The Order of God's Decrees: Lapsarian Views with Richard Phillips
Mar 3, 2025
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In this discussion, Richard Phillips, senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church, shares insights from his journey of faith shaped by military and family influences. He explores the complexities of God's decrees, diving into lapsarian views like superlapsarianism and infralapsarianism. The conversation also navigates divine sovereignty, the significance of the fall, and the intricate relationship between predestination and free will. Phillips invites listeners to deepen their understanding of God's justice and grace through theological exploration.
Dr. Richard Phillips shares his transformative journey from a military background to embracing faith through significant experiences with Christ.
The podcast explores lapsarian views, notably superlapsarianism and infralapsarianism, highlighting their implications on understanding divine sovereignty and grace.
Phillips emphasizes the importance of engaging deeply with theological issues to better comprehend the relationship between God's decrees and human experience.
Deep dives
The Journey to Faith
Dr. Richard Phillips shares his remarkable journey to faith, beginning with his upbringing as a third-generation army tank officer in a military family with a liberal Protestant background. His mother's encouragement led him to explore his faith while attending graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania. After a series of providential events, including a memorable church experience that highlighted the redemptive power of Christ, Phillips surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. This transformative experience redirected his future toward ministry, ultimately leading him to teach at West Point and pursue a career in gospel ministry.
Understanding God's Decree
The doctrine of God's decree is presented as God's eternal will from which everything occurs, reflecting the sovereign control God has over all events. This decree encompasses both grand and minutiae aspects of existence, emphasizing that nothing happens outside God's ordained will. Scripture, particularly Ephesians 1:11, underlines that God works all things according to His sovereign counsel, assuring believers that God's providential hand guides their lives. The conversation seeks to clarify that acknowledging God's omnipotence includes understanding His decrees, involving creation, fall, and redemption narratives within biblical theology.
Lapsarian Views Explored
The podcast discusses the different lapsarian views concerning the order of God’s decrees, notably superlapsarianism and infralapsarianism. While the former asserts that God's election precedes the fall, emphasizing a logical relationship in the divine decrees, the latter posits that the fall comes first, highlighting human depravity before God's elections. The conversation acknowledges that while the lapsarian debates may seem subtle, they significantly shape theological discussions about grace, election, and reprobation. Both positions have historical roots in Reformed theology and reflect deeper understandings of how divine sovereignty interacts with human agency.
Engaging with Theological Skepticism
Dr. Phillips addresses potential skepticism surrounding the necessity of exploring logical orders within God's decrees, asserting the importance of thinking deeply about theological matters. He encourages believers to bridge the relationship between the mystery of divine sovereignty and the realities of human sinfulness and redemption. This critical examination fosters a robust theological understanding, encouraging serious engagement with Scripture while steering clear of speculative theology. Additionally, Phillips argues that the theological pursuit should neither trivialize nor dilute the complexities of God’s sovereignty, recognizing its relevance to the Christian experience.
The Historical Context of Lapsarianism
The discussion reflects on the historical development of lapsarian thought, particularly following the Protestant Reformation. The complexities of predestination, free will, and reprobation have garnered attention among theologians seeking to articulate God's sovereignty in salvation. Phillips notes that while the doctrine of God’s sovereignty existed prior to the Reformation, it became a focal point for scholastic reflection, addressing challenges from both humanist perspectives and differing theological schools. This evolution illustrates ongoing debates that continue to influence contemporary discussions among Christians regarding God's decrees and their implications for faith and practice.
In this episode, Caleb is joined by Richard Phillips (DDiv, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary) senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC to discuss lapsarian views. Together they discuss how theologians seek to understand the mind of God as revealed in Scripture with respect to the logical or conceptual relationships between God’s eternal decrees.
