Scripture: Daniel 4.34-5, Romans 11. 30-33
Confession: Chapter 3, God’s Decree
1. 1From all eternity God decreed all that should happen in time, and this He did freely and unalterably, consulting only His own wise and holy will. 2Yet in so doing He does not become in any sense the author of sin, nor does He share responsibility for sin with sinners. 3Neither, by reason of His decree, is the will of any creature whom He has made violated; nor is the free working of second causes put aside; rather, it is established. 4In all these matters the divine wisdom appears, as also does God’s power and faithfulness in effecting that which He has purposed.
Num. 23.19, Isa. 46.10, Jn. 19.11, Ac. 4.27, 28, Rom. 9.15, 18, Eph. 1.3-5, 11, Heb. 6.17, Jas. 1.13, 1 Jn. 1.5
5. 1Before the world was made, God’s eternal, immutable purpose, which orginated in the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, moved Him to choose (or to elect), in Christ, certain of mankind to everlasting glory. 2Out of His mere free grace and love He predestinated those chosen ones to life, although there was nothing in them to cause Him to choose them.
Rom. 8.30, 9.13, 16, Eph. 1.4, 9, 11, 2.5, 12, 1 Thess. 5.9, 2 Tim. 1.9
7. 1The high mystery of predestination needs to be handled with special prudence and caution, so that men, being directed to the will of God revealed in His Word and obeying the same, may be assured of their eternal election through the certainty of their effectual calling. 2By this means predestination will promote the praise of God and reverential awe and wonder. 3It will encourage humility and diligence, and bring forth much comfort to all who sincerely obey the Gospel.
Lke 10.20, Ro. 11.5,6,20,33, Eph. 1.6, 1 Thess. 1.4,5, 2 Pe. 1.10
Study Group Questions:
1. Read Daniel 4.34-5 and Romans 11. 30-33 together at the start of your study. What strikes you from these two passages? How do these verses want you to feel about the Living God?
2. What are the two key words which describe God’s will in 11? How do those help us as we approach our topic?
3. Look at 13. If God has a sovereign plan for humanity, does that make us robots? Why / why not?
4. Read Ephesians 1.1-6, and then Conf. 51-2.What does 51 tell us that God must do if we are to be saved?
5. If the Conf. 51-2 is true, how should we think about our salvation, and how should we think about the God of our salvation?
6. What is 71 saying? What are some of the pitfalls which we must avoid when thinking about predestination?
7. Now look at 1 Thessalonians 1.4-5. How does a confident belief in predestination shape our attitude towards God; and to our Christian lives?