I.God from all eternity, did, by the most wise andholy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordainwhatsoever comes to pass;[1] yet so, as thereby neither isGod the author of sin,[2] nor is violence offered to the willof … See also the Westminster Confession’s carefully crafted, precisely worded statements at WCF 16.7, which also affirm this view. 8:29; Jer. Nowadays we hear much of a God who tries His best but can't be blamed if things don't work out very well. God cannot be tempted by evil. God's decree is all-comprehensive. The Alliance is a coalition of pastors, scholars, and churchmen who hold the historic creeds and confessions of the Reformed faith and who proclaim biblical doctrine in order to foster a Reformed awakening in today's Church. c. a. God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass…~ Westminster Confession of Faith. While the God’s supremacy is unrestricted, even the sovereignty of God has its parameters. God works out His will in all things: He "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Eph. Let us never think or speak boastfully about what we intend to accomplish. Westminster Confession of Faith. The Holy Scriptures call God's plan "the decree of the most High" (Dan. No one can hold back his hand...” (Daniel 4:34-35). While God will often test us, He tempts no one. "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" (Deut. 33:10-11). 1. CHAPTER 7 . 10.1 The subjects and nature of effectual calling. While the God’s supremacy is unrestricted, even the sovereignty of God has its parameters. Every intelligent person makes plans; only a fool sets goals but gives no thought to the means by which he will accomplish them. Chapter 7 - Of God’s Covenant with Man. Such is the "kinder and gentler" deity of our day. People dream and scheme, but God's plan will stand (Prov. God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass; a yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin, b nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. Consider a god who favored one person over another. FAQ The Westminster divines evidently felt that we should not rush in to dogmatize where Scripture is silent. By the sovereignty of God, we have a free will and are able to make choices and decisions that shape our lives. If one attribute were disproportionate or over-emphasized, chaos would result on a universal level. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, created architectural works that were classified among the Seven Wonders of the World. Characteristics such as truthfulness, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and love define God’s every action. "1, Sovereignty of God – What are the Parameters? Chapter 10 - Of Effectual Calling. 7:9). Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter III - Of God's Eternal Decree. The sovereignty of God represents the ability to exercise His holy will or supremacy. In this way, we honor the Creator and Sustainer of all things, recognizing God is truly sovereign (Colossians 1:16-17). 10:5-7, 15). Apart from His will we can do nothing. God has decreed when the rain will fall and where the lightning will strike (Job 28:26). A Reformed Church. First, they insisted that God is holy and righteous while decreeing sin. Of God’s Covenant with Man. © Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Inc. All rights reserved, About the Alliance God does not favor an individual because of his station in life, his nationality, or his material possessions (Acts 10:34-35). God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, … But guerilla warfare continues and we still find Christians who are ‘captive to the law of sin’ (Rom. God predetermines events but people are still responsible for their choices (Luke 22:22). I. The Westminster Confession of Faith says, "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, feely, and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass." How should God's Sovereignty impact how much I trust Him? Chapter III. Being absolutely independent, God does as He pleases. 10:4). If God intends to prosper you, ordinarily He does so by moving you to work hard at your vocation, for "the hand of the diligent maketh rich" (Prov. There is no element in His nature to which evil can make an appeal (James 1:13). Reformed thought on this issue is summarized by the Westminster Confession of Faith: God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain what-soever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the crea-tures; nor is the liberty or contingency of … He cannot sin, nor does He entice anyone to sin (James 1:13). 1:5). The Westminster divines were careful however to fence off the doctrine of God's eternal decree from any kind of fatalism. Of Free Will. Canadian Committee of The Bible Study Hour The Confession's theology is a doctrine of hope and confidence. The protestant position is described in the Westminster Confession of Faith, which states, "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass. The Bible knows nothing of a frustrated God. It is no wonder that some label the religion of the age as "moralistic therapeutic deism.". Yet he praised the Most High’s sovereignty. The Westminster Confession of Faith wisely says that God's decree does not cancel the reality and efficacy of secondary causes, but "establishes them." He cannot sin, nor does He entice anyone to sin (James 1:13). It is ALL worked into God's express purpose and will ALWAYS bring about his expressly decreed will. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable;1 yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary Christ cried out in the Garden of Gethsemane, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me...” (Matthew 26:39). The high mark of confessions was the Westminster Standards – the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, the Directory of Public Worship, and the Form of Church Government. For this reason, our Lord Jesus said that God's children need not fear men (Matt. Sovereignty of God – How is it seen? A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. 10:22; Zeph. The latter is the only infallible rule of faith and life. More simply, whatever happens in your life is according to the infinite wisdom of God. 13:8; 17:8). "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will" (Prov. Chapter 9 - Of Free Will. "The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. All manner of obstacles frustrate God, we are told. 3:37-38). The devil runs loose. 1:11). Rather, God’s accepts us by welcoming us into a right relationship by faith in Jesus Christ. In this classic guide to The Westminster Confession of Faith, A.A. Hodge examines each chapter of the confession in a clear and understandable way. Of Free Will God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, … 10:29-30). God's plan is perfect and unchanging. Of God, and of the Holy Trinity. They plan evil but His plan overrules theirs for good (Gen. 50:20). In all cases, God not only remains truthful, but keeps every oath and promise He makes. The Confession affirms … Whether you will live to see tomorrow depends on His will (James 4:15). Its mission was to advise Parliament in restructuring the Church of England along Puritan lines. But God's will rules over men's hearts so that their choices fulfill His purposes. How frustrated this God must be! In his God-permitted affliction, Job acknowledges God’s greatness and splendor in contrast to his pride and sin. There is a singular divine counsel, according to Ephesians 1:9-11, by which God works all things. 5:22), the destruction of sinners (Isa. 148:6; Prov. Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the … For that reason it must not be esteemed as sacrosanct and placed in the same category as the Bible. Sovereignty of God (Pink) The Screwtape Letters (Lewis) How Then Shall We Live (Schaefer) Reformed Doctrine of Predestination (Boettner) The Covenant of Grace (Nielands) Titles by R C Sproul Sovereignty of God – What are the Parameters? We must shift to plan B, or C, or Z. In this respect, note what the Confession states: “God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil” (9:1). God cannot do anything that would deny His own character. Of Free Will. Nevertheless, it is said, as God watches from a distance He hopes that men and women will exercise their free wills to discover His love and their own self-worth. The word "counsel" means a wise plan including goals and ways of getting them done. In fact, God uses His unlimited power to enable us to resist and escape evil (1 Corinthians 10:13). The We stminster Confession of Faith Chapter I Of the Holy Scripture I. 4:23; Mark 7:21). North Bay, ON, P1B 0C7. While we do not possess God’s infinite power, we can surrender our hearts, souls, minds to ways that are consistent with His holy will. 16:33)--perhaps to judge greedy gamblers! The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith.Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it became and remains the "subordinate standard" of doctrine in the Church of Scotland and has been influential within Presbyterian churches worldwide.. The Westminster Assembly (so called because of its meeting place) was summoned by the English Parliament in 1643. ". God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced … There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in … Therefore God's eternal decree does not encourage us to be lazy and careless in our use of proper means to do good. Worst of all, God's pleadings with humanity often fall upon deaf ears and He can do nothing about it. CHAPTER 21 . The question of whether God loves the lost, however, is different. Effectual Calling. Sovereignty of God – What is it? Third, they taught that though God's decree is the primary cause why all things happen, there are still "second causes" which God uses as means to His ends. I. The blessings God brought through the reformation include: a return to the Bible as the supreme authority, the knowledge of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and the doctrines of God's sovereignty and holiness. God, the Confession is at pains to emphasise, has one purpose, one plan. 2:2), and the triumphant kingdom of His Son (Ps. Sanctification in the Westminster Confession of Faith ... Our Lord claims us as his own; he plants his flag and announces his sovereignty over the whole of his church and over all that we are. Chapter 4 - Of Creation. The Westminster Confession was the work of devoted men and the fruit of painstaking, consecrated labour. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for Christians to cultivate assurance of faith. I. For example, the Bible says that God's "decree" established the properties of creation (Ps. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations" (Ps. Sovereignty of God Definition - What is it? When an individual chooses to respond in faith, welcoming Jesus into his life, he becomes a new creation. 1:9; Titus 1:2; Rev. Chapter III of the Westminster Confession. The Confession is entirely biblical then in speaking of God's "decree" by which He did "ordain" events. In 1643, the English … It is not just the big things that God has decreed. Since God is immutable, His words must reflect His integrity (Numbers 23:19). Privacy Policy What God's eternal decree does encourage is humility. His counsel is eternal, a purpose formed in His mind before the creation of the world (Eph. "Of God's Eternal Decree". Therefore, those whom God has chosen to bless are truly blessed (v.12)! Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath-day. Let us rather proclaim, "Jesus is Lord! Natural laws tie His hands from intervening. God remains faithful to His covenant promises (Malachi 3:6). God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18). In each of the three cases above, people believe Calvinism says X when in fact Calvinism strenuously denies X. Christ. God cannot deny or contradict Himself. God cannot force anyone to love Him or to receive His gift of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. 7:23). The Westminster Confession of Faith . God's counsel was formed long ago and includes all that will take place to the very end, including the rise and fall of kings and nations--and His counsel will stand (Isa. 21:1). First, they insisted that God is holy and righteous while decreeing sin. The condition of every little bird and every hair on our heads is wrapped up in His plan (Matt. If God plans to save your soul, often He begins by motivating you to attend the preaching of the Word, for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom.10:17). 2:7). It is an act of man’s free will (John 1:11–13). 14:24-27; 46:10-11). ", Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, Blue Ridge Institute for Theological Education, Quakertown Conference on Reformed Theology, International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. Chapter 8 - Of Christ the Mediator. 2.1. “His [God’s] dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation...He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. Let us never proudly say, "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul." Regardless of what men may decide, no good thing and no bad thing can take place apart from God's decree (Lam. I. The Westminster divines were careful however to fence off the doctrine of God's eternal decree from any kind of fatalism. A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to … God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, … God has a plan. “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). In His Word, God declares: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me...I say: 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please'” (Isaiah 46:9-10). 10:31). 5 Unconditional Election. Of Free Will God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, … "Ultimately God is in complete control of all things, though He may choose to let certain events happen according to natural laws which He has ordained."2. 4:24) because it is the authoritative command of the supreme King. God uses sinners as tools in His sovereign hand to accomplish His good and righteous purposes (Isa. Each chapter begins with a citation from the Westminster Confession of Faith, and covers a different aspect of God’s sovereignty, or another aspect of the creation over which He is sovereign. PO Box 24087, RPO Josephine However, we can hope in the character of God. The Westminster Confession of Faith says, "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, feely, and unchangeably ordain whatever comes to pass. Chapter 2 - Of God, and of the Holy Trinity. Chapter 6 - Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof. The Confession's theology is a doctrine of hope and confidence. The sovereignty of God is an important part of our belief and has been right through the ages. Some events like the rolling of dice are truly random or contingent on a human level, although God still controls exactly how they land (Prov. Westminster Confession of Faith (1647). God cannot forgive sin without the payment being made. God does not revoke what He has given or discard who He has chosen (Romans 11:29). So, the point is not "if" we should do anything, but "what" we should do. Job finally realizes that God’s purposes are supreme and He is sovereign. The Westminster Shorter Catechism gives us a succinct answer: “The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass” (WSC 7). The Most High, Lord of Heaven and earth, has unlimited power to do what He has resolved. But it was still the work of fallible men. God decreed that His Son would die, yet He did it by the hands of wicked men (John 19:11; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). Calendar, Canadian Donors: The confession served as a new expression of Reformed orthodoxy, while the two catechisms mimic Luther’s commitment to providing a manual Of Free Will. Chapter 3 - Of God’s Eternal Decree. A good and wise God would never have created the world without a plan for what He desired to see take place in it. Many of our plans are frustrated despite all our intelligence and effort. Psalm 115:3 sets God apart from all idols by declaring, "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." His sovereign will guarantees our ultimate and perfect happiness. He is God in name as well as in all things, directing all things, and “who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). 19:21). While the sovereignty of God is infinite, the use of His power is defined by His other attributes. But that’s okay, as R.C., Jr. appears to be a chip off the old block, and this is a very fine book on the subject of the sovereignty of God. Myth 4: God does not love the lost. God knows how to draw straight lines with crooked sticks. Divine sovereignty signifies that God is the One who sits on the Throne of the universe. None can deter Him, none can hinder Him. Random accidents make a mess of things. 10.2 The effectual call is … We rejoice in the rich heritage that we have in the Protestant Reformation. 1:4; 2 Tim. Because God is just, He cannot simply “wipe the slate clean” (Romans 6:23). It is not so with God; His plans never fail. Men's choices flow from their own hearts (Prov. Chapter 5 - Of Providence. 1. Like God, His Word is immutable (1 Samuel 15:29). Second, they taught that God's decree does not nullify the reality of man's will. The Westminster Confession of Faith . He "ordained" or appointed Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was born (Jer. I.