The Latin word Laps means fall. Supra means before while infra means after. I think that the whole argument is about whether God is just or unjust entirely from people’s point of view. Most theologians think that both Supralapsarianism (SL) and Infralapsarianism (IL) can be right because we do not know what really happened. The theories concentrate on one’s salvation. Our focus should always be the kingdom. Some say that the Canons of Dort supports IL. But the Synod of Dort did not conclude which one was right. Even if the Synod supported IL, that does not mean it is absolutely true. I suspect that the Protestant church started to become like the Roman Catholic church from the 17^th century because it became a religion of the majority. Then theology started to focus on people, not God. The consequence is the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) where the Covenant of Work appeared. Although TULIP came as a result of the Synod of Dort, one must be careful when understanding it. Some say that Calvin and Zwingli supported SL while Luther supported IL. Others say that Calvin supported IL.

A few years ago, I had a chance to raise my concerns regarding the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ to a few Reformed ministers. Strangely they all thought I was talking about Supra/Infralapsarianism. I searched what they meant. I still cannot grasp what the issue is exactly because there are different explanations. I think it is better not to engage in a debate for the sake of a debate. However, I think there is a reason why God wanted me to study them. And the reason may be that these theories are meaningless and even harmful. I think both SL and IL must be removed. I think there is no need to anything other than what Ephesians 1:3-6 says.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

I find it strange that theologians focus on the fall related to these two theories. I think the issues are the misunderstanding of the double predestination and Adam in the garden of Eden before the fall. I could not find how the theories have started. I am guessing that it is the devil’s attempt to confuse us so that we would deny predestination.

I heard Bullinger had the issue of understanding the double predestination because he though it was unfair that God had actively chosen some to be the reprobate. I believe Calvin explained to him why the double predestination was right. I am not entirely sure if this has something to do with the debate. But I feel that the debate is about the double predestination.

I read that both theories accept predestination. But I do not think IL supports predestination written in Ephesians 1:3-6. “Before the foundation of the world” means before Adam’s fall. We know that God has divided the human race into two before He created all things. Therefore, if God has chosen the elect before the foundation of the world, the reprobate are also chosen before creation. I am very confused why most ministers and theologians support IL. And most of them say SL is not wrong either. I find this very strange. I think they cannot really prove that SL is wrong. The understandings of God in SL and IL are different. I still do not like the fact that the theories focus on the fall, when God already decreed the fall before creation. The whole debate may be from the misunderstanding of Total Depravity and Adam before the fall. I suspect that these ministers and theologians support the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ, which I believe God hates.

When the order is concerned, I think SL is close to truth. It is true that God had determined to divide the human race into two – the elect and the reprobate before creation. We understand that God made the plans to make the kingdom before creation. God already decided how He would make the kingdom before creation. Whether the election is before or after the fall of Adam, we need to understand that Adam’s action did not bring a change in the plan. God did not rely on “if” when He made the plan. We believe that Adam fell according to God’s plan. Not that God tempted him, the devil who was created by God and corrupted himself tempted Adam. But it was inevitable that the devil tempted Adam because of what he is. And it was inevitable that Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit. God does not take any responsibility for the fall. Everything went, goes, and will go as God had planned before creation. It is clear that the Bible says that God chose the elect before creation.

The verses in Ephesians 1:3-6, I believe, are often quoted by people who follow IL. They must have a different way of interpreting them. Those who follow IL think that God is portrayed as unjust if He had determined the end of the reprobate before Adam sinned. They think that the human race was sinless before Adam sinned. They think God had to wait until Adam sinned so that He would not condemn the reprobate who have not yet sinned. But we must understand that God already decreed the fall of Adam before creation. Even if God had determined who would be the elect and the reprobate before creation, it does not make God unjust because the human race except Adam and Eve did not exist then. All of us came after the fall. Our destiny was planned before creation because God already decreed us to be born from Adam, the fallen man. We were not some sort of beings before creation. Even if so, we cannot know. Then we are going beyond what is written in the Bible. If the debate concerns the detailed plans of God before creation, we must not spend time on discussing them.

My question is whether the IL supporters believe that Adam could have been the head of the church if he had kept God’s command. God made everything for the Son and through Him. Anyone who thinks Adam could have been our head has no understanding. I wonder if this debate is also related to people’s idea of Adam’s freewill in the garden of Eden. The WCF shows us that the theologians believe that Adam could get the eternal life for himself and his descendants by keeping God’s command. Adam was not as awesome and great as ministers and theologians want to believe. He was a mere slave made from the dust. If the fall had made God act, the one who caused it had the power over God. I do not think God would allow anyone to do that. The WCF indicates us that Adam could have been the head of the church if he obeyed. The Covenant theologians believe that Adam had the probation period. But it is evident God let Adam tempted beyond he could overcome. I believe Adam was tempted because there was a lesson to learn. That lesson is Adam is nothing without Christ. Adam’s fall is contrary to what the apostle says to the saints who are redeemed by Christ:

No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

We must remember that God had the specific purpose of creating everything, that is the kingdom. Before creation, God decided to build His kingdom, which is His people. He decided to train them to become like Him. Everything was carefully planned for the kingdom. God did not choose people by foreknowledge. God shut up everyone under sin. But God chose some people to be saved and makes them into His children. I am not talking about the order. God already predestined the elect and the reprobate before creation and planned how they would be divided. As the builder, He carefully planned what He would build before He started working. The Father made everything for the Son, and the church is made as the bride for the Son. The Bible tells us that God does not want to save anyone outside His chosen people. Other people except the elect people are made to end up in eternal damnation. This does not make God unjust because He Himself is the definition of just. We see that God has a very specific purpose for this kingdom, which we do not know fully.

And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not understand; and keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’ “Make the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, And their eyes blind, So that they will not see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

And the disciples came up and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” And Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. (Matthew 13:10-11)

There is no doubt that God is just and is full of mercy and love towards His people. We can only conclude that Adam’s fall was for the church’s growth. We do not talk about God from the reprobate’s point of view. From their view, God is unjust, unmerciful, unfaithful, and unloving. For us, the fall was a way to teach us about God. The New Testament emphasizes the importance of suffering as a way of training. This suffering is given by God, not self-inflicted suffering.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. (1 Peter 4:12-19)

The reprobate exist as a way to train the elect just like the devil. The saints know that we are worthless and sinful. We truly understand what is like being separated from God because of the fall. Our merciful God has chosen us before creation to become the kingdom. We know we were no better than those reprobates before the Holy Spirit came. The original sin or our sins no longer make us stay separated from God. By total grace, we have become to know God and do His will by the Holy Spirit. We suffer because the reprobate hate us and God. They have killed our brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus Christ. God wants to receive praises and worship from His children and the Son. God does not accept the reprobate.

I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. (Psalm 22:22)

I can only conclude that the focus of the debate is wrong. Theologians and ministers have their own image of God. They think God needs to prove Himself to be just before all mankind. He simply does not need to. The elect will understand Him as the Son does. The reprobate will always judge God according to their own standards. Some say Calvin supported IL. Others say he supported SL. Some say the WCF supports SL. There is so much confusion because the whole debate is focused on the fall. The words of God do not focus on the fall but God and His kingdom. I conclude that both theories are speculative. They must be removed.

Those who support IL think that God cannot be the Creator of evil. I’ve mentioned this before. If God did not create evil, then evil exists by itself. With this logic, the devil exists by itself like God. Then the devil is equal with God. We all know this is wrong. The devil and his followers (the reprobate) are a necessary tool to train God’s chosen people. Their eternal damnation will teach the saints about the end of those who hate God eternally. The apostles and the prophets repeatedly told that we must resist evil. We put our hope in Christ because He overcame the world.

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7)

These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Many Christians concentrate on the fact that God is just. Their idea of justness does not accept that God had determined everything before creation. They think that the double predestination makes God merciless. But God is full of love and mercy in the eyes of the elect because He makes even our disobedience a lesson for us. We all love new-born babies. But we would not love them if they remained as babies twenty years after. Babies must grow. If parents lock them up to maintain their innocence, they will never be able to have a conversation with them. They will never understand their parents. They are no better than pets.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)