Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries Doctrine of Divine Decrees part 4: Definition continued. Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Point 2 Definition: The decree of God is His eternal (always existed), holy (perfect integrity), wise (the application of omniscience to creation), and sovereign purpose, comprehending simultaneously all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions (status), successions (interaction with others that leads to certain decisions), relations, and determining their certain futurition. 1. The term decree of God appears first in the singular, since God has but one all-inclusive plan. He sees all things at a glance. nor is it true that God can have a particular purpose and have something go on in His universe that is unrelated. Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. With God there is one immutable decree embracing in itself every detail, even the falling of a sparrow. It is the divine cognition from all eternity. Acts 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (KJV) 2. God formed His decree in eternity, though its execution is in time. God’s decree is final but it is successive. We all live what God has already seen and the intrusion of His will in our lives was designed. We allow God to take control over our lives when our constant decision making lines up with His will. Just because God knew it doesn’t mean you don’t have to do it. 3. God is Holy: Holy means perfect integrity, which is righteousness and justice in the same breath. nothing God does is wrong or unfair. JER 17:7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. And whose trust is the Lord. 4. The divine decree is eternal in character. It cannot be altered or added to. It must play out as God has designed from start to finish. 5. The divine decree is wise, being the product of infinite wisdom. there is a worthy reason for all that God has ever done or will do. Even His permission of evil will, like the wrath of man, be made to praise Him (PSA 76:10). In the wisdom of the divine decree the Lord will be the victor over all things, Psa 2. 6. The decree of God is Sovereign. God freely designed the decree alone without any influence from any other being. It is blasphemous to assert that God could not have done otherwise than He has done. He is Sovereign therefore He certainly could have done something other than what we have. But it is comforting to know that He would not have done otherwise, since He will only devise a decree that is worthy of Himself. In Sovereignty making a decree that is worthy of His Holiness, God selected you to be in it and elected you (believer) to His highest and best. EPH 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 7. Lastly the divine decree is unconditional. God’s decree does not depend upon any condition of the creature or the conditions surrounding any creature - creature relations and interactions. GEN 6:17 And behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. GEN 6:18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark — you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 1 Tim 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We must conclude that God made every circumstance around every creature the best possible environment for salvation and subsequent spiritual maturity. EPH 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, The decree of God is His eternal (always existed), holy (perfect integrity), wise (the application of omniscience to creation), and sovereign purpose, comprehending simultaneously all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions (status), successions (interaction with others that leads to certain decisions), relations, and determining their certain futurition. Point 3: The order of the divine decrees (lapsarianism). gbible.org
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 13:16:37 +0000
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