Confession chapter 3, sections 3-5
Q. 13. What hath God especially decreed concerning angels and men?
A. God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, hath elected some angels to glory;[w] and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof:[x] and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will, (whereby he extendeth or withholdeth favor as he pleaseth,) hath passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice.[y]
[w] 1 Timothy 5:21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
[x] Ephesians 1:4-6. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ver.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ver.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[y] Romans 9:17-18, 21-22. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.
Matthew 11:25-26. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
2 Timothy 2:20. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels[f] are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.[g]
[f] 1Timothy 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
[g] Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: ver.23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ver.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Proverbs 16:4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.[h]
[h] 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, has chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory,[i] out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto;[k] and all to the praise of His glorious grace.[l]
[i] Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ver.9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: ver.11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
[k] Romans 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) ver.13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. ver.16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. ver.9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.
[l] Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. ver.12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
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Westminster Larger Catechism Question 13
ReplyDeleteQL13 What has God decreed concerning angels and men?
AL13 By an eternal and immutable decree, out of His love, God has elected some angels to glory, and in Christ has chosen some men to eternal life. For the glory of God's justice, The rest are ordained to dishonor, wrath and punishment for their sin. He has also decreed when and how these things will happen. These decrees are for the praise of his grace. They are according to His sovereign power, and will by which he extends or withholds favor as he pleases.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3, section III
For the manifestation of His glory, God has decreed that some men and angels are predestined to everlasting life, and others ordained to everlasting death.
[Is there a difference between predestined and foreordained?]
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3, section IV
These predestined men are particularly and unchangeably designed. Their number is so fixed it cannot be increased or decreased.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3, section V
Before the foundation of the world, God chose the men predestined to life, in Christ, to everlasting glory. He did this according to His eternal and immutable purpose, his secret will and out of His free grace and love. He did not chose based on their faith, or good works, or perseverance, or anything else in them. He did this to bring praise to his glorious grace.
[These are difficult doctrines on many levels.
The idea that we all were foreordained to everlasting life or everlasting death before the creation of the world seems unfair. But, this is me trying to hold God to my standard of justice instead of believing his standard really is the true standard of justice. So really it is a sin.
It changes my perspective of evangelism. When I'm "giving the reason for the hope that is in me" It's not up to me to "save" the person I'm sharing with. I'm just participating in God's plan to ether bring this person to everlasting life in Christ, or send them to a eternal death.
It is such a counter cultural idea that it is not my faith, or good works, or perseverance, or anything else in me, that caused God to choose eternal life as my destiny. So often religion is about earning our salvation, but the implication of this truth is that our good works should come as a praise and response to the wonderful plan God is working out in us.]
Predestinated v. foreordained: I don't have certain knowledge of the answer, but I do know that some people (who believe in "double predestination) insist that God ordains people to hell in a different way than He predestines people to heaven. They want to avoid any hint that "God is the author of sin." This may account for the different words.
ReplyDeleteIMHO predestination cannot make God the "author of sin" under any conceivable scenario. In the end, when "every knee shall bow," nobody is going to be saying that God was the "author of sin."