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chapter two weeks ago and we'll 
continue this morning concerning God's decree. So I'll read the 
chapter, give an overview of the chapter in terms of the outline 
and then we'll focus in on some of the details. So beginning 
in chapter 3 at paragraph 1, God hath decreed in himself from 
all eternity by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will 
freely and unchangeably all things whatsoever comes to pass. Yet, 
so as thereby is God neither the author of sin, nor hath fellowship 
with any therein, nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, 
nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, 
but rather established, in which appears his wisdom in disposing 
all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree. 
Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass upon 
all supposed conditions, yet hath He not decreed anything, 
because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to 
pass upon such conditions. By the decree of God, for the 
manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated, 
or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the 
praise of His glorious grace. others being left to act in their 
sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious 
justice. 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. Those of mankind that are predestinated 
to 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, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting 
glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing 
in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto. As God hath appointed the elect 
unto glory, so He hath, by the eternal and most free purpose 
of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, 
they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, 
are affectionately called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit 
working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept 
by His power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other 
redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, 
and saved, but the elect only. The doctrine of this high mystery 
of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, 
that men attending the will of God revealed in His word, and 
yielding obedience thereunto, may from the certainty of their 
effectual vocation be assured of their eternal election. So 
shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration 
of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all 
that sincerely obey the gospel. Amen. Well, a very comprehensive 
and excellent summary concerning God's decree. As we noted last 
time, the section or the chapter breaks down into three sections. 
First, there is the statement of God's decree in paragraphs 
1 and 2. Secondly, the details of God's decree in paragraphs 
3 to 6. And then finally, the practical use of God's decree 
in paragraph 7. So typically at the end of the 
exposition concerning the doctrine in view, the confession typically 
ends with a statement concerning the practicality of that doctrine. or the useful benefit of that 
doctrine. And the decree of God, or predestination, 
is like every other doctrine. It has practical benefit for 
the people of God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism 
asks the question, what are the decrees of God? 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. So that's a succinct statement 
concerning what we find here in Chapter 3. The catechism goes 
on to say, how does God execute his decree? He executes it by 
the works of creation and providence. So it shouldn't surprise us that 
on the heels of this statement concerning of God's decree, you 
move on into chapter 4 of creation, and then chapter 5 of divine 
providence. And then it moves to the fall 
of man, sets forth the nature of the redemptive work of Jesus 
Christ by identifying those subjects of his redeeming work, introduces 
God's covenantal dealings in chapter 7, and then introduces 
Christ the mediator in chapter 8, and then expounds on the redemption 
of His people by His work in His life, death, and resurrection. 
So last time, in terms of paragraph 1, notice that the decree extends 
to all things. God hath decreed in Himself from 
all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, 
freely and unchangeably all things. whatsoever comes to pass. So 
the whole system external to God is ordained by God. It's not up to chance, it's not 
happenstance, it's not by blind fate or impersonal forces, but 
all things come under the decree of God. That includes the fortuitous 
events in the world. Proverbs 16 tells us that the 
lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is of the 
Lord. as well the free actions of man are according to God's 
decree. And the Confession goes on to 
qualify how God's comprehensive decree does not mitigate the 
reality of the responsibility of man, but rather it's the foundation 
for that responsibility. And then finally the sinful actions 
of men, the most noteworthy being Joseph in Genesis 50, and then 
as well the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, or specifically 
the crucifixion according to Lawless Ends in Acts 2.23, but 
it was the predetermined plan of God Almighty. So after this 
statement concerning the decree and the nature of it in paragraphs 
1 and 2, it then moves on to the details of God's decree, 
and we left off in paragraph 3. Notice, by the decree of God 
for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are 
predestinated. I refer you to Pastor Barcelos' 
lecture or article concerning Angels, with reference to the 
decree, I think that would be helpful. Did you give it a listen? 
Great. So Nathan knows where to find that. So does Isaac, 
outside of our purview this morning. But by the decree of God for 
the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated 
or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the 
praise of His glorious grace, others being left to act in their 
sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious 
justice. So moving from a comprehensive 
view of God's absolute sovereignty, it then narrows in or focuses 
in upon predestination with reference to salvation. So God is comprehensively 
sovereign over every jot and tittle of this world. He is comprehensively 
sovereign over fortuitous events, over the free actions of men. 
over the sinful actions of men. But the confession now takes 
up the place of God's decree in the salvation or damnation 
of sinners. So paragraph three underscores 
that for us. So the doctrine of predestination 
unto life is taught here in our confession. And we know that 
the confession is accurately teaching what the Bible says. 
In Ephesians 1, 4, the apostle says that God chose us in him 
before the foundation of the world. As well, we know that 
the whole scheme in terms of Genesis to Revelation is to promote 
the glory of God in the salvation of sinners. The idea is that 
if sinners are saved, it's owing to the goodness and the grace 
of God. We left off on the doctrine of 
reprobation or the consideration of reprobation. And essentially 
what I'm speaking to is with reference to the decree of God. 
Some have seen it as a double decree. Now I think when we talk 
about the double decree, or even the plural form in the Westminster 
Shorter Catechism, what are the decrees of God, that's from our 
vantage point. It's not that God's mind works 
in some compartmental fashion. Whereas he has these things in 
this basket, and these things in this basket, and these things 
in the other basket. Remember I said, however we treat 
everything subsequent to chapter 2, it needs to be consistent 
with chapter 2. And scripture, rather the confession 
rightly identifying something true of God in scripture, describes 
him as pure act. So it's not the case that there's 
a succession of thoughts in the mind of God. There's, you know, 
apples go in the apple basket and oranges go in the orange 
basket. When we refer to the decrees plural, that's again 
from our vantage point as we look upward. But with reference 
to God as pure act, there's not a succession or a series of decrees 
with reference to God. But when it comes to this question, 
does God actively damn, does God actively engage in reprobation, 
There are divisions, or is a division among the Reform concerning this. John Fesco makes this observation. The doctrine of reprobation and 
then its counterpart, or contrast, is preterition. So Fesco says 
some theologians, such as Calvin, posit a double decree. Again, 
from our vantage point, God's not putting apples in apple baskets 
and oranges in orange baskets. that some theologians such as 
Calvin posit a double decree, one decree of election and another 
decree of reprobation. The elect and the reprobate are 
the subject of separate decrees. Other Reformed theologians argue 
for a single decree of election and maintain that God passes 
by the non-elect. This view dates back to Augustine 
who explains reprobation in terms of preterition. Now, the reason 
for the focus on this is not because there's some sadistic 
delight that we take in reprobation. It's not, wow, praise God for 
the fact that he's elected some unto everlasting life, and praise 
God that he has elected those others unto damnation. Now, his 
justice is magnified, to be sure, but there's no sort of sick, 
twisted fascination. I think it rather touches on 
who God is. It's more of a question of theology 
proper. Does God just pass over anything? Is God inactively involved in 
some things when it comes to the damnation of sinners? I side 
with Calvin and would argue for double predestination. Not only 
the predestination of the elect onto eternal life, but as well 
with reference to reprobation. And again, that's not some sick, 
twisted, sadistic fascination with the damnation of sinners. 
But rather, again, if God is a most pure spirit, if God is 
actus purus, or pure act, if God is unchangeable, if God is 
what chapter 2 tells us God is, then it seems to me to take away 
from God, at least in some small sense, to say that he merely 
passes by others, that there's something that he's not as directly 
involved with or as directly controlling of. And when you 
look at this particular paragraph, it seems to suggest preterition. Notice, by the decree of God 
for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are 
predestinated or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus 
Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace. Others being 
left to act in their sin to their just condemnation to the praise 
of his glorious justice. Again, it appears to me to be 
a softening of this emphasis on double predestination or the 
act of reprobation. But turn to chapter 5 in paragraph 
4. Chapter 5 deals with the divine 
providence. And notice in paragraph 4, "...the 
almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness 
of God so far manifest themselves in his providence that his determinate 
counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other 
sinful actions both of angels and men, and that not by a bare 
permission." So here they allude to or recognize that it's not 
by a bare permission. Again, I'm not in the mind of 
the divines that wrote paragraph three, but it does have that 
feeling, if I can get charismatic here, others being left to act 
in their sin to their just condemnation to the praise of His glorious 
justice. Seems more suggestive of predoration versus an action 
on the part of God in terms of the reprobation of sinners. Now 
let's turn to scripture to verify, or confirm rather, this idea 
of reprobation. And again, please don't blog 
that Butler is fascinated with the damnation of the non-elect. I'm not. It simply does seem 
to me that our view of God is affected by our understanding 
at the level of God's dealings with the non-elect. Turn to the 
book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 16. John Bunyan has a sermon on the 
doctrine of reprobation, and it's grounded in this particular 
text, Proverbs 16, verse four. The Lord has made all for himself, 
yes, even the wicked, for the day of doom. So in the mind of 
Solomon, it wasn't preterition, it wasn't simply a passing over 
or others being left to themselves, but rather God, who is pure act, 
has even made the wicked for the day of doom. Turn over to 
the New Testament, specifically Matthew's Gospel, Matthew chapter 
11. A passage I think is pretty familiar to all of us, that I 
think underscores the point or confirms rather this doctrine 
of reprobation. Notice in Matthew 11 at verse 
25, So when we look at this particular 
passage, the hiding of things, again, it's active. Just as God 
reveals these things on the babes, He hides them from the wise and 
the prudent. And that these things in context 
are gospel truths. And so on the heels of this, 
He then mentions, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your 
sight. And I think that you need to understand that when you move 
through the confession, the language of the confession is biblical. 
And there's a reason for that. We confess the truth of the Bible. 
And so it shouldn't shock us that when the confession gives 
us those details concerning doctrine, it incorporates scripture. So 
this activity on the part of God, not only in revealing these 
things unto babes, but as well hiding them from sinners, or 
from the wise and prudent. But then notice, Jesus underscores 
the intimacy that he has with his father, that place that he 
has in terms of men coming to the father by him, verse 27, 
all things have been delivered to me by my father, and no one 
knows the son except the father, nor does anyone know the father 
except the son, and the one to whom the son wills to reveal 
him. So you don't find statements concerning divine sovereignty 
that are as robust as this. I mean, those who have read A.W. 
Pink's Sovereignty of God when they first became Calvinists 
will say, great book. It's really awesome. It really 
incorporates what the Bible teaches about God's sovereignty. This 
is Jesus highlighting the sovereignty, absolute sovereignty of God. 
And then notice this does not mitigate from him, preaching 
the gospel. Verse 28, come to me, all you 
who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take 
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly 
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is 
easy and my burden is light. Perhaps you've heard before, 
if you believe or affirm God's absolute sovereignty, how in 
the world could you ever preach the gospel? Well, we are preceded 
by Jesus Christ. We have the apostles. We have 
the history of the church showing us that to hold to Reformed theology 
does not argue against the proclamation of the gospel to sinners. Rather, 
it is the foundation for it. Now, turn over to the book of 
Romans. Of course, we'd need to go to Romans 9 when we're 
dealing with the sovereignty of God Almighty. A couple of passages in Romans 
9, I mean the whole chapter obviously, but specifically notice what 
Paul says in verses 17 and 18. Scripture says to the Pharaoh, 
for this very purpose I have raised you up that I may show 
my power in you and that my name may be declared in all the earth. 
Therefore he has mercy on whom he wills and whom he wills he 
hardens. Now, it's at this point, again, 
typically the enemies of Reformed theology, or the opponents, rather, 
of Reformed theology say, well, this doesn't seem fair. I mean, 
when Jesus says in Matthew 11 that it was good that God hid 
these things from the wise and the prudent, that just doesn't 
seem fair. Remember, Jesus isn't dealing with a race of innocent 
people. These are sinners that have transgressed 
God's law. They are raising the fist in 
opposition to Yahweh and his Christ, so therefore it's not 
not fair, rather it is an act of justice for God to hide those 
gospel truths. Same thing with Pharaoh. I haven't 
ever heard this argument, but it wouldn't surprise me, especially 
in the way that the church is going today. Well, it doesn't 
seem fair that God picked on Pharaoh in the way that he did. 
Again, when we're dealing with God, it's not fair that we should 
be talking about. He is a sovereign being that 
does only his will and that will is conditioned by all of his 
other perfections, which are good and wise and holy and all 
those sorts of things. So there's no charge to offer 
up against the sovereign God for doing what the sovereign 
God has purpose to do. And then drop down to verse 22. 
Verse 22, well verse 21, this is intriguing, well verse 19, 
why don't we just take the whole enchilada. So after having said 
that, verse 18, therefore he has mercy on whom he wills and 
whom he wills he hardens. Now notice in verse 19, you will 
say to me then, why does he still find fault? For who has resisted 
his will? But indeed, O man, who are you 
to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to 
him who formed it, why have you made me like this? So Paul is 
not speaking theoretically. No doubt Paul heard these arguments, 
just like you have. If you've ever talked to people, 
Arminian people, Pelagian people, humanistic people, and you've 
talked to them about God's absolute sovereignty, do they say, oh, 
it makes perfect sense. I love it. I embrace it. I'm 
all in with God's absolute authority and Him doing whatever He pleases. 
No, that's not usually how they respond. They respond like Paul's 
interlocutor. Why does he still find fault? 
Why does he blame me? Why does he hold me accountable? 
Why has he got an axe to grind against me, if he's absolutely 
sovereign, and he's the one that shows mercy, and he's the one 
that hardens whom he hardens? If that's the case, then what's 
his problem with me? Paul's answer is beautiful. But 
indeed, oh man, who are you to reply against God? Paul will 
have no truck with that. He won't say, well, it's OK to 
express yourself. It's OK to engage in this therapeutic 
deism or moralism. Rather, it's OK to just vent 
your spleen to the living and true God. He rebukes him. How 
dare you? How dare you creature, sinful 
creature, argue against the infinite and good God most high? Just 
like in the prophet Ezekiel's day, God, through the prophet, 
says, the children of your people say, the way of Yahweh is not 
fair. And God says, but it's their 
way that's not fair. They're the ones that have messed 
up. They're the ones that have transgressed. We can't hold God 
responsible in the way that we would hold others responsible. 
God is sovereign. God is good. God is unimpeachable. But then notice what he goes 
on to say. Will the thing form? Say to him 
who formed it, why have you made me like this? Now, verse 21. Does not the potter have power 
over the clay? Notice, from the same lump. God's 
not dealing with two lumps. One's the good lump that's going 
to choose for Jesus, and the other's the bad lump that's going 
to disregard Jesus. There's no two lumps. There's 
no, hey, these are predisposed or have a predilection in order 
to believe the gospel. That's how some try to deal with 
both chapters 8 and 9 in the Book of Romans, and it's nonsensical. It is twistic, man-centered logic 
that disregards the absolute sovereignty of God. When you 
look at 828, for instance, or 829, rather, for whom He foreknew. 
How does the Arminian describe that? Well, God looked down the 
tunnel of time and he knew that some would choose for Jesus, 
and based on that he predestinated them unto eternal life. That's 
not what the Bible says. Acts 13, 48, as many as were 
appointed unto eternal life, believed. We're not appointed 
to eternal life because we believe. We believe because we've been 
appointed to eternal life. That's the bottom line, and that's 
what the Apostle is stressing here in Romans 9. So God, as 
Potter, doesn't come to a good lump and a bad lump. and say, 
I'm going to send the good lump to heaven and I'm going to send 
the bad lump to hell. No, does not the potter have 
power over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel 
for honor and another for dishonor? What's the answer? Of course 
he does. We wouldn't walk into a pottery 
shop and say, I can't believe that you didn't make that lump 
into these particular items or objects. No, it's my shop. It's 
my wheel. It's my clay. I'm going to do 
what I want to do. Now, he's going to be a sinful 
man, but nevertheless he has the prerogative to function with 
reference to his clay and his wheel and his pottery desires 
in a manner that's consistent with who he is. God is sovereign, 
he acts according to his own good pleasure. Now notice going 
on, verse 22, what if God, wanting to show his wrath and to make 
his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels 
of wrath prepared for destruction? Again, this doesn't seem like 
preterition, this doesn't seem like just being left to our own 
devices, being left to function on our own way. and that he might 
make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, 
which he had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom he called 
not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. And then turn 
over to 2 Timothy 2, specifically verses 19 and 20. We'll pick up in verse 14, remind 
them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive 
about words to no profit to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent 
to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not 
need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. but shun profane 
and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness, 
and their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus 
are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying 
that the resurrection is already past, and they overthrow the 
faith of some. Nevertheless, the solid foundation 
of God stands, having this seal. The Lord knows those who are 
His, and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from 
iniquity." But in a great house, there are not only vessels of 
gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor 
and some for dishonor. And then turn over to 1 Peter, 
1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2, beginning in verse 4. coming to him as to a living 
stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious. You also 
as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy 
priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God 
through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained 
in the scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief 
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will 
by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, 
he is precious. But to those who are disobedient, 
the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief 
cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble 
being disobedient to the word to which they also were appointed. And then, of course, Jude 4, 
final text. And then we'll move on. Jude 3. So I wanted to write 
about our salvation. I wanted to write about the glory 
of Christ. I wanted to muse on the blessedness of our Redeemer. but I found it necessary to write 
to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which 
was once for all delivered to the saints." A needed emphasis 
in the church today. Contend for the faith which was 
once for all delivered to the saints. He gives the reason for 
that in verse 4. Four, certain men have crept 
in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, 
ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and 
deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. So when we 
go back to this question concerning predation or reprobation, I'm 
not suggesting that if you imbibe predation, you're hell bound. 
you're a reprobate and you're on your way to damnation, but 
it does seem to affect our understanding of who God is, whether he's actus 
purus or pure act, or whether there are some things that he 
just kind of lets, you know, kind of go on them on their own. 
Now it may appear that way again from the vantage point of the 
creature, it may appear that way with reference to the way 
we view things, but in terms of scripture he's made all things 
even the wicked for the day of doom. When it comes to theology 
proper or who God is, chapter 2 does a fine job explaining 
what scripture says concerning that God. So as we move from 
chapter 3 to chapter 32, all that we say must be consistent 
with the God revealed in chapter 2. So it's an issue of theology. So moving on now to the nature 
of predestination in paragraphs 4 to 6. We're under the second 
part of the exposition, the details of God's decree. So we have the 
reality of predestination and reprobation in paragraph 3, and 
now notice the nature of predestination in paragraphs 4 to 6. Paragraph 
4 says, these angels and men, and again I refer you to Pastor 
Barcelos with reference to angels, and men thus predestinated and 
foreordained are particularly and unchangeably designed and 
their numbers so certain and definite that it cannot be either 
increased or diminished. It's very important we understand 
that. Again, God is not acting or reacting in terms of the created 
order. He's not saying today, well, 
you know, I think I'll elect some more sinners to be included 
under gospel preaching today, more that will be called out 
of darkness in the marvelous light. We operate according to 
the decree of God. God is not in a mode of succession. There's not, you know, next Thursday 
we're going to pray that God will elect more sinners. That's 
the way we function. That's not the way God functions 
or the way that God operates or the way that God is at extra 
or toward His creation. And so it is fixed, their number 
so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased 
or diminished. So that's up to God, the doctrine 
of election, the doctrine of reprobation. We certainly imbibe 
it, we certainly understand it, we certainly live in light of 
it. But it's not our prerogative to elect or to reprobate, and 
it's certainly not our prerogative to ask God to elect or to reprobate 
more people. That's not the things revealed 
unto us in terms of what is beneficial for us and our children. That's 
the decretive, that's the secret things of God Most High. Now notice the doctrine of predestination 
as it relates to the salvation of men. Paragraphs five and six 
touch on some theological concepts that we should know. They're 
Latin phrases that I think are helpful when it comes to the 
study of theology. And as I say often to the people 
on the Saturday morning study, someone that is evangelized on 
the street doesn't need to know these three concepts in order 
to be saved. Just like they don't need to 
know all of the jots and tittles concerning the eternal origin 
of the son from the father in terms of eternal generation or 
the procession of the spirit from the father and the son. 
In other words, when you preach the gospel, say to people, believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. But great 
are the works of the Lord, they are studied by all who delight 
in them. So when it comes to a desire on the part of God's 
people, in light of 2 Peter 3.18, to grow in the grace and in the 
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we should stretch 
our melons a little bit for some new concepts that I think are 
very helpful as we approach the Bible. Covenant theology has 
well been described as the central architecture of the Bible. And 
so these three terms are helpful as well. They relate to covenant 
theology. The first is the Pactum Salutis, 
the second is the Historia Salutis, and the third is the Ordo Salutis. 
I would bet that most people here have heard of the Ordo Salutis. 
If you have, you can raise your hands. If you haven't, then hey, 
you get three new terms today. Well the Pactum Salutis is often 
called, you know, comparatively or in the same sort of breath, 
the Covenant of Redemption. And essentially what the Pactum 
Salutis is, or the Covenant of Redemption, it's the pre-temporal, 
intra-Trinitarian agreement of the Father and the Son concerning 
the Covenant of Grace and its ratification in and through the 
work of the Son incarnate. Now we're going to deal with 
this in a bit more detail when we get to chapter 7, but I want 
you to see how this functions in terms of a discussion of God's 
decree. So paragraph 5 deals with the 
pactum salutis, or the covenant of redemption. Paragraph 6 deals 
with the Ordo Salutis, the application of redemptive benefit to the 
elect of Christ, or the elect of God. And I'm only throwing 
in the Historia there, I don't think there's a particular statement 
concerning the Historia, but just to round out our study this 
morning. So notice the Pactum Salutis, 
or the Covenant of Redemption. Again, a pre-temporal, before 
time. We see that in scripture, Ephesians 
1, 4. He chose us in Him when? Before 
the foundation of the world. Paragraph 5 says that. Those 
of mankind that are predestinated to life, God before the foundation 
of the world was laid. So it is a pre-temporal, intra-Trinitarian 
agreement. So the persons of the Godhead 
purpose to save sinners by the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. So the intra-Trinitarian agreement 
of the Father and the Son concerning the covenant of grace and its 
ratification in and through the work of the Son incarnate. That's 
Richard Moeller from his Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological 
Terms, which is indispensable for theological study. I think 
I mentioned that a lot. If you haven't got it yet, you 
might want to get it. It's a wonderful compendium of 
good Reformed stuff. Anyway, so notice back to paragraph 
5. So those of mankind that are predestinated to 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, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of 
His mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the 
creature, as a condition or cause, moving Him thereunto. So again, when it comes to predestination 
unto life, it doesn't have its tap roots in our temporal history. It has its tap roots before the 
foundation of the world in this pre-temporal intra-Trinitarian 
agreement or covenant between the persons of the Godhead to 
save sinners by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, notice 
paragraph 6. We come to the application of 
that redemptive benefit in temporal history. As God hath appointed 
the elect unto glory, so he hath, by the eternal and most free 
purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, 
they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, 
are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working 
in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept 
by His power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other 
redeemed by Christ or affectionately called, justified, adopted, sanctified, 
and saved, but the elect only. So obviously, this is a hat tip 
to the doctrine of particular atonement, or particular redemption, 
or limited atonement. There's not others, but rather 
it is these that were predestinated to life by God, according to 
paragraph five, before the foundation of the world. So when Christ 
comes on his mission to save his people from their sins, there's 
already an unidentifiable body of his people. So those particularistic 
statements that you see throughout the pages of Holy Scripture reflect 
this pactum salutis, or this covenant of redemption that is 
pre-temporal, that is intra-Trinitarian, wherein the persons of the Godhead 
have purpose to save sinners by Jesus Christ our Lord. So 
you've got the pactum salutis, you've got the ordo salutis in 
paragraph 6. Turn to 2 Timothy 1 just to see 
that in the Bible. Because at times we hear theological 
concepts and we say, but does it teach it in the Bible? Yes 
it does. They didn't put these things 
in their confession because they weren't taught in the Bible. 
Notice in 2 Timothy 1 at verse 8. Therefore, do not be ashamed 
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but 
share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the 
power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, 
not according to our works, but according to his own purpose 
and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time 
began. When Paul traces back the salvation 
of Paul and Timothy, he goes back to the foundation of the 
world, or before the foundation of the world. It's pre-temporal. Notice, before time began. Then notice in verse 10. but 
has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus 
Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality 
to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, 
an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason, 
I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, 
for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able 
to keep what I have committed to Him until that day." So you 
see, this doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty affords the practical 
comfort and encouragement for the Apostle to have this conviction 
that He's able to keep that which I have committed to Him until 
that day. What you see moves from before 
time began to the application of redemptive benefit that was 
fulfilled by Jesus Christ. You've got pactum salutis and 
the ordo salutis, and that's what paragraphs 5 and 6 deal 
with. Now, historia salutis simply refers to the actual events. 
It's salvation history. So pactum salutis is covenant 
salvation or agreement salvation. Ordo salutis is the order of 
salvation. And this idea of historia salvation 
is just that. It's the history of salvation. 
It's the history of redemption. So the Historia Salutis refers 
to the actual events in space and time by which God brings 
salvation to his people. Creation, the fall, the flood, 
the call of Abraham, the exodus, the captivity, the life and death 
of Christ, Pentecost, all of these are events of the Historia 
Salutis. So you've got the Before the 
Foundation of the World, Covenant of Redemption, or Pactum Salutis, 
that pre-temporal, intra-trinitarian sort of agreement between the 
persons of the Godhead to save sinners by Christ. The Historia 
Salutis is the outworking of that in the grand cosmic events 
that affect mankind. in terms of the underscoring 
of God's sovereignty in the execution of His decree. And then it terminates 
in the Ordo Salutis when, by grace, sinners are born again 
by the power of the Spirit, they look unto the Lord Jesus Christ 
in faith, and they receive those benefits that He has secured 
for them. So that's a theological sort 
of a framework that will prove helpful, I think, when you study 
the Bible. And again, when we get to chapter 
7, we'll see this in a bit more detail. The three theological 
covenants that you find in chapter 7 are the covenant of redemption, 
the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace. So back to 
this particular section. So notice in paragraph 5, Those 
of mankind that are predestinated to 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, 
hath chosen in Christ. He chose us in Him. Salvation 
doesn't come apart from Christ. That in Christ-ness is most conspicuous 
in the Bible. It's not apart from Christ that 
we are chosen, but we are chosen in Christ. And then notice, out 
of His mere free grace and love. What's that underscore? It's 
not because we deserved it. It's not because we were, you 
know, happy recipients. It's not because, wow, this fellow 
is going to look, you know, when I look down the tunnel of time, 
this fellow is going to believe the gospel. No, it's according 
to the good pleasure of his will. Remember Jesus in Matthew 11? 
Even so, Father, for thus it was well pleasing in your sight. And when we look at the scripture, 
we look at a chapter 9 in the book of Romans, and what do we 
see? Is the emphasis or the accent fall upon the free will of man 
or upon the free grace of God? It's always on the free grace 
of God. And so back to paragraph 5, without 
any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving 
him thereunto. I remember invoking the book 
of Deuteronomy at least illustratively when we were going through the 
new birth in John chapter 3. God says to Israel in chapters 
7 and 9, I didn't choose you because you were more righteous. 
I didn't choose you because you were more numerous. I chose you 
because I love you. It's the essence of it, according 
to his good pleasure and according to his free grace and love. And so then we come to the application 
of that benefit in paragraph six, which is most important. Because you see, people will 
rightly, or rather wrongly conclude that there really shouldn't be 
a paragraph six. If God is sovereign, like the 
Confession stipulates, if God does what the Confession tells 
us He does, then whence the need for means? Why should we think 
about paragraph 6 and the various things that are involved in terms 
of a sinner coming to saving relationship with our Lord Jesus 
Christ? Because as the Confession rightly 
points out, God not only ordains the end, but he ordains the means 
as well. Paul highlights this in 1 Corinthians 
1.21, through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. In Acts 13 at verse 
48, there's a statement. I've already referenced it. As 
many as were appointed unto eternal life believe. Acts 16, there's 
a statement at the riverside in Philippi where it says that 
the Lord opened Lydia's heart that she might receive the word 
spoken by the apostle Paul. So God is absolutely comprehensively 
sovereign. But in Acts 14, 1, it tells us 
that the apostles so spake that a great multitude believed. How 
do we make heads or tails out of that? We understand that the 
God who ordained the ends also ordained the means, and that 
is perfectly consistent with biblical religion. In other words, 
we don't have to become hyper-Calvinist in light of God's absolute and 
comprehensive sovereignty. So look at paragraph 6. as God 
hath appointed the elect unto glory, so he hath, by the eternal 
and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means 
thereunto. See, it's not the case that God 
elects them and then clicks his cosmic fingers, or his infinite 
fingers, and they're saved. No, he orchestrates the history 
of salvation. He orchestrates the fall of Adam. 
He orchestrates the first promise concerning redemption by Christ 
in Genesis 3. He orchestrates the first act 
of blood atonement in Genesis 3.21. He engages in the typology 
of Genesis chapter 22, the sacrificial system in the Levitical priesthood. 
He orchestrates all that. typologically pointing forward 
unto the fullness of the time, when God sends forth His Son, 
born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who are under 
the law. When we read the Bible, we see the power of God magnified, 
not only in the ordination of the end, but in the ordination 
or foreordination of the means as well. So as God's people, 
we ought to be great respecters, not only in terms of the endgame, 
but also the means that God uses to get us there. And that's why 
we emphasize gospel preaching. That's why we emphasize Bible 
study. That's why we emphasize missions and evangelism. Because 
God's not only purpose to save a great multitude that no man 
can number, from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, but 
He's going to do it through the means that He's ordained. The 
church of Jesus Christ has the commission given to her to go, 
therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, to baptize 
them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 
and to teach them to observe all things that Christ has commanded, 
even to the end of the age. And then he promises his special 
presence even to the end of the age. So going back to paragraph 
six, notice, wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen 
in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith 
in Christ by his spirit working in due season, are justified, 
adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto 
salvation. Neither are any other redeemed 
by Christ or affectionately called, justified, adopted, sanctified, 
and saved, but the elect only. So what do you think is going 
to fare large or fare primarily in the chapters that 
follow when it comes to salvation? It's this order of salvation. 
It's the ordo salutis. There's chapters on effectual 
calling. There's chapters on justification. 
Chapters on sanctification, adoption, perseverance, assurance of salvation, 
all those sorts of things. Why? Because God's not only ordained 
the end, but he's ordained the means. And when it comes to the 
saving of sinners, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the 
word of God. According, of course, to the power of the Holy Spirit 
that causes us to be born again, that grants us the graces of 
faith and repentance, so that we can lay hold of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, and then we live the Christian life the way that God 
calls us to. And again, the confession isn't 
making this up. Turn to Romans chapter eight. 
I've already read just a bit of verse 29, but look at what 
Paul goes on to say in verse 29. He's dealing with the ordo 
salutis. So back to chapter 8, or 828, 
and we know that all things work together for good to those who 
love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. 
We suffer when we pull that out of Romans 8 and throw it on our 
fridge or on our bumper without appreciating the context. How 
can Paul say verse 28? It's because of verses 29 to 
30. This isn't some generic promise 
for the image-bearer as image-bearer. Well, God's going to cause this 
misery to work out for you for good. No, that's not necessarily 
the case. You have no Bible verse that 
underscores that. In fact, verse 28 underscores 
who it really does apply to. We know that all things work 
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the 
called according to His purpose. Again, that's not willy-nilly, 
it's not just kind of a nice platitude, but it's based on 
what he says in verses 29 to 30. Moreover, whom he predestined, 
these he also called. Whom he called, these he also 
justified. And whom he justified, these he also glorified. I think 
Robert Raymond in his Systematic Theology helpfully points out 
that this is the skeletal framework of the Ordo Salutis. You've got 
calling, you've got justification, and you've got glorification. 
Now, later theological insight, or musing upon these things, 
or comparing Scripture with Scripture, and other places in the Apostles' 
writing, see that there's adoption, and sanctification, and perseverance, 
and that's what's developed into the Reformed Ordo Salutis. So 
you have the skeletal framework here, and then you have it fleshed 
out in further detail throughout the pages of the New Testament, 
and then of course Old Testament as well, and then in later reform 
thought came to be sort of gathered together under this moniker of 
Ordo Salutis. But back to the confession. The 
sovereignty of God is not meant to minimize responsibility vis-a-vis 
individual sinners, but it's also not meant to minimize responsibility 
of the church as church. We don't say, well, God has purpose 
to save a great multitude. It's all up to Him. He's going 
to do whatever He says. No. I mean, yes, that's true, 
but we need to be faithful and obedient to what God has called 
us to, to preach the gospel, to make disciples of all the 
nations, to baptize them and to teach them, to observe all 
that Christ has commanded. The sovereignty of God is not 
sort of a way for the church to be lazy. It's not sort of 
a way for the church to be rationalistic. Well, I don't understand how 
God's sovereignty and man's responsibility works, so I'm going to be a rationalist. 
I'm going to be an Arminian and get rid of sovereignty, or I'm 
going to be a hyper-Calvinist and get rid of responsibility. 
No, both are taught in Scripture. The church holds on to both of 
them and understands that this is God's purpose, God's plan, 
God's end in view, and we need to be faithful to execute the 
means that He has ordained for the gathering of his elect that 
he purposed to save before the foundation of the world. It really 
is a wonderful way to look at the Bible. It's really a wonderful 
way to appreciate the contours of God's salvation of sinners, 
and it's set in the context of predestination. And let's look 
finally at the practical use of God's decree in paragraph 
7. The paragraph first calls us to the proper heart disposition. 
Notice, the doctrine of this high mystery of predestination 
is to be handled with special prudence and care. We don't beat 
men up with it. We don't go out and, you know, 
victimize Armenians and Pelagians. We win them, we best them in 
argument, and we best them in theological discourse and biblical 
exposition. We're not supposed to bludgeon 
people into an appreciation of predestination. It kind of goes 
contra. We need to be gracious, we need 
to understand, and we need to have that prudence and care when 
it comes to the application of this particular doctrine. Then notice the assurance of 
election. that men attending the will of God revealed in his 
word. Jim Renahan, I think it is, points 
out that that's anti-hyper-Calvinistic language. Very much anti-hyper-Calvinistic 
language. Remember in the 17th century, 
when they were writing confessions of faith, they were typically 
arguing on a multitude of fronts. They were dealing with Armenians, 
they were dealing with Pelagians, they were dealing with hyper-Calvinists, 
they were dealing with Papists, they were dealing with the state. 
They were dealing with just a multitude of various sort of assaults on 
biblical truth. And so littered along the way, 
you'll see statements like these calculated to help the people 
of God think biblically concerning these things. So notice, that 
men attending the will of God revealed in his word. What's 
the problem with hyper-Calvinism? They do not think about the will 
of God revealed in His Word. They focus in on and they obsess 
on the secret things that belong to God. And doing that, they 
become irresponsible. They become neglectful. They 
don't believe the promises of God Almighty as revealed in His 
Word. There is the will of God wherein 
He has purposed all things whatsoever comes to pass. And there is what 
God reveals unto us. When you look at Acts 2.23, I 
referred to it earlier, it was the predetermined plan and purpose 
of God that Jesus be crucified by lawless hands. The decreed 
of will, or the secret will, is God's purpose, the destruction 
of Jesus at the hands of those lawless men. The revealed will 
of God tells us do not murder. We're supposed to live based 
on the revealed will of God. We don't justify the crucifixion. We don't let those criminals 
off because, after all, it was God's purpose and plan that Jesus 
be destroyed at the hands of lawless men. No, we live in light 
of the revealed or preceptive will of God Almighty. So back 
to the confession that men attending the will of God revealed in his 
word and yielding obedience thereunto may, from the certainty of their 
effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. In 
other words, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, there 
is that comfort that you have in understanding that God had 
indeed chose you for salvation by grace through faith in Christ 
Jesus our Lord. When Peter tells us to make your 
calling and election sure, he doesn't mean sort of soar into 
the heavenly place, get into the secret things of God, and 
then figure out if you've got an E on your back or not. No, 
the way that you make your calling and election sure is by first, 
obviously, confessing faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and living 
in light of that confession of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So there can be comfort afforded 
to the people of God with reference to their eternal election. And 
then notice that the confession ends with this. So shall this 
doctrine afford matter of praise. We ought to praise God over this 
so many times. election or predestination or 
God's absolute sovereignty becomes a battleground for the professing 
people of God. That's not what it is for Paul 
in Ephesians 1. It's an occasion for praise when he says, blessed 
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed 
us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 
It's not, hey, Arminians, let's throw down. He does that a bit 
in Romans 9, to be sure. Who are you, O man, to question 
against God? He's throwing down, he's a bit polemical there in 
chapter nine, but he's not in Ephesians 1. This provides for 
him the context or the occasion to praise and bless the God of 
heaven and earth. So it results in praise. You 
see that in Ephesians 1 at 6, 12, and 14. So as Paul is praising 
God, he is saying that this affords matter to praise God. It's to 
the praise and glory of his great name. Romans 11, verse 33, verse 
33, oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge 
of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past 
finding out for who has known the mind of the Lord or who has 
become his counselor or who was first given to him and it shall 
be repaid to him for of him and through him and to him are all 
things to whom be glory forever, amen. That's doxology, that's 
praise, that's worship, that's adoration, that's glory given 
to him. As well, notice that this provokes 
or evokes in the people of God reverence. Reverence is most 
appropriate and fitting when we consider the sovereignty of 
God and predestination and those sorts of things. Reverence. We're 
not final. We're not infinite. We're not 
absolute. We're not authoritative. God 
is, and as a result, the children of God are reverent toward him 
and in his presence. And then notice as well, due 
admiration and admiration of God, that Romans 11 emphasis, 
oh, the depth of the richest boat of the wisdom and knowledge 
of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past 
finding out. What's Paul doing there? He's admiring God. He's 
extolling God. He's revering God. He's delighting 
in God for the Godhood of God as it's displayed in the salvation 
of his people. And then notice the practical 
fruits for the people of God and of humility. If this doctrine 
doesn't humble you, there's not a doctrine calculated to do so. 
If you're not humbled at the thought that it's not I that 
chose him, but he chose me, then you got problems. It's not supposed 
to be the case that when you understand Calvinism or reform 
theology, you get swollen with pride. But typically, that is 
the case. James White calls it the cage 
stage, where you're just, what does that mean? Like you're ready 
to battle or you're just an obnoxious... Yeah, yeah, just get, you just 
need to chill out. Let this stuff humble you versus 
being swollen with pride. That's just an oxymoron, proud 
Calvinist or proud reformed people. But again, we managed to defy 
the oxymoron and be proud as Calvinists and reformed people. 
And then notice this too, diligence. See how anti-hyper-Calvinistic 
this doctrine really is? We don't say, well, you know, 
God's chosen, and God's ordained, and God's sovereign, and the 
pre-temporal, the inter-trinitarian, and I'll just lay on my couch, 
and if God's gonna save me, he'll save me. No diligence. The confession 
says in paragraph one, with reference to the comprehensive approach 
to God's absolute sovereignty and decree, it says, in terms 
of qualification, yet so as thereby is God neither the author of 
sin nor have fellowship with any therein, nor is violence 
offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency 
of second causes taken away, but rather established. in which 
appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness 
in accomplishing his decree. And then it ends on abundant 
consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel. And I'll end 
with the quote from Davis that I began on two weeks ago when 
we introduced the topic. Predestination, this is in a 
commentary on 2 Kings 19. Predestination, of course, makes 
some Christians nervous. They shudder at the mention of 
the P word. All I can say is, if you don't 
want predestination, well then, go ahead and live a comfortless 
life. Bite your nails. Now, I actually 
bite my nails. I think it's helped my immune 
system over the years. I think that it's a good thing. 
I think kids should eat dirt. So I'm not suggesting go home 
and make your kids bite their nails. I'm just, I guess there 
are nervous times at it, but it's not necessarily the case. 
So anyways, go ahead and live a comfortless life, bite your 
nails, and swallow your tranquilizers, and eat your guts out as you 
watch the evening news. Some of us prefer, however, the 
pillow of predestination. That is, of having a God big 
enough that he is never surprised by the blathering Sennacheribs 
of this age. And of course, an acrob fair 
is large in 2 Kings 19. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for this wonderful truth of your decree. We thank you that you purpose 
not only the end, but the means that you have called your church 
to faithfulness and proclaiming the gospel. And again, we pray 
that that gospel would go forth today, conquering and to conquer 
that your spirit would attend, that you'd open darkened eyes 
and hearts, cause sinners to see the glory of Jesus Christ 
and to believe on Him for salvation. And God, be glorified in the 
churches today as your people gather together for worship, 
for praise, and for adoration to our great God, even Father, 
Son, and Holy Spirit. And we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, any quick questions? Maybe 
like a minute. Alright. Yeah, you're welcome.