5/18/14- The Decrees of God

We acknowledge and confess that this wonderful union between the Godhead and the humanity in Christ Jesus did arise from the eternal and immutable decree of God from which all our salvation springs and depends. (Scots Confession VI- 1560).

[Westminster Shorter Catechism: What are the decrees of God? A: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will,  whereby for his own glory, he has ordained whatsoever comes to pass. ]

God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)

33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? (Romans 11:33,34)

Thoughts: The decrees of God was an important concept in the second wave of the Reformation.  This has a lot to do with the reverence the Reformers had for the scriptures- the written Word of God.  God speaks (or decrees) and things happen.  The decrees and Word of the Lord are tied eternally to the purpose and mind of the Lord.
   In this paragraph, Knox calls these decrees "eternal" and "immutable."  In contrast to some Process Theologians today, the Reformers believed when God did something we can count on it.  God's promises (unlike human ones) do not waver, change with whim or mood- for God knows all things and what is best.  The Reformers saw order and purpose despite the chaos and suffering of their day.  In an unreliable day, they knew they could count on God.  
    Knox spends a whole paragraph of his creed on this very pungent and concise statement.  The reason Jesus is both God and man is simply because it was God's purpose for it to be this way for our salvation.  God was seeking a way to save us- to help us- to rescue us from the problems and horrors of sin-- so He purposed the God-man.  Our salvation began in the very nature of God- which is eternal and unchangeable.  God is not good one minute and evil the next.  God is good- all the time.  
    Perhaps in our day we might listen and submit to God more.   We have a tendency to tell God how it should be, when we do not know all the factors or the future.  God does, and has done something about our past, present and future through Jesus Christ.  God's trying to fix things began before the first sin, or before we were ever made.  

Prayer: Lord, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.  You know all things and have designed in your very being, a way to love and rescue us.  Help us to love you and listen to you in return.  

Town Crier reading a decree