Baptist Catechism Questions 10-11

Introduction

Now that we have considered God’s existence, attributes, and trinity we may begin to contemplate His acts. We start not with the external acts of God. We start with the internal acts, namely His decrees or sometimes referred to in the singular as His decree.

Body

Question 10

A. Question and Answer

Q. 10. What are the decrees of God?

A. 10. The decrees of God are His eternal purpose by which He has foreordained whatever happens according to the counsel of His will for His Glory. (Ephesians 1:4, 11; Romans 9:22-23; Isaiah 46:10; Lamentations 3:37)

B. Exposition

I. God’s decrees are His eternal purpose.

The decrees of God or more properly God’s decree took place within God in eternity. God’s kingdom was prepared “from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Those who were chosen for salvation in Christ where chosen “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). The grace of God revealed in Christ Jesus was first given before the “before the ages began” (2 Timothy 1:9). Jesus, himself, was foreordained “before the foundation of the world” to save those who believe (1 Peter 1:20). God’s decrees are His eternal purpose. They are not made in time, but in eternity.

II. God’s decrees are where He foreordained whatever happens.

The decrees of God include all that happens, nothing that happens, happens with out God’s operation or permission. He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). Notice that the counsel of God’s will logically precedes is work. Moreover, notice that it includes all things. This is why Paul says elsewhere, “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Romans 11:36).

A. God’s decrees included good and evil events.

Jeremiah says, “Who has spoken and it came to pass unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” (Lamentations 3:37-38). God Himself says, “I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things” (Isaiah 45:7).

B. God’s decrees include sinful acts, but the sinfulness of those acts resides in the creature.

Joseph knew this when he told his brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). Peter applies this understanding to the crucifixion of Christ when he says, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23).

C. God’s decrees include the free acts of men.

The Proverb says as much: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

D. God’s decrees include “chance” occurrences.

Another Proverb confirms this: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33). Another example is the man who drew a bow “at random” and struck Ahab eventually killing him (1 Kings 22:34). This “random” death blow was in accord with the decree of God revealed by the prophet Micaiah (1 Kings 22:17, 23).

E. God’s decrees include the minute details of life.

Job within his reply to his friends says, “Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5). According to Jesus even the life and end of the sparrow is determined by God and implies that God likewise determines the life and end of men (Matthew 10:29-30).

F. God’s decrees include the dealings of nations.

Naaman, the commander of Syria’s army was great and in high favor with the king “because the Lord had given victory to Syria” through him (2 Kings 5:1). The success of even the nations outside his covenant people was determined by God’s decree. It is not their numbers or their weaponry (Proverbs 21:31). As Daniel said, “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).

G. God’s decree includes the final destruction of the wicked.

Jude alludes to this truth when he writes: “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). As Paul acknowledges, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” (Romans 9:17).

H. God’s decree includes the salvation of His people.

Paul states this truth when He writes the verse we all go to for encouragement: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Those who love God are those who are called according to His purpose. God’s purpose precedes their being called and all things working together for their good. Now consider what he says after: “For those whom [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first born among many brothers. And those whom he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30). The golden chain of redemption starts with God’s internal act, namely His decree and foreordination. This is why Paul says later that salvation is not dependent upon the will or exertion of man, “but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16, 18).

III. God’s decrees are according to the counsel of His will.

God did not consult anyone in making His decrees.

They are totally sovereign and free. They are “according to the counsel of His will” says Paul and no other (Ephesians 1:11). Isaiah declares the sovereign freedom of God when he rhetorically asks, “Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14). Paul combines an array of biblical text and concepts when he breaks out into spontaneous praise: “For who has know the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” (Romans 11:34).

As God is wise, so are His decrees. It is in the face of God’s sovereign decree that Paul writes, “Oh the depth of riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33).

As God is holy, so are His decrees. Isaiah writes, “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure” (Isaiah 25:11).

As God is unchangeable, so His decrees are unchangeable. Job says, “But [God] is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does” (Job 23:13).

IV. God’s decrees are for His Glory.

God is first and chiefly for God. When God gives his reason for preserving, delivering, and refining Israel, He says, “For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profane? My glory I will not give to another.” As we read earlier, God “works all things together to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). However, we did not read the next verse which gives the purpose of God’s working and doing, namely “so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12).

God decrees are His eternal purpose by which he foreordained whatever happens according to the counsel of His will for His glory. This is a deep truth and much of it extends beyond human comprehension. The decrees of God are hidden unless God expressly states them. Thus, they are not the rules for living, nor should we probe to much further than what God has said. To know God’s will for you, go to what He has revealed in nature and more clearly in His Word.

C. Uses

I. There is no such thing as chance.

II. God is in control of everything, including the bad things that befall us.

III. We have ample reason to be thankful all the good things that He has decreed to come our way.

IV. We ought to be patient under all the the miseries that befall us.

Question 9

A. Question and Answer

Q. 11. How does God execute His decrees?

A. 11. God executes His decrees in the works of creation and providence.

B. Exposition

I. God executes His decrees in the works of creation.

God most certainly executes His decrees. Consider what God, Himself, says, “My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Isaiah 46:10). Creation is one way in which God executes His decrees. Consider what John sees and hears from the twenty-four elders in the book of Revelation. They say, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11). Providence is the other way in which God executes His decrees. Nebuchadnezzar after being restored from his humbling says, “[God] does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35).

The nature and elements of both creation and providence will be considered in later questions. For now, understand that the internal decree of God is carried out externally by the works of creation and providence.

C. Uses

I. God is sovereign in both His decree and execution of it.

II. Praise God for His awesome reign and power.

III. God does everything He purposes to do. Thus, His purpose to save shall not be halted. Take comfort in this.

Conclusion

God’s decrees are His eternal purpose by which he foreordained whatever happens according to the counsel of His will for His glory. He accomplishes them in the works of creation and providence. The God we worship is great and His counsels are wise. He purposes what is good, wise, and wonderful. He is worthy of praise. May He continue to help us contemplate and believe what He has revealed about Himself, even when those things puzzle us or are unpopular to the natural man.