Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 5, Section 2
In Chapter 3, when we looked at God’s eternal decree, we confessed that God ordains whatsoever comes to pass, yet he is not the author of sin… nor does he violate second causes, but establishes them.
Last week, in section 1 we confessed that God is in control of everything, he governs and directs all which he does for his own glory. This week we expand on the governance of his creatures by maintaining that he does not violate second causes such as the free actions of people, but rather establishes them. He maintains man’s liberty free wills..
Please note that whenever we talk about the divine sovereignty of God, our sinful hearts will always object. One objection we’ll look at today is that “if God controls everything, then I am not responsible for what I do…”
This objection is based on the assumption that when God controls human actions, he forces us to do his will whether we want to or not. To put it more bluntly, IF God controlled all things, then he also controls me to sin against my will, then God would be responsible and not I.
The bible however goes into great detail teaching that we are responsible because when left to our own will, we sin. God is infinite, eternal and unchangeable – he is able to let us do as we please, allow free will or second causes, yet is absolutely certain that we do what he has predetermined what we will do.
One example of this is in Genesis where we see the relationship between Joseph and his brothers. “as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people (Gen 50:20). They did evil, they did it freely… and yet… this was all according to God’s will. This is a great mystery.
Although—in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause—all things come to pass unchangeably and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he orders them to occur according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 5, section 2 (Modern English Version)
Related posts: