In a previous post, we talked about the decrees of God. Question twelve of the Westminster Larger Catechism asks what the decrees of God are. For a quick refresher, the decrees of God are how we understand how God interacts with all of his creation, particularly noting angels and men. God's interactions are not passive, but he acts to ordain everything that comes to pass according to the purpose of his own perfect will. Put simply, God decrees what comes to pass. Everything is a part of God's plan, and he is actively working together for the good of those he has called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Many people struggle with this concept. The idea that God is in control is comforting to many but a terror to others. In our sinful nature, the idea that we are not fully in charge wars against our pride. To a lesser extent, it wars against our sense of justice. As we continue to talk about the decrees of God, we will deal with this issue and many others. The main question we will deal with is what exactly God has decreed.
Question # 13
Like we have talked about before, the catechism's questions follow one another. This is essentially how the book of Romans is patterned. Paul asks a question, answers it, and then asks the next logical question. It is a way of writing that is quite helpful. We often have questions when reading through a book or paper, and a good author will answer as many of those questions as possible. Given that the catechism is meant to teach the fundamental truths of the Christian faith, it only makes sense that it would use this method. So, in question 12, we are asked what the decrees are, and question 13 asks;
What has God especially decreed concerning angels and men?
The question may not be one that we expect, but it makes sense. It deals with the question of pride. When confronted with the reality that God is actively decreeing all that comes to pass, the first question that most people have is, what about me? The writers of the catechism understand the basics of human nature. Even as Christians, we must understand our sinful nature. A nature that is almost entirely self-centered. The answer we are given is a lengthy one.
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; and in Christ hath chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof: 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 fore-ordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice.
Understanding the Answer
The first part of the answer deals with the question of why. The actual question of the catechism asks what God has decreed, but the what without the why is not very helpful. The answer is that God has done this because of who he is. He is the creator of all things. The supreme being. Concepts that we interact with and have some understanding of are found wholly in him. One example of this is love. In 1 John, we are told that God is love. Not simply that God loves but that God is love itself. Put another way, any attempt to understand what love is apart from God cannot be love. It might be helpful to think about this in another way. It is like a blind person attempting to understand the concept of color. Color is a characteristic of light, and not having any reference to the light makes understanding color impossible. After love, we are told that God decrees things for his own glory. We find this idea throughout scripture, most often seen when God says he will do something for the sake of his name. A study focused on these various instances can be extreamly helpful for understanding the character of God to a greater extent.
a question of Justice and Fairness
The answer to the question of what, tells us that God, according to his own time, has elected or chosen some men and angels. The question that many have at this point is about justice and fairness. If God chooses some and not others, is that fair? The obvious answer is that no, it is not fair. The problem is that we look at fairness from the wrong side. We believe that we deserve the mercy of God, when what we truly deserve is the justice and wrath of God. We are sinners. We actively act against the one who created all things and treat the whole world as if it were created for us. Fair would be that we all face judgment, so the fact that God has chosen to be merciful is remarkable. God did not have to save anyone, but in his mercy and grace, he has chosen to save a people for himself. Another thing that we have to understand is that God is glorified both in his mercy and his justice. All things work together for his own glory. He is working them to be that way, even the evil actions of men. In scripture, we get a glimpse of this in the life of Joseph. His older brothers hate Joseph and sell him into slavery. A clearly evil act. And yet this action leads to Israel and much of the world at that time being saved. At the end of Genesis, we are told that what man intends for evil, God intends for good. The best example of this comes in the death of Christ. His crucifixion was truly intended for evil. The religious leaders intend to kill Jesus for their own purposes, and yet God is at work to save a people.
Dont Forget
In all this, we must never lose sight of the reality that God works through means. The means of our coming to salvation is repentance and faith. It is not enough to know that Jesus died for our salvation, we must believe in that truth. We must devote every aspect of our lives to his purpose. In scripture, we are told that the result of true faith is obedience. Obedience is not the source of our salvation but the result of it. I believe that the reason why we are told about the decrees of God in scripture has many purposes, but chief among them is to give us hope and confidence. It is a reminder that even in our darkest days, God is still in control and that nothing can separate us from his love. If we are Christians, we are Christ. He does not lose his own. We can walk through all the dangers of this life with our heads held high. Our hope is not in this world but in eternity.
Soli Deo Gloria
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