Amen. By the way, Jimmy, thank you. Jimmy knows that my eyes are getting dim, so he bought me some reading glasses. So if my eyes get dim, I'll put them on. It's good seeing you all here today. So today we're going to continue in our study of the London Baptist Confession of Faith, and we're embarking upon chapter three, and we're going to deal with paragraphs one and two today in this chapter is concerning God's decree. Now, when we think about a decree, we often think about a king or a ruler, like when Caesar gave the decree that all the world should be taxed or registered. Or when a court of law gives its decision, it's often called the decree of the court. Webster defines decree in a theological sense as the predetermined purpose of God, the predetermined purpose of God. The Baptist catechism also gives us a great definition of what are the decrees of God. In question 11 it says this, the decrees of God are his eternal purpose according to the counsel of his will by which for his own glory he has foreordained whatever comes to pass. So when we think of the word decree, we think of words like predestination, plan. purpose, or foreordination. In some sense, we can liken God's decree to an author of a work of fiction. When a novelist writes a book, there first must be some kind of plan or purpose that he has in his mind. He plans the setting, the characters, the plot, the conflict, the climax, and the resolution, as well as the theme of the story. These elements are entirely in the control of the author. and are often fixed in his mind even before he writes a single word. So we can think of God's decree along those lines. History is God's story. He planned it down to the smallest detail. He created the setting and he created all of the characters. The plot, the conflict, climax and theme were all in his divine plan before any of it came to pass or any of it even existed. In God's providence, all the events of the world play out exactly according to the plan that exists in God's mind, which he willed in eternity past. The doctrine of God's decree is important because it establishes to us who is in charge of the world. It informs us that there is a wise, divine, and glorious purpose in every event that occurs. Sometimes this is hard to believe, but it's true. All the persons and events in the world are connected to a massive and cosmic story that is unfolding each day. Have you ever watched a movie and it seemed that the villains had all the power? Well, that's a lot of movies, isn't it? Seems like they have the upper hand. They were persecuting and abusing the protagonist and it seemed that evil would triumph in the story. But then at the last moment, rescue came and the story had a happy ending. This is often how movies or stories go. Vengeance comes upon the wicked and the righteous are restored to a place of peace and rest. So many movies and stories are written that have that sort of theme. And this is in fact the theme of God's story. All the events that play out in a movie or a book have a purpose. It's leading to a culmination. or an end and we can think of God's decree along these lines. There are no wasted events. If you look in a movie oftentimes you'll see something that doesn't seem to make sense in the beginning but toward the end you'll realize why that element was put in the movie. Both good and evil have a divine purpose and will come to the proper and glorious conclusion that God has purposed for them. All of it will ultimately redound to his glory and the good of his saints. Yet in the middle of the story, when evil is triumphing and good is being persecuted, it is a temptation to question the wisdom of God. This is in fact where we're at in the story. We're in the story and evil does seem to be triumphing. And we ask, why must it be so? Why did that child have to suffer that abuse? Why are those Christians being tortured and killed? Why all the suffering? Why must there be evil? It's easy to ask those questions in the middle of the story. Why? Now some people answer these questions in an attempt to rescue God from the seeming dilemma of himself being culpable of the evil in the world or morally responsible for the evil in the world. If it is God's story, doesn't the evil originate in God, they think? If God wrote the story, doesn't that make man a mere puppet, a puppet in his scheme? So they strip God of his place as the sovereign lord of history and ascribe to chance or to so-called free will to be the driver of the world. They think that it's an inescapable problem. God is then in the place of picking up the pieces of history gone wrong because he cannot rule the hearts of free agents. But this isn't the way that we should go. This isn't the way that we should understand history. This answer is foreign from scripture. And it makes evil itself gratuitous. That is, there is no real purpose in the evil in the world if we view history in that manner. And it doesn't serve the end of bringing glory to God and the good of God's people. We'll look at some of these objections later but first let's establish from scripture the doctrine of God's decree. But first let's read in our confession as it states the doctrine of God's decree and then we'll turn our attention to the scriptures that talk about it. So paragraph one of chapter three says 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 come to pass. That's a pretty stark statement. There's some qualifications coming. It says, 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. Paragraph two says this, 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. So those are the two paragraphs we're dealing with. These two paragraphs state the doctrine of God's decree clearly and very concisely. So now let's walk through some scriptures from which this doctrine originates. Our first text we're going to look at is from Isaiah chapter 46 verses 9 and 10. It says this, remember the former things of old for I am God and there is none else. I am God and there is none like me declaring 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. In these verses God is asserting one of the chief attributes of being God that is the fact that God That is that God is God alone and it's his plan that's ultimate. He's the one that declares the decree. He declares the end from the beginning. It would be easy for God after the fact of some event to say that it was his plan. Anyone can look back and say, yeah, I planned that. But the proof that God has in fact decreed all things is that God told us what he would do from the very beginning. The reality that God is able from Genesis 3 to the last chapter of the Bible to tell us the future is one of the most remarkable traits of the Bible. Think about the fact that God promised the Savior in Genesis chapter 3, which didn't come to pass for many, many hundreds of years. God has declared the end from the beginning and this knowledge is not based upon some ability to see into the future but rather that all things are from the counsel of his own will and pleasure. Ephesians 111 says this very thing. It says, in 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. Paul is telling us that in Christ the saints obtain an inheritance and this predestined purpose of God is being worked out providentially exactly according to the counsel of his own will. Rather, he says more than this. He says that not only the inheritance we have received is being worked out according to the counsel of his will, but that all things are being worked out according to the counsel of his own will. There's another attribute of God's decree that our confession points out. It says, 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 come to pass. Here it asserts that God's decree is unchangeable. Now this is what we should expect. From an all wise, all powerful, all knowing God, God didn't make any mistakes when he wrote his story, so to speak. We might write a story and have a concept in our mind. And as we're writing the story, I didn't think about that. You know, this would be good. I can change this here and there. God isn't like that. He isn't like us in that way. He decreed unchangeably from the beginning because he's perfect. So we should expect that it's unchangeable. God didn't make any mistakes when he wrote his story. He doesn't have to react. to some character in the script who messes things up. As a matter of fact, God wants us to be assured that his plans and his promises do not change. Listen to Hebrews 617. It says, wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, that is the unchangeableness of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. Now this is in reference to the promise God made to Abraham that he would bless him and his seed. Thank you, sweetie. God wants his people to know that his promise will not fail, that his counsel is not subject to change. So not only did he make his eternal purpose known to Abraham, but he confirmed it with an oath, which he swore on his own holy name. I want to pause here and let us meditate and marinate a little bit in this truth. Many people have viewed the decree of God as some cold, hard truth that we must reluctantly accept, though we hate it. But the beauty of this doctrine is shown in the context of this verse that I just cited out of Hebrews. Starting in verse 13 of chapter 6, it says this. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swear by himself, saying, surely, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show Under the airs of promise, the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. Paul is telling us here that the immutability of God's counsel is an anchor for our souls. This isn't some cold, hard doctrine, but this doctrine actually serves to anchor our souls. We need to know that our hope is anchored to the promise of God, which is unchangeable, being rooted in his eternal counsel or purpose and just to make us to feel the weight of this truth, he confirmed it with an oath upon his own great name. Think about that. I want to ask you, brothers and sisters, have you fled to Christ for refuge? Have you anchored your soul upon his unchangeable promise? Christ himself said that he who cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Just know that the hope we have in Christ is deeply rooted in God's immutable counsel, in God's decree. We're secure because of God's decree. In the interest of time, I want to read several more verses just to read them and maybe comment slightly. just to fix in our minds that God's sovereign will is the determining factor in the events of the world. Daniel 4, 34 and 35, this is Nebuchadnezzar. And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? You see, God's will is determinative. Even the most powerful kings have no power to alter God's decree. Revelation 411 says, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. God created all things for his own pleasure and not out of any sense of necessity or need. Proverbs 16, 4, the Lord hath made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. So God's decree also concerns the wicked and sin. Even the wicked and evil have a purpose in God's plan. God was not surprised at the rebellion of Satan or at the rebellion of Adam and Eve. He had a good purpose for all the rebellion that he has allowed into his world. In fact, that he has decreed. First Thessalonians 5.9, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is God's decree concerning the elect the salvation of God's people. God's elect are appointed to obtain salvation according to his eternal purpose. Psalm 135 6 whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deep places. That is God's decree concerns everything. Again, God acts freely, without obligation. He does whatever he pleases, and his decree reaches everything. Romans 8, 29, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. So God's decree concerns our sanctification and sonship. God decreed that the elect would be conformed to the image of his son. and to be joint heirs with him. Acts 4, 27 and 28 says this, for 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 for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. This is God's decree concerning the death of Christ. He in fact predicted it from the foundation of the world, did he not? Even in Genesis chapter three. So God decreed all things concerning the crucifixion of Christ. He planned every detail of the greatest sin that was ever committed and predicted it all in scripture. Yet he was neither the doer nor the approver of the evil. Matthew. 1029 says this are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father. So God's decree concerns even even seemingly random events of birds falling out of the sky dead. Proverbs 1633 the lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. So even chance events the casting of dice is completely in the Lord's hands. Proverbs 21 1. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water. He turneth it whithersoever he will. Even the most, even the will of the most powerful men is in God's hands. If he controls kings, he controls all men. God's will is determinative over our wills. As can be seen in these verses, God has a divine purpose. In every event that occurs in heaven and earth, he has a master plan that is being fulfilled meticulously every day. We must confess with the plain teaching of scripture that God is sovereign over everything and his divine plan that he purposed before the world was ever made will be accomplished. But now we need to guard this doctrine of God's decree against misconceptions. So affirming this doctrine of God's decree raises some important questions that need to be answered so that we can have a balanced view of God's world. Our confession guards against misconception when it states, after affirming God's eternal decree, this, it says, 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. Two main things stand out to me in this section. The confession asserts that God is not the author of sin, nor does his decree negate the moral responsibility and agency of rational creatures. Let's begin by looking at three verses. James 1.13 says this, let 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, this 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. Isaiah 6, 3, and one cried unto another and said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. Now if we think about God being holy, righteous, and good with only good intentions, how can it be that in his story there's so much evil? Doesn't that question come into your mind? In other words, how can God will to bring to fruition that which he hates, namely sin. We could use several stories in scripture to help us to understand this concept. But the one that brings this into sharpest focus are the events surrounding the death of Christ. If we consider the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot, we will notice a truth that is easily overlooked. Luke 22, 21, and 22 says this. Behold, the hand of him which betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the son of man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed. In Jesus' betrayal, there is the confluence of two intentions in the same act. We know from the rest of the story that God had a good intention in the betrayal of the son of God by his friend. Ultimately, the death of Christ was to be the sacrifice which atoned for our sins. Judas's betrayal was part of that good intention of God saving his people from their sins. Nevertheless, Judas had an evil intention in betraying Christ. He was greedy for material gain. He received money to betray Christ to those who sought to kill him. He exposed Jesus to the wicked for money. And here's the crux of the matter. God, from all eternity, in his good and inscrutable will, determined all the good and evil that would come to pass in his story. He decreed all things, in this case, the crucifixion of his beloved son. But this primary cause, being the decree of Almighty God, does not remove the fact of secondary causes. This is why our confession mentions secondary causes are not removed. The secondary cause of the betrayal of Christ is the actual evil intention of Judas Iscariot. So we see in our passage, the Son of Man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed, that there are two concurrent causes. God's intention is good, It's primary and it's determinative. Says the son of man goeth as it was determined. Judas acting with evil intention is the secondary cause and because of his volitional evil, he was morally responsible for his wickedness. The phrase in our confession, nor is violence offered to the will of the creature guards us from thinking that Judas was unwilling to do the evil that he himself intended. In other words, God's decree does not make men or angels robots. We're not puppets on a string. Judas, though it was necessary that he do what he did, did it willingly with an evil intention. And this is why men are morally responsible. They possess agency. They have will and intentionality. Though the will of man is not the primary cause of events, because they operate with volition and willingness, men stand as responsible moral agents before God. God has determined all things by his sovereign will. Man also secondarily determines his activities. Though these two things seem incompatible, scripture affirms that they're not. They're not incompatible. There are at least two concurrent wills in all the deeds that take place. And we see this illustrated in Isaiah chapter 10 verses 5 through 7. It says this, O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I, this is God speaking, I will send him against in hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil. and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. How be it? He meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations, not a few. You see the two intentions? We have God's intention, it's a righteous one, but then we have the Assyrian and their intention, which was very evil. Two intentions in the same event, one good, one evil. So in this verse, we have God utilizing the Assyrians as a tool of judgment against his people. God was using them for his good purpose, yet the Assyrians intention was not at all in harmony with God's will, with God's intention, I should say, even though it was the same deed. Their intention was evil, but God's intention was good. We see two opposing intentions then in the same activity. God, being good, had the righteous intention to judge his people. The Assyrians, being wicked, had an evil intention to conquer, to steal, and to destroy. Yet these two concurrent intentions operate in the same event to the ultimate glory and purpose of God. So in conclusion, let's summarize. God has decreed all things. As R.C. Sproul has said, if there is a single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God's sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled. The fact is, God has determined the end from the beginning. If he does not control it all, He really cannot determine anything. Nevertheless, this plan of God that subsumes everything, even seeming random events, does not rule out the will of rational creatures. This is the consistent testimony of the Bible. God is sovereign over our thoughts and deeds, yet they remain our thoughts and our deeds. We may not be able to explain how this is so. but it clearly is so. And so we should take comfort in the reality that God is in control of the world and that his plan ultimately causes good to triumph over evil against all odds. We must also realize the moment by moment moral responsibility we bear because we are not puppets on a string, but we are operating concurrently, freely willing all that we desire and that God will bring every thought and deed into judgment. We are admonished to be careful in the scripture, to be watchful, prayerful, lest we fall into sin. We are also assured that God will cause us to persevere unto the end by his grace and power, and we can take refuge in that promise of God, rooted in his divine decree. So let us look unto Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith and rest in his finished work. Amen.