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Chapter 3

Of God's Decree

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;

Isaiah 46:10 KJV Read in context

¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Ephesians 1:11 KJV Read in context

¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Hebrews 6:17 KJV Read in context

¹⁷Where in God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Romans 9:15 KJV Read in context

¹⁵For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Romans 9:18 KJV Read in context

¹⁸Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;

James 1:13 KJV Read in context

¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

1 John 1:5 KJV Read in context

⁵This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

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;

Acts 4:27-28 KJV Read in context

²⁷For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, ²⁸For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

John 19:11 KJV Read in context

¹¹Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.

Numbers 23:19 KJV Read in context

¹⁹God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Ephesians 1:3-5 KJV Read in context

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

2. Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions,

Acts 15:18 KJV Read in context

¹⁸Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.

Romans 9:11 KJV Read in context

¹¹(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Romans 9:13 KJV Read in context

¹³As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Romans 9:16 KJV Read in context

¹⁶So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Romans 9:18 KJV Read in context

¹⁸Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

3. 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,

1 Timothy 5:21 KJV Read in context

²¹I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

Matthew 25:34 KJV Read in context

³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

to the praise of His glorious grace;

Ephesians 1:5-6 KJV Read in context

⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.

Romans 9:22-23 KJV Read in context

²²What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: ²³And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Jude 1:4 KJV Read in context

⁴For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. 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.

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV Read in context

¹⁹Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

John 13:18 KJV Read in context

¹⁸I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

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 unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love,

Ephesians 1:4 KJV Read in context

⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ephesians 1:9 KJV Read in context

⁹Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Ephesians 1:11 KJV Read in context

¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Romans 8:30 KJV Read in context

³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

2 Timothy 1:9 KJV Read in context

⁹Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

1 Thessalonians 5:9 KJV Read in context

⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.

Romans 9:13 KJV Read in context

¹³As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Romans 9:16 KJV Read in context

¹⁶So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Ephesians 2:5 KJV Read in context

⁵Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Ephesians 2:12 KJV Read in context

¹²That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

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;

1 Peter 1:2 KJV Read in context

²Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 KJV Read in context

⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,

Romans 8:30 KJV Read in context

³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV Read in context

¹³But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

and kept by His power through faith unto salvation;

1 Peter 1:5 KJV Read in context

⁵Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.

John 10:26 KJV Read in context

²⁶But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

John 17:9 KJV Read in context

⁹I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

John 6:64 KJV Read in context

⁶⁴But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

7. The doctrine of the 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;

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 KJV Read in context

⁴Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ⁵For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

2 Peter 1:10 KJV Read in context

¹⁰Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,

Ephesians 1:6 KJV Read in context

⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Romans 11:33 KJV Read in context

³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,

Romans 11:5-6 KJV Read in context

⁵Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. ⁶And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Romans 11:20 KJV Read in context

²⁰Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.

Luke 10:20 KJV Read in context

²⁰Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

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King James Version (1769 text), public domain. Text from eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society.