The NRBC School of Theology: Systematic Theology Course 2

23. OF GOD'S DECREE 3:6:
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

This course is based on the text, 'The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith,' with notes by Kevin Matthews. Please feel free to print these notes to allow you to study the text online/offline. This lesson may be used in other study situations if you like (eg. Groups, Bible Studies, etc).

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 (a); wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ (b), are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified (c), and kept by His power through faith unto salvation (d); neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only (e).

a. 1 Pet 1:2; 2 Thess 2:13.
b. 1 Thess 5:9,10.
c. Rom 8:30; 2 Thess 2:13.
d. 1 Pet 1:5.
e. Jn 6:64; 10:26; 17:9.

The argument against election and predestination is often, ‘I decided to follow Jesus’, and our answer is, ‘Yes that’s right, you did.’ The Confession acknowledges this point in this paragraph. Nowhere in the Bible does it teach that election removes the need for any of the means of grace, or that sinners will be saved no matter what. But it does teach that God has determined who will be saved, and how they will be saved.

23.1 All the Means Appointed

‘Their election, of course, includes the opportunity of hearing the gospel and receiving the gifts of grace, for without these means the great end of election would not be attained. They are, in fact, elected to all that is included in the idea of eternal life.’

L. Boettner

‘The elect of God are chosen by Him to be His children, in order that they might be made to believe, not because He foresaw that they would believe.’

Augustine

As we have already seen, the Decree of God does not militate against the free will of man, for man does choose either to believe or not to believe. But everything is rendered certain by God’s Decree, even the very means by which a person’s salvation comes about (Acts 11:18; 13:48; 18:27; Eph 2:8). It is the fact of one’s election that makes certain the decision to believe.

The Providence of God, which is the execution of God’s Decree, brings about everything that brings a person to Christ by faith. It brings about the time, the means and the opportunity to be saved. The election of a person includes not just the title to eternal life, but all that salvation involves, for without these means no-one would be saved. An implication of this is that those who have never heard the Gospel, and who die in their sins, are clearly none of God’s elect, for He not only elects unto salvation but also provides the means of obtaining that salvation as part of His predestinating purpose (Rom 10:13,14).

Is the preaching of the gospel necessary then? Yes it is, for it is by the means of the gospel that sinners are saved. The Decree of God has determined that it is through the preaching of the gospel and evangelism, and the exercise of faith, that the elect are to be brought into the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 1:21; Eph 2:8; 2 Tim 2:10; Jam 1:18). Unless the work of evangelism proceeds, sinners will not be saved. As sinners are chosen in Christ, so they are chosen through the various means outlined in the Scriptures (Rom 10:13-17).

Also relevant to note in passing here, is that the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration is also necessary to the salvation of the elect. Without regeneration no one would be saved, as John clearly spells out in John 3 (cf Ps 110:3; Acts 18:27; Eph 2:8; Tit 3:5). No one has the power to turn himself to following the Lord, but the sinner is turned by the renewing grace of the Spirit of God (1 Jn 4:19). We are saved through the instrumentality of faith, but it is God who actually saves. Faith is not the meritorious cause of a Christian’s salvation.

23.2 The Order of Salvation

Scripture reveals a very definite order in salvation (Rom 8:29,30). Where any one of these Scriptural links are present, you can be sure the rest are also. Therefore if someone believes the gospel, then it is certain that that person is one of God’s elect. These salvation links are joined together in an unbreakable chain, and this by God’s Decree. One moves from link to link until glory is reached.

NOTE: If you wish to email me regarding your answers to this first lesson, please copy and paste them into an email (Attachments will not be opened). I will then get back to you as soon as I can (expect a delay due to various committments).

Links to Online Texts

• 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith
• 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

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