1689

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 59

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Day 59

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 4.

“These angels and men thus predestinated, and fore-ordained, are particularly, and unchangeably designed; and their number so certain, and definite, that it cannot be either increased, or diminished.“

Scripture Lookup

2 Timothy 2:19.

John 13:18.

Reflection

God does not change.

We constantly need reminding of this. So, once again,

GOD DOES NOT CHANGE!

This applies to God’s decree as well. God has “freely and unchangeably” decreed “all things whatsoever comes to pass”. And God has decreed who will inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ. That number is fixed. We do not know the magnitude of that number, but the Lord definitely does.

This takes the pressure off of us when we evangelize. We do not need to notch our belt every time someone is converted through our efforts. Evangelism is not some multi-level marketing scheme, where the more converts we get somehow boost us closer to heaven! Rather, we proclaim the Gospel freely, knowing that those God has chosen are out there, and we can trust that He will not lose any.

“The Lord knows who are His.” What a comfort for the Christian! God is intimately acquainted with His people. Even when we wrestle with assurance, when doubt and despair threaten to doom us, we can know that He knows us and will not turn away any who come to Him. If we are elect, we are His; we cannot lose our salvation. Trust in the infinite wisdom of His decree, and live accordingly.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. -Romans 8:38,39

Questions to Consider

  • How does knowing the number of elect is fixed affect your attitude towards evangelism?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 58

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Day 58

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 3.

“…others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 9:22,23.

Jude 4.

Reflection

Predestination. The word goes against all our notions of fairness and equality. The playing field should be level, right?

We look at the fact that some are predestined for eternal life, and we rightfully praise God for his grace. But if some are predestined to eternal life, then the opposite is true: there are those who are not, and they will be condemned. Immediately we have a knee-jerk reaction that this seems unfair. But is this reaction a right one?

To view predestination as unfair is to view life from our perspective, rather than what God reveals to us. First, we forget what we know about God. He is just. He is holy. He has all goodness in Himself. Nothing He does is unjust, because it goes against who He is!

We also do not realize the extent of sin. The unbeliever who, by our standards is the most wonderful, kind, and loving person we know, is still condemned as he has broken God’s law. God cannot be in the presence of sin.

Our reaction is also ultimately selfish. Our cry of unfairness seems to only apply to those we like. Notice that some angels are predestined to eternal life, and some who are condemned. Yet we do not react with a cry of “Unfair!” when hearing about fallen angels. So when we look at predestination, our ultimate source needs to be the Scriptures. They are clear: God has decreed that some will be left in their sin and condemned justly.

This realization that predestination is a true doctrine is tested when our beliefs are lived out. To embrace the doctrine of predestination, I had to admit that loved ones who died without claiming Christ did not posses eternal life, and that God had decreed it. It was crushing. I had to decide if I would accept what the Bible says, or what my heart wanted to believe. This must happen with every truth we learn in the Scripture. Do we trust that God’s Word is true?

What will you believe?

Questions to Consider

  • Does the fact that some are left in their sin offend you, or humble you ?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 57

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Day 57

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 3.

“By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or fore-ordained to Eternal Life through Jesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace;...”

Scripture Lookup

1 Timothy 5:21.

Matthew 25:34.

Ephesians 1:5,6.

Reflection

There is nothing you can do to earn eternal life.

This goes against every notion our society has for succeeding. In Western culture, we are told that in order to get something, all we have to do is work hard. When we finally achieve “it” (whatever it is), it is because we deserve it. The more cynical believe that everyone has a price. Find the right dollar amount and you can obtain what you want.

But God can’t be bought. It’s not who your parents are, it’s not what you have, it’s not how hard you work that determines whether or not you have eternal life. It is only through God’s decree that anyone receives eternal life through Jesus. He decreed who would be His in eternity past, not on a whim, not based on a choice someone made today, not on any action made by an individual. Salvation is all of God.

By salvation being all of God, He gets all the glory. There is no boasting in ourselves; there is only praise for God. He has chosen a people and called them out to be His. Since we know that His decrees are sure, and that He does not change, we know that His people will be His. We can rest confidently that His people will have eternal life. Praise His glorious grace!

Questions to Consider

  • How does knowing that God has predestined some to have eternal life affect your evangelism?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 56

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Day 56

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 2.

“Although God knoweth whatsoever may, or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions; yet hath he not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.“

Scripture Lookup.

Acts 15:18.

Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18.

Reflection

Which came first, the decree or the foreknowledge?

We understand that God knows all things. Not only does He know every thing that will occur in this universe, He knows all the possible outcomes of every variation of event if He decreed something differently. Science fiction aficionados will recognize this as the idea of “parallel universes”. Just because God knows these outcomes, though, does not mean that they are reality. God has decreed all that will come to pass, and it is accomplished. There is no deviation. (Sorry, Star Trek and Doctor Who fans!)

Some try to say that while God has decreed all that will come to pass, it is only because He foresaw what will happen. By saying this, they attempt to keep man’s will autonomous, especially in regard to choosing salvation. But is this accurate? In other words, is it Biblical? Looking at Romans 9:16, we read that “it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” God’s decree is not based on His knowledge of the future – that would imply that He is dependent upon that knowledge, and God is independent of everything and anything. Rather, God knows the future because He has decreed it.

Our God is proactive. Thank Him for it!

Questions to Consider

  • Have you ever wrestled with the idea that God decrees all things?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 55

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Day 55

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 1.

“..in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.”

Scripture Lookup

Numbers 23:19.

Ephesians 1:3-5.

Reflection

Through the unfolding of events, God’s wisdom, power, and faithfulness is displayed. Through the actions and movements of individuals, through the rise and fall of nations, through natural cause and effect, God’s decrees are carried out. These decrees have divine wisdom to their order, divine power to their potency, and divine faithfulness to their steadfast path.

Is there anything that God has failed to accomplish? How often we look at our own circumstances, at a difficult situation, and think that God will not fulfill His promises! And yet, when we look at Scripture, we see God working throughout history to fulfill His will. The wisdom of God is shown in decreeing the ultimate order to bring our good and God’s glory. A Savior is promised in Genesis, and it is foretold that the serpent will bruise his heel, but that this Savior will crush the serpent’s head. Sinners are blind to their sin, but the Gospel opens their eyes and God is glorified.

The power of God to accomplish His decrees is demonstrated throughout history. The Israelites, oppressed by Pharaoh, are released from slavery through God’s might. They occupy the promised land of Canaan through His aid. Jesus, conspired against, betrayed, beaten, crucified, rises from the dead. The church, persecuted and hated, spreads and grows through the mighty power of God.

God’s faithfulness is thus shown in the outworkings of history. What He has said, will be accomplished. We look to the past and see His faithfulness to His promises. We can look to the future and be confident that He will continue to be faithful to His promises. To have such a trustworthy, strong, and wise God as our God is such a marvelous privilege!

Questions to Consider

  • Can you see the wisdom, power and faithfulness of God when reflecting on your life?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 54

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Day 54

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 1.

“… nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established;...”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 4:27,28.

John 19:11.

Reflection

Asked to lead my college Bible study group, I chose to work through the book Putting Amazing Back Into Grace by Michael Horton. I had recently learned of the doctrines of grace, and was eager to share that knowledge with the group of ladies who attended Campus Crusade with me. All claimed to be Christian, so diving into these great doctrines would be fun. Or so I thought.

The other girls balked when the idea that God was sovereign over all was introduced. “I’m not a robot!” one young woman vehemently said. You know what? She was right. Reformed theology agrees with her: God does not carry out His decrees by violating human will. Through His wisdom, He carries out His decrees while allowing for freedom of will and action.

It is important to remember that while God has decreed all that comes to pass, that does not mean that we have no responsibility in our actions. Fatalism is not biblical. Rather, God orchestrates so that all things work according to the counsel of His will, yet in that orchestration uses our desires and events to serve His purposes. Thus we are still responsible for how we think and behave. May we seek His aid to freely do His will.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the notion that God has decreed all that comes to pass, yet we still have free agency, confuse you?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 53

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Day 53

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 1.

“…yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin, nor hath fellowship with any therein,...”

Scripture Lookup

James 1:13.

1 John 1:5.

Reflection

Evil is rampant in this world. From the genocide and killing we hear on the news, to the fighting and backbiting in the workplace or family, to the bitterness and coveting of our own hearts, the fact that sin is present is undeniable. So when we learn that God is sovereign over all, and that He has decreed all things that are to pass, we look around and wonder how it can be. How can a holy and righteous God decree all things when there is evil? Did He decree this evil? Did He create this evil?

R.C. Sproul states:

One thing we know for sure is that evil does exist. It exists, if nowhere else, in us and in our behavior. We know that the force of evil is extraordinary and brings great pain and suffering into the world. We also know that God is sovereign over it and in His sovereignty will not allow evil to have the last word. Evil always and ever serves the ultimate best interest of God Himself. It is God in His goodness and in His sovereignty who has ordained the final conquest over evil and its riddance from His universe. In this redemption we find our rest and our joy — and until that time, we live in a fallen world.

All of our knowledge about God comes to us from Bible. From its pages we know that God has no fellowship with darkness. He is not the author of sin, and cannot abide sin due to His holiness. Sin does not originate with God but from His fallen creatures. God however limits it, and orders it for His own purposes. We also know that He is all-powerful, most wise, and that He has freely decreed what will happen. This course of events is the best because the One who has decreed it makes no errors. We have to trust this even though our surroundings and our own frailties tempt us to believe otherwise.

Questions to Consider

  • Have you ever wrestled with the problem of evil?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 52

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Day 52

Of God’s Decree

Chapter 3, Paragraph 1.

“God hath decreed in himself from all Eternity by the most wise and holy Counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things whatsoever comes to pass;…”

Scripture Lookup

Isaiah 46:10.

Ephesians 1:11.

Hebrews 6:17.

Romans 9: 15,18.

Reflection

God has determined whatsoever comes to pass.

He has determined it.God decreed this in himself. He has determined it alone. There are no advisors to God, and no conditions placed upon Him. God only needs to consult His own will to decree what will happen, and his decrees are done freely. Every nanosecond of time has been set and directed by Him. There is no event, large or small, that takes Him by surprise, because there is no event that veers from His decree.

He has determined it by His own will. It is not done haphazardly. God decrees by his own will, which is most wise and holy. It is infinitely perfect in its purpose and execution.

He has determined it, and it is unchangeable. His decrees do not change. They are perfect. What He has said, will happen. Nothing can sway Him, persuade Him, or manipulate Him. There is no fickleness with God!

We can take comfort in knowing that nothing can thwart the decrees of God, and that His sovereignty is good, just, and absolute. He is infinitely gracious, holy, almighty, and knowledgeable. Would you really want anything to be outside of His control?

Questions to Consider

  • Is there any aspect of life that you have considered to be outside of God’s decree?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 51

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Day 51

Of God and of the Holy Trinity

Chapter 2, Paragraph 3.

“…the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son, all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and Being; but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties, and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our Communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.”

Scripture Lookup

John 15:26.

Galatians 4:6.

Reflection

The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is different than what is taught in Eastern Orthodox churches, which claim that the Spirit proceeds only from the Father. Looking at John 15:26 and John 16:7, though, we see that the Spirit proceeds from the Son.

While the trinity is mysterious, it is important to know. Not only is it revealed truth from God, which is always wondrous and beneficial for us, it is also the basis of our “communion with God”. Without a knowledge of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we cannot have salvation. Zacharias Ursinus writes:

It is necessary…that all who will be saved, should have a knowledge of the one God, the eternal Father, the co-eternal Son, and the co-eternal Holy Ghost; for unless he is known as such an one as he has revealed himself, he does not communicate himself unto us, neither can we expect eternal life from him.

May we agree with the doxology, “Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”!

Questions to Consider

  • Have you ever reflected on the doctrine of the trinity as the foundation of your communion with God?

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 50

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Day 50

Of God and of the Holy Trinity

Chapter 2, Paragraph 3.

“…the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding, the Son is Eternally begotten of the Father;. ..”

Scripture Lookup

John 1:14, 18.

Reflection

“Begotten” is a term you don’t hear much anymore. So when we read that the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, we’re confused. What does that even mean?

First off, “begotten” means to father. If you read the King James Version of the Bible, you will see that so-and-so “begat” someone. For example, Adam “begot” Seth; he fathered Seth. We can also say that Seth was begotten of Adam. So when it states in the Confession that the Son is begotten of the Father, it means that the Father is the father of the Son.

Does this mean that the Son was created by the Father? NO!

This is where grammar is useful. The Son is begotten of the Father, not the Son was begotten! This is a continuous relationship between the Father and the Son. It is an eternal begetting that has always existed, and always will continue to exist.

C.S. Lewis explains it this way:

…God is a Being which contains three Persons while remaining one Being, just as a cube contains six squares while remaining one body. But as soon as I begin trying to explain how these Persons are connected I have to use words which make it sound as if one of then was there before the  others….We say that the First begets or produces the second; we call it begetting, not making, because what He produces is of the same kind as Himself. In that way the word Father is the only word to use. But unfortunately it suggests that He is there first – just as a human father exists before his son. But that is not so. There is no before and after about it.

Questions to Consider

  • Can you explain to someone the relationship between the Father and the Son?