Predestination

The CRCNA's doctrine of predestination is explicitly Calvinist, following the Canons of Dort. God, before the foundation of the world, unconditionally elected some individuals to eternal life and, in his justice, passed by or reprobated others, leaving them to their own sinful desires and their just condemnation. This is double predestination: God's predestination includes both the salvation of the elect and the damnation of the reprobate.

Election is unconditional — not based on foreseen faith or merit but solely on God's free and sovereign will. The elect are chosen 'in Christ' and through the work of the Spirit are given faith, which itself is a gift of grace, not a human contribution. The reprobate are left to the power of their sinful nature and are justly condemned for their sins. This doctrine is not presented as arbitrary or unjust; rather, God's election is an expression of his love toward the elect, and his reprobation is consistent with his justice.

The doctrine of predestination is meant to ground assurance and comfort in the believer: those who are truly saved can rest in the confidence that their salvation rests on God's eternal decree, not on their own strength. At the same time, the CRCNA insists that God's predestination does not make human responsibility less real; rather, God uses means (preaching, faith, obedience) to accomplish his purposes. The reality of human will and responsibility remains intact within the framework of God's sovereign decree.