Eternal generation of the Son is necessary for God to create.” After looking into it I’m still not sure what to make of it. Any thoughts?
 
In his wonderful systematic theology, Robert Letham (referencing Bavinck) says at least five times (pp. 61, 166, 277, 280, 624) “Eternal generation of the Son is necessary for God to create.” After looking into it I’m still not sure what to make of it. Any thoughts?

My guess, and that's all it is at the moment, is that if the Son weren't begotten, but rather produced by an act of will, then there wouldn't be any difference between creation and generation. The Son would be a similar product like creation. That was Athanasius's argument against the Arians.
 
Could this help?

I posted this in another forum about a week ago; I wonder if it is along the same lines?

"The glory of the Father is wonderful in him [Jesus Christ] in this, that God the Father attains unto his greatest design, the great design that God had in making of the world, and in the preserving of the world; I say, God attains unto it by his Son, by Jesus Christ, and that design would be lost, if Jesus Christ did not bring things about for the glory of his Father. God hath made a world for his glory, and he preserves a World for his glory, but the main design that God had in making the world, and that he hath in preserving the world, it is to fetch about a great design that he hath only by Jesus Christ, and therefore it is that the Father is so well pleased in his Son, because that by him he comes to attain the great design that he hath in making the world.

Quest. You will say, What is that?

Answ. Truth it is, we understand but little of it for the present, but we know in the general it is this, That he might have his elect ones eternally with himself to behold his face, and magnify him together with Angels for his mercy in Jesus Christ, that is the great design that God had; other men have great designs in their heads, but the greatest design that God hath of all, it is to fetch about his honor in his Son, and to glorify himself in his elect ones to all eternity, that is the great design for which he made the world, without which he would never have made it. And God, as I may so say, is well enough satisfied in the midst of all the dishonor that is done to him in this wicked corrupt world, with this consideration, Well, but my Son doth drive on my design, and this pleaseth me; no matter though I be dishonored, though my Name be never so much blasphemed in the world, yet my Son carries on my great design, and the glory I foresee I shall have in the accomplishment of that great design of mine, it doth so please me, that it is no great matter to me what wicked men that belong not to mine Election do. Christ is wonderful in this, that he carries on the great design that God had from all eternity in making the world."


Jeremiah Burroughs, 1599-1646 "Gospel Revelation in Three Treatises"
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top