Been listening to the Tim Keller audios from The Prodigal God. He talks about a new community and how when we turn away from God, we are actually breaking fellowship and community. There’s a nice twist to the well known parable by looking at it from the point of view of community/family/society…
This section of the Confession of faith deals with God’s unconditional election of those predestined for life. The bible clearly states that salvation is wholly a work of grace through faith in Christ so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 and since salvation is pure unmerited grace, then there is no room for works. Today’s confession makes this abundantly clear:
3 points –
1) God predestined some to life before the foundation of the world and this choice is eternal, and unchangeable
2) The choice was out of God’s free grace, good pleasure and love; not based on any quality or works of man
3) God’s election manifests his glory by displaying his holiness of wrath in the destruction of the wicked and displaying the perfection of his mercy and love in saving the elect.
Those people who are predestined to life, God—before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and unchangeable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will—has chosen in Christ to everlasting glory. He chose them out of his free grace and love alone, not because he foresaw faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of these, or anything else in the creature, as conditions or causes moving him to do this; and all to the praise of his glorious grace.
(WCF 3.5)
Chapter 3: Of God’s eternal decree
God, from all eternity, did—by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will—freely and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass. Yet he ordered all things in such a way that he is not the author of sin, nor does he force his creatures to act against their wills; neither is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.
— The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3, Sect. 1 (Modern English Version)
This week we will begin studying Chapter 3 of the Westminster Confession of Faith. This chapter is entitled “Of God’s Eternal Decree”
Note first that the word “decree” in the title is singular. God has one all-encompassing decree, which originated from eternity and has remained unchanged. God did not have to make any new decrees or backup plans.
In today’s confession, God’s decree is described as being wise, free, and holy:
1. First, it is WISE because God’s decree is in harmony with God’s perfect wisdom.
2. God’s decree is FREE because it is not constrained or influenced by anything outside of God’s nature. God ordained whatsoever comes to pass according to the counsel of his will.
3. And God’s decree is HOLY in that it is in harmony with his perfect holiness and utterly free of sin.
So to summarize God’s decree, it is according to his own holy purposes, guided by his own perfect wisdom, without necessity or influence from outside forces, and all without the possibility of revision.
However, when we look at God’s eternal decree, we have to guard against two errors:
1) God’s decree does not make God the author of sin/responsible for sin (even though there is sin in the world, he is not author of sin) and
2) God’s foreordination does not remove man’s responsibility for his own sin.
The Bible clearly establishes both truths: God’s foreordination and man’s responsibility. We recognize that God is holy and sin is a violation of God’s holy will and his holy character. Fallen man alone is responsible for his sin. And people sin freely out of their own freewill according to their own nature, without any external influences or compulsion (or what the confession calls “second causes”). God’s decree does not violate free will but instead establishes it.
The Bible clearly establishes both truths: 1) God’s foreordination and 2) man’s responsibility for his own sin and actions. And we affirm this in our confession today.
Let me now leave you with some good news, because if man is left to his own responsibility, there would be no hope. As part of God’s eternal decree, He knew that his people would fall, so he chose his people in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless in Christ. As part of God’s eternal purpose, He sent Jesus Christ into this world at just the right time to save his people.