The Canons of Dort is the third of the Doctrinal Standards of the Reformed Faith that we subscribe into. It is also known as the Five Articles Against the Remonstrants. It is adopted from the great Reformed Synod of Dordrecht in 1618-1619, which was held in response to the rise and spread of Arminianism that led to the disturbance of the Reformed Church.
In this Canons of Dort, the Synod set forth the Reformed biblical doctrines on the following points: Unconditional election, limited atonement, total depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints.
On February 13, 2016, Zion Cornerstone Reformed Church Imus was privilege to hold “The Golden Chain of Our Salvation” seminar — with our guest speaker, Rev. John A. Bouwers of the Immanuel United Reformed Church in Jordan, Ontario, Canada. In this seminar, Rev. Bouwers led us through the five sections of the Canons of Dort. You may listen to the audio of the seminar through the links below.
Part 1: The Sovereign Love
The Canons begin with the declaration that as all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish… God hasn’t chosen us because we were somehow better than others. He chose us in Christ simply out of His good pleasure as an expression of the depth of His love.
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Part 2: The Sacrifice of Sovereign Love
“But God, who is rich in mercy, does not leave us to ourselves at this point. Article two goes on and says: [God] has been pleased of His infinite mercy to give His only begotten Son for our Surety, who was made sin, and became a curse for us and in our stead, that He might make satisfaction to divine justice on our behalf.
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Part 3: Our Need for Sovereign Love
This section of the Canons deals with the depth of our sinfulness. Here we are shown the natural condition of our souls before God. To the sinful flesh this is painful teaching, unpleasant to say the least, and devastatingly humiliating. But this is for our good.
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Part 4: The Power of Sovereign Love
The Canons do not leave us in the throes of death, but point us instead to the work of the Holy Spirit who sovereignly, lovingly and powerfully applies the atoning work of Christ in the lives of the elect. He brings dead sinners to life.
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Part 5: The Perseverance of Sovereign Love
And as we come by faith to adore the might and majesty of our God we are, thereby, also assured that He will not forsake the works of His hands. He will surely finish what He has begun for us. No one and no thing can stop His work of salvation in the hearts and lives of His people.
