Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 3)

Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter 3

Of God’s Eternal Decree

(Part 1)

One of the most astonishing, humbling, and comforting doctrines found in the Bible is the teaching concerning God’s eternal decree. Let us begin by saying that the writers of the Confession are to be commended for not ignoring this important teaching as has been done by many throughout the history of the Church. Whatever the Scripture says is valuable and it is our duty as God’s people to seek diligently to understand that information He has given us.

As we study this chapter, we will encounter a God who is all-powerful. The implications of this chapter can be overwhelming because we are so accustomed to thinking of God in less than Godly terms. One of the greatest contributions of Reformed theology has been the place it gives to God and the way in which is states Biblical truth about Him without hesitation.

The view of God held by some Christians today is very different from reality. The Church is impotent in some quarters due to an inadequate understanding of Biblical doctrine. One doctrine to be put at the top of the misunderstood list is God’s sovereignty. This chapter will help correct our thinking where necessary and it will inspire us with confidence and move us to thanksgiving.

I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeable ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.

Three facts are stated in this opening section. We are told what God did, when He did it and, in a certain sense, how He did it. To summarize, this paragraph teaches that God determined everything that comes to pass in time. Nothing is excepted. Further, it says He did this “from all eternity,” meaning, as far as the creation is concerned, this determination has always been. Finally, the Divines state that God made this awesome determination while preserving two things in particular: His own moral perfection and our freedom of choice.

Since we are accustomed to thinking in terms of sequence, let’s say that at some point in the distant past, God “decided” to create the universe, including the human race. Along with this “decision” to create, God determined how things would develop. This is called God’s “decree.” According to the dictates of His own perfect character, He determined how, when and where everything would happen. His decree affects the next millennium, as well as the next second. We might say that history is nothing more than the “unfolding” of God’s decree.

The Confession states that this decree is unchangeable. Several interesting observations can be made if we assume this point is true. First, it means that there is no such thing as fate, luck, or chance. On the contrary, our destinies are controlled by a Creator. Therefore, as the Bible teaches, it is sinful to believe in such things. To believe in fate, for example, is to ascribe to a blind force an attribute that belongs to God only, namely, the ability to determine what happens in space and time. The same thing could be said of the notions of luck, certain brands of astrology and “Mother Nature.”

Second, if God’s decree is unchangeable, it means there is no force or being stronger than God. How could God determine what is to come if there is any possibility, however remote, that something or someone might upset His plan? If the decree is unchangeable, as the Divines say, then God is sovereign (i.e., all-powerful). God’s will determines the course of history and our lives.

Too many people hold a misguided view of how God’s will relates to their lives. They mistakenly think God’s will is subject to what men do. The truth is that God’s decree is comprehensive. Admittedly, it boggles the mind to contemplate an exhaustive decree that encompasses every second of every life that has been, is or shall be, but, after all, we’re talking about the God of the Bible and, as we will see shortly, this is part of the revelation He has made of Himself.

Third, an unchangeable decree made by a holy God guarantees that righteousness, truth, and justice will eventually triumph. How can they not? Would a good God, a God whose will is absolute, allow evil to triumph? Would a holy God, again, a God whose desires must be fulfilled, determine that His character should not be reflected in His creation? Would a truthful God not decide that His word should be honored? In essence, in this decree we have an absolute guarantee of defeat for all that is ungodly and a corresponding victory for all that is God-like.

Many questions have arisen over the centuries as this doctrine has been considered. For example: If a good God has decreed the course of history, why is there evil in the world? Why do people suffer? Why did God “will” man’s fall in the Garden of Eden? How could He have decreed that His Son, Jesus Christ, would come into the world to die at the hands of sinners? Does the doctrine of God’s decree mean we are nothing more than glorified robots? If God has already determined the course of our lives, how can He hold us accountable for our actions?

These are, to be sure, fascinating questions. However, some of them (not all) approach sinful curiosity. There is an important fact to keep in mind when you wrestle with these kinds of issues: What God has told us about Himself and His ways is completely trustworthy. What He hasn’t told us about Himself and His ways is and always will be a mystery. Just because God hasn’t answered all our questions, doesn’t give us an excuse to engage in speculation that takes us beyond the bounds of humble reverence into sinful prying.

In an area where God has spoken, we can speak with boldness and confidence; in an area where God has not spoken, wisdom dictates guarded meditation or even silence. All too often what begins as “innocent” contemplation leads to questions about the character of God as we try to apply our concepts of fairness and propriety to Him.

It is perfectly acceptable to say, “I don’t know” when confronted with a mystery. Some of the questions mentioned above almost require that we at least be able to think of the possibility of God doing something wrong. This type of question is out of bounds. What we do know about God and His ways is sufficient to prevent any pious man from even thinking that God is chargeable with sin or evil of any sort. If a question that arises in our minds requires that we, at least, consider the possibility that God may have perpetuated evil or suffering, it must be rejected immediately and we must be satisfied to go without an answer.

The Divines state that God is not the author of sin even though He has decreed whatsoever comes to pass. They also can write that human beings make choices that affect themselves and others; they make decisions that have real consequences. How can the Confession say God has unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass and, at the same time, declare that He has done so without doing “violence” to the will of His creatures? The answer is simple: This is exactly what the Bible teaches. Note we say the Bible teaches these things; we did not say the Bible explains them all!

A word should be said about the last phrase: “nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.” This means that God’s decree “makes use of,” so to speak, what we would call, “cause and effect.” God’s decree incorporates the actions of men and the consequences of those actions.

(To be continued)