THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE DECREES

By Gary Ray Branscome

The purpose of this section is to focus on certain lasting commitments or decrees that God has made. These ongoing decrees are to be distinguished from external acts of God, (such as Christ changing water into wine) that only occupy a brief period of time. The Bible speaks of three such decrees the decree of creation, the decree of redemption, and the decree of predestination.

The Decree of Creation

The decree of creation is that commitment God made from the beginning, not only to bring all things into existence, but to sustain them according to His divine plan.

The words, “Praise the LORD from the heavens: praise Him from the heights. Praise Him, all you His angels: praise Him, all His hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon: praise Him, all you stars of light. Praise Him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for He commanded, and they were created. He has also set them in their places forever: He has made a decree which shall not pass,” use the word “decree” in regard to what God has created (Psalm 148:1-6). The words, “He gave to the sea His decree, and would not let the water flow further than He ordained: when He laid out the foundations of the earth,” tell us that the limits of the sea are determined by God’s decree (Proverbs 8:29). The words, “God has known all that He will do from the beginning of the world,” tell us that before God created He was committed to carrying out a plan (Acts 15:18). And, the words, “God, who in the past spoke to the fathers at various times and in different ways by the prophets, has spoken to us in these last days in the person of His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the true image of His nature, and sustaining all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” not only affirm the deity of Christ, but also tell us that God not only created the universe, but also sustains it “by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:1-3).

The Decree of Redemption

The decree of Redemption is that commitment God made from the beginning to send Christ to redeem lost mankind, whose fall He has foreseen, but not caused.

The words, “This Jesus, being delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain,” tell us that God allowed the Pharisees to arrest Jesus, because that was His plan from the beginning (Acts 2:23). God did not cause the Pharisees to crucify Christ, but He knew they would, for they had placed themselves under Satan’s control by rationalizing their sins instead of repenting (Compare Mark 7:9-13 with John 8:44). The words, “When the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,” tell us that God sent Christ into the world at the time He did because of His plan to redeem those who are condemned by the law (Galatians 4:4-5). And, the words, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Which He has lavished upon us with all wisdom and understanding, having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He has purposed in Himself. That in the distribution at the fullness of times He might bring all things together, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; under one head in Christ,” tell us that Christ accomplished the plan God had from the beginning (Ephesians 1:7-10).

The Decree of Predestination

The decree of predestination is that commitment God made from the beginning to work through His Word to bring multitudes to salvation through faith in the forgiveness Christ won for us. Predestination and election will be treated at greater length when I deal with that doctrine. They are dealt with here only as eternal decrees of God

The words, “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” tell us that it was God’s plan from the very beginning for Christ to die for the sins of the world (Revelation 13:8). The words, “He [the Father] has chosen us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world,” tell us that God did not choose us before He decided to send Christ to die for our sins, but chose to save us “in Him” that is “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:4). The words, “No man can come to me, unless the Father who has sent me draws him,” tell us that we do not choose God, He chooses us (John 6:44). And, the words, “We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth. To this end He called you by our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,” tell us that God calls those He has chosen “through the gospel,” and saves them through “faith in” the gospel’s promise of forgiveness in Christ (2Thessalonians 2:13).

At the same time, the words, “As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but want the wicked man to turn from his way and live,” tell us that God does not want anyone to be lost (Ezekiel 33:11). The words, “God… has made of one blood all nations of men to live on all the face of the earth, and has determined their appointed times, and the boundaries they live in, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him, and find Him, although He is not far from any one of us,” tell us that God wants all men to seek Him and find Him (Acts 17:24-27). The words, “Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me; and I will never turn away anyone who comes to me,” tell us that God will never reject those who want to be saved (John 6:37). The words, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets, and stone those who are sent to you, how often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not,” tell us that God actively reaches out to those who reject Him (Matthew 23:37). And, the words, “God speaks time and again, yet man does not notice,” tell us that the lost turn a deaf ear to the word of God (Job 33:14). Therefore, those who are lost are lost by their own fault, and not because God did not want them.