The London Baptist Confession of Faith | Exposition of Chapter 3 – Herald of Grace

Alan Dunn

Chapter 3: Of God’s Decree (Paragraph 3 to 7)

Now you who were with us last Lord’s Day will remember that in paragraph 1 and 2 of chapter 3, that chapter titled ‘Of God’s Decree,’ we find a general statement concerning God’s decree. Notice paragraph 1 again:

“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 comes to pass, yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin, nor has 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 appear his wisdom in disposing all things and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.”

Paragraph 2: “Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions, yet has he not decreed anything, because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.”

Now as we saw last week this general statement concerning God’s decree tells us that God has decreed all things, whatsoever comes to pass, that he has done this from all eternity, that his decree of all things is unchangeable, that in decreeing all things God is not the author of sin and he does not violate the will of his creatures. And in paragraph 2, even though God does know whatsoever may come to pass upon all supposed conditions, his decree was in no way based upon anything which he foresaw in his creatures. So paragraphs 1 and 2 together make this general statement concerning God decreeing of all things.

But now we move from that statement concerning God’s decrees in general, that general statement that God decreed all things, to a more narrowed focus upon God’s specific decree concerning “predestination unto life and unto condemnation,” that which the Confession addresses in chapter 3, paragraphs 3 through 6. In paragraphs 3 through 5, as I’ve outlined on the board for you, we learned that God has ordained the end. In paragraph 6 we learned that God has also ordained the means toward that end. And finally in paragraph 7 the framers of our Confession answer the question, “What should we do with these precious truths?”

First of all then, beginning in paragraph 3, the Confession teaches us that in his decree concerning predestination unto life and unto condemnation God has ordained the end. That is under letter B number 1, “God has ordained the end.” Now notice what the framers of the Confession say in paragraph 3: “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace, others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.” Now here in paragraph 3 I want you to notice first of all what I am calling “the truth stated.” That is a small ‘a’ under number 1. “The truth stated,” that is the truth that God has ordained the end stated. The Confession says: “By the decree of God, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life, (and assumed in the construction of the paragraph: “By the decree of God”), others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation.” So the end of this specific decree of God, that which is the end result of this specific decree, is that some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life while the remainder of men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to be left to act in their sin, and then finally to suffer the just condemnation which is due their sin. So as part of the all things of paragraphs 1 and 2, as part of the all things which God has decreed in himself from all eternity, God has decreed, God has ordained before hand, God has predestined, God has predetermined the end of all men and angels, some to eternal life and some to eternal condemnation. In the words of the theologians: election unto salvation and election unto reprobation.

Now here the framers of the Confession are reflecting what is clearly taught in the Word of God, even though in many circles there is much objection to what is found here in our Confession. It is a clear reflection of what is taught in the word of God. In 1Timothy 5:21, Paul says to Timothy: “I charge you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that you observe these things.” So by inspiration of the Spirit of God, Paul speaks of “elect angels.” Why did some angels, in the words of Jude 6, “keep not their first estate, but left their own habitation,” that is left their own habitation in rebellion against their Creator? Why did some angels do that while other angels remained loyal to God and continued to serve God? Well Paul attributes these things to God’s election – they are the elect angels. Some angels out of the total number of angels God chose to faithfully serve him and to dwell with him forever, while the remainder of angels he chose to rebellion and condemnation.

Now turn with me to Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1: 4 – 6. Here the same apostle says to “the saints,” that is “the set apart ones” in Ephesus, verse 4: “Even as He, (that is God the Father), chose us in him, (that is chose us in Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before Him in love, having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” In verse 1 Paul identifies these Ephesians Christians as “set apart ones.” They are part of that number who from among all the human race God has set apart unto himself. That is what the word translated ‘saints’ means – those God has set apart, those God has set apart for Himself from the remainder of His human creation. After identifying them as set apart ones he then goes on in verse 4 to say that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Now this word translated “chose” is from the same family of words as the word translated “elect” in the 1Timothy 5:21 passage we just read. Paul says to Timothy: “I charge you before the elect angels,” the chosen angels. This word is from same family of words. It is the word “Eklego,” a word which means “to select from out of a larger group.” It is the same word Jesus used in John 7:27 when He said to his disciples: “Have I not chosen you twelve?” There were more than twelve disciples. But from this larger group of followers Jesus selected twelve to be His apostles. And using that same word in Ephesians 1 – 4, Paul says to the Ephesian Christians: “He chose us,” He selected us in Christ “before the foundation of the world.” Before the world was God selected us, said Paul, out of a much larger human race. Then he goes in verse 5 to say that God “foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself.” So Paul tells these set apart ones, these chosen ones, why they are now God’s adopted sons; why they through Jesus Christ have been adopted into the family of God. He says you are the adopted ones of God because God foreordained, He ordained beforehand that it be so. He ordained it beforehand, before the foundation of the world that you be His adopted children. And that is the very truth that is expressed here in paragraph 3 of chapter 3 of the Confession. Notice the Confession again: “By the decree of God, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ.”

Now as we shall see down in paragraph 6, one of the means God uses in securing this eternal life for his chosen ones is the redeeming work of Christ. And what the framers of the Confession mean here in paragraph 3 when they seem to tie together both men and angels, they tie them together, speaking of them being tied together in eternal life through Christ, if indeed that is what they’re implying. What did they have in mind when they chose those words, notice: “Some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ”? They seem to tie angels and men together in the work of Christ. Exactly what they meant by that, if anything, I do not know. But one thing is clear in these words they intended to communicate this truth of Ephesians 1. They intended to communicate that even though our redemption is through the work of Christ, those who partake in the saving work of Christ are those who God from all eternity set apart, chose, predestined, foreordained unto eternal life. That is very clear from the Confession, that is very clear from the Word of God.

And what is true of those whose end is eternal life is also true of those whose end is eternal condemnation. Turn with me to Romans chapter 9, and we would see what is true of those whose end is eternal life is also true of those whose end is eternal condemnation. And notice what Paul says, beginning in verse 22 of Romans 9. Notice that here he speaks of both categories of men, those whose end is eternal life and those whose end is condemnation. Verse 22: “What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory?” Two categories of men, two categories of people, and notice both groups of people being found in their respective categories because of God’s decree. They are there in those categories because of God’s decree – vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction and vessels of mercy which he afore prepared, which God prepared beforehand unto glory. And here Paul is alluding back to what he had said earlier up in verse 21: “Has not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” It is the Divine Potter, it is God who made vessels of wrath, and it is God who made vessels of mercy. As the Confession said: “By the decree of God,” (that is the cause), some are predestinated unto eternal life, others left in their sin to their just condemnation.” Two categories of creatures, men and angels being in one group or the other, as the result of the decree of God – vessels of mercy, vessels of wrath, or in the words of Jude 4: “Men who were written beforehand unto this condemnation.” So clearly God has ordained the end. He has ordained the final end of all his creatures: those who were ordained unto eternal life and those who were ordained unto eternal condemnation, that is, those predestined to remain in their sin and face God’s wrath because of that sin. In paragraph 3 of the Confession this truth is clearly stated.

But now lets move from the truth stated to “the goal desired.” That is 1 B of our outline. Why is it that God has done what he has done? Why did God foreordain some to eternal life and foreordain the rest unto eternal condemnation? Well notice what the Confession says in paragraph 3: “By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated, or foreordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of his glorious grace; others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of his glorious justice.” So why has God done what He has done? He has decreed what He has decreed, in the words of the Confession, in order to manifest, or to make known his glory. He has decreed that these things be so in order to reveal something about His glorious person. That’s why He has done what He has done. He has foreordained some to eternal life in order to make known his glorious grace, and He has foreordained some to remain in their sin and to condemnation in order to make known his glorious justice. These are aspects, these are attributes, these are characteristics of God that He is revealing through these acts, through this decree.

Jehovah is a gracious God. Now how is the watching universe going to know that? How is the watching universe going to discover that God is gracious? How are they going to discover that in order to honor Him for His graciousness? Well, His gracious character is being revealed as a watching universe observes that instead of giving his people the eternal death that we deserved, He has chosen to give us eternal life, which we do not deserve. By choosing a wrath deserving people to be His adopted children through the death of His “one of a kind” Son, God has revealed himself to be most gracious. But God is also a just God. Now how is the watching universe going to know that? How is the watching universe going to discover that God is just in order that they may honor him for his justice? His just character is being revealed as a watching universe observe His wrath being poured out upon rebel sinners, who deserved exactly what they are getting. And in doing so God is in no way being unfair to those upon whom He is pouring out his wrath. If God is to be rightly charged with being unfair it is to those He has chosen to show his mercy. If He’s going to be rightly charged with being unfair it is to those whom He has chosen to show his mercy. Being foreordained unto eternal life is not fair. It is not fair. It is not justice. It is pure mercy, and thank God that it is. But being foreordained unto condemnation is justice indeed. And it is through that part of his decree that God is revealing his justice to a watching universe.

Is this not exactly what Paul was saying in the Romans 9:22 – 23 passage we just read. Romans 9 verses 22 – 23 says: “What if God, willing to show his wrath, (willing to reveal his wrath, willing to make known his wrath), and to make his power known endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction : and that He might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared before unto glory?” God has made some to be vessels into which He will pour his wrath. For what reason? Why has He done that? To show forth his wrath and to make known his power. That is what Paul tells us in this passage. God has made some to be vessels into which He will pour His mercy. For what reason? To make known the riches of His glory, especially His mercy. Paul says the same thing in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 4: “He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.” Verse 5: “He foreordained us unto adoption as sons.” Why did God do these things? Paul tells us that in verse 6: “To the praise of the glory of His grace.” He decreed what He decreed in order that He would be praised, in order that his glorious grace would be revealed. And isn’t that the same theme we find in the Old Testament when we read of God’s dealing with His old covenant people. Psalm 106 : 8, “He saved them for his name sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known.” He did what He did with Israel not because Israel deserved it, but in order to bring glory to Himself. Proverbs 16 : 4, “The Lord has made all things for his own purpose; yes even the wicked for the day of evil.” The goal desired in the foreordination of some to eternal life, the goal desired in the foreordination of some to eternal condemnation, and in everything that happens toward those two ends is to bring glory to God. That is why He has done what He has done. According to our Confession and according to the Word of God upon which our Confession is based, the goal desired in all that God has decreed, whether it be His decree of election unto salvation or His decree of election unto reprobation, is for the manifestation of his glory.

But then moving on, having looked at the truth stated, that is the truth that God has predetermined, that God has ordained the end of all his creatures, and having looked at the goal desired, God has done this to bring glory to himself. Having looked at what the Confession has to say about these things, we come to I.c., “the certainty established” : the certainty of God predetermining the end of all his creatures established. Now notice what the framers of the Confession say in Chapter 3 paragraph 4: “These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained are particularly and unchangeable designed, and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished.” Now here our Confession is, to some degree, reiterating that which is said back in paragraph 1. When the framers of the Confession made their statement concerning God’s decree in general, when they spoke of his decreeing from all eternity, all things, whatsoever comes to pass, they made the statement that God did so unchangeably.

We saw from Hebrews 6:17 that the purposes of God are unchangeable, and that is so because according to James 1 and verse 17 God himself is unchangeable. Now as we have moved from the Confession’s statement concerning God’s decree in general to its statement regarding the specific decree of God concerning predestination unto life and condemnation, the Confession reiterates this truth of the unchangeableness of God’s decree: “These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished.” So the angels and the men spoken of in paragraph 3 are in the words of our Confession, “particularly designed.” Particularly designed, that is, not only has the number of such angels and men in each category been predetermined by God but the specific identity of each angel and men in each category has been predetermined by God. And that foreordination of the exact number and particular individuals chosen for eternal life and chosen for eternal condemnation cannot be changed. It cannot be increased and it cannot be decreased. And not only is this the logical conclusion of what we’ve already seen concerning God’s decree but it is also an aspect of this doctrine which is clearly spelled out in the Scripture.

Remember what Jesus said concerning Judas in John 13:18. Jesus said concerning Judas: “I know whom I have chosen.” Jesus understood that there was not just a specific number who had been chosen unto life; He knew that specific individual had been chosen unto life and He knew that Judas was not one of them. So He could say, “I know whom,” not, “I know how many I have chosen,” but, “I know whom I have chosen.” There’s that passage in 2 Timothy 2 :19, which tells us that “the Lord knows them that are His.” There are specific individuals whom God has set apart unto himself, and God knows exactly who they are. The emphasis is not on how many they are but on exactly who they are.

Then I would ask you to turn with me to Romans chapter 8. Our Confession states that not only are “these angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained particularly and unchangeably designed,” (and the Confession made sure there’s no misunderstanding by adding), “and their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished.” The point being that the ones God has foreordained unto life will end in life, and those that God has foreordained unto condemnation will end in condemnation. And on that day not one of his angelic or human creatures will be out of place. Notice what Paul says, beginning from Romans 8:29, “For whom He foreknew, (that is who God had a special affection for before the foundation of the world), He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first -born among many brethren; and whom He foreordained, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Now it’s clear from the passage that the individuals at the beginning of this chain are the same as the individuals at the end of the chain. That’s abundantly clear from the passage. There’s no room in this passage for anyone to be added somewhere along the way or for anyone to be deleted. The ones for whom God had a special affection before the world was these same ones He foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son. The same ones He called by his Spirit, the same ones he justified through the sacrifice of his Son, and the same ones who will be glorified with him in the end. Those at the beginning of God’s chain of merciful dealings are the same ones who will be there at the end, and there’s no place in the passage for any to be taken away or any to be added. Or in the words of the Confession: “Their number so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished.”

But now having looked at the truth stated, that is the truth that God has predetermined, that God has ordained the end of all his creatures, having looked at the goal desired, that God has done this in order to bring glory to himself, having looked at the certainty established, that God’s decree concerning these things is unchangeable, we come in the fourth place to “the reason given,” that is, the reason why God chose some to eternal life given. That is 1.d on our outline. Now notice what the framers of our Confession go on to say in paragraph 5: “Those of mankind that are predestinated to life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable (unchangeable) purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.” Now here in this paragraph we’re told what the reason was and what the reason was not.

First of all what the reason was. Why did God predestinate some to eternal life? Well the Confession answers that by saying “He did it according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will.” In other words, God chose some to eternal life out of purposes known only to God Himself and because it pleased Him to do so. In addition to that the Confession says He chose some unto eternal life out of his mere free grace and love. So whatever the specific of his secret purposes were, God’s election unto salvation was the fruit of his grace, that is his unmerited favor towards hell deserving sinners and the fruit of his love. These elements which go into making up God’s reasons for choosing a people unto salvation are clearly found in the Word of God.

In Eph.1:4, we’re told that “He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world in love.” So election unto salvation is the result of God’s love for the elect. In Eph.1:9 Paul says: “Making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Him.” So God chose a people for Himself because He willed to do so. He chose a people for Himself because it pleased Him to do so. Note verse 11 : “In whom also we were made a heritage having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will.” God chose some men unto salvation because He wanted to. Being God He can do what He wants to. In 1Cor. 4:7, Paul asked a question: “Who makes you to differ? And what do you have that you did not receive?” And the answer to the first question, “who makes you to differ?” is God. Those who have eternal life, have it because God has chosen that it be that way.

But not only does paragraph 5 tells us positively what God’s reason was, we’re also reminded negatively what God’s reason was not. Notice the last clause of paragraph 5: “Without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving him thereunto.” And here we find a repetition of the thought clearly expressed up in paragraph 2, namely, the truth that there is nothing in us, which cause God to chose us. We saw that in Romans 9:16, “It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.” It is not anything in us that caused God to show mercy. In Ephesians 2:8,9: “For by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not of works, less anyone should boast.” But I would ask you to turn with me to another passage, 2Timothy chapter 1:9. Notice here how Paul addresses this issue from both the negative and the positive perspective. The negative and the positive, why God did what He did, what was the reason and what was not the reason. Speaking of God, Paul says, “He who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before time eternal.” So why did God chose a people for eternal blessings. Negatively, says Paul, it was not because of any good thing in the elect, it was not because of anything good in us. Positively, says Paul, it was a gracious act of God for his own mysterious purpose that from eternity He chose to give us eternal life instead of the eternal death that we deserved. So here in paragraphs 3 through 5 we’re told that God has ordained, that God has predetermined the end of all his creatures. In paragraph 3 we saw this truth clearly stated, in that same paragraph we learned that God’s goal in his decree is to bring glory to himself. In paragraph 4 we saw again that God’s decree is unchangeable. And in paragraph 5 we learned that God chose a people for himself because He loved us. He chose a people for himself as a fruit of his grace because it pleased him to do so, and not because of any foreseen good in any of us.

But now as we come to paragraph 6, we move from the truth that God has ordained the end, to the truth that God has ordained the means toward that end. So we move from B.1 to B.2, God has ordained the means. Notice what it says in paragraph 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, wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation, neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.” Now here in this paragraph there’s much that we can look at which would be very profitable. But if we do we would lose sight of the point that the Confession is making here. We want to focus upon the major point of this paragraph. And that point is this, not only has God ordained who will receive eternal life, He’s also ordained how they would receive eternal life. He has not only ordained whom, He has also ordained how. He has not only predetermined the end of all his creatures, the unchangeable decree of God includes the means as well as the end.

Notice how the paragraph states that truth, paragraph 6: “As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so He has, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto.” Paragraph 6 goes on to list these means and then concludes with a reiteration of paragraph 4. Notice the last clause in paragraph 6: “Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.” And the point of this concluding statement being that just as the end of eternal life is only for those chosen unto salvation, the means toward that end are also only for those chosen unto salvation. So how can we know if before the world was, that God chose us unto salvation rather than unto damnation, the damnation that we deserve? How can we know? We can know if the ordained means toward that end are being sovereignly applied to us. That’s how we can know. None of us were there when God decreed these things. How can we know that before the world was God chose us unto salvation rather than chose us unto the condemnation we deserve? We can know that because the ordained means toward that end are either being applied to us or not. Do we trust in the work of Christ? Does God’s spirit testify with our spirit that we are children of God? Is there evidence of the sanctifying work of God in us? Are we being kept in the way by the power of God? God does not work these means in those who are chosen unto reprobation, He does not work these means in them. If God is working these means in us then He has chosen us unto eternal life.

Jesus said to the Jews in John chapter 10: 26, 27: “You do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.” That’s why you do not believe. That’s why the means are not being worked in you. You do not believe because you are not of my sheep. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” So how do we know that we are His sheep? Because we believe in Him; because we hear His voice in the Word of God; and because we follow Him. This will be opened up more fully in chapter 18. But for now I just want you to take note of the major point here in paragraph 6, namely, that just as God has ordained the end of all his creatures He’s also ordained the means toward that end, and none of those He has predestined unto eternal life will end up in that life without going through the ordained means.

Immediately we can think of portions of the Word of God, which are the basis of what the Confession says here. In Romans 8 : 30, Paul says, “Whom He foreordained them, (not some of them but whom He foreordained), He also called, and whom He called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” So not only is the end of glorification predetermined, the means which lead to that glorification are also predetermined. And so much are the means part of the decree of God to save his people that, as a rule, all whom He has foreordained and all who will be finally glorified will go thro the same means, the ones listed here. There are others, but the ones listed here will be called and will be justified. In 1Peter 1:2 Peter identifies his readers as “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,” that is chosen by God as a fruit of his special affection for them. But then notice what Peter adds: “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” So God has not only chosen them unto salvation, He has also chosen to apply to them the means toward that salvation: Elect in sanctification, elect unto obedience, elect unto the sprinkling, that is the application of the blood of Christ. Paul says in 2Thessalonians 2:13: “God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” God not only ordained the end of the salvation for his people, He also ordained the means toward that end that we be sanctified of His Spirit, and that we believe the truth. So clearly what the Confession is saying here in paragraph 6 is true. Not only has God ordained the end of all his creatures, He has also ordained the means toward that end. And to none other than those whom God has chosen unto salvation were the means leading to that salvation be applied.

What we should with these truths? This brings us to C in our outline and paragraph 7 : “The doctrine of the high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election, so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.” Now the first thing this paragraph tells us that we should do with these precious truths concerning God’s decree is that we should apply them to the question of our assurance of salvation. In addition to handling these truths with prudence and care, and that is always recommended, the Confession tells us we should apply these things to the question of our assurance of salvation.

Notice the opening words of paragraph 7: “The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election.” The point of all that being, that in examining our pattern of life, if we determine that we are attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and if we determine that we are yielding obedience to that Word, we can because of that be assured of our eternal election. As we examine ourselves, if we are striving with some degree of success to obey the Word of God then we can be assured of our eternal election. And that is so because of what is said back in paragraph 6: “the means of salvation are applied by God only to those that He has chosen unto salvation.” If we see the means being applied to us then we can know that we are among those that He has chosen.

Paul said to the Thessalonians in 1Thessoloniand 1: 4, “Knowing brethren beloved of God, your election.” Now how did Paul know that they were among God’s elect? How did Paul know that these Thessalonians had been chosen by God unto salvation? He tells us that in the next verse, verse 5: “Knowing brethren beloved of God, your election, how that our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance.” Paul knew that God had chosen them unto salvation because He could clearly see the out working of God applying the means toward that salvation. The apostle John could say in 1John 2: 3: “And by this we know that we know Him, if we are keeping His commandments.” How does our keeping God’s commandments prove that we know God? We can know that we’ve been chosen by God unto salvation as we see this means of sanctification working itself out in our lives. So the first thing this paragraph tells us that we should do with the precious truths that we’ve studied in this section is that we should apply them to the question of our assurance of salvation.

The second thing this paragraph tells us that we should do with these truths is that we should praise and reverence God for them. Notice the words of the Confession again: “So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence and admiration of God.” This aspect of the truth we’ve already looked at. Paul said in Ephesians 1:6: “God chose a people to the praise of the glory of his grace.” And if we were to look back in Romans chapter 11: 33, we see the apostle practicing what he was preaching here in Ephesians 1. When he concludes his discussion of God’s electing mercy, what does he do? He breaks forth into praise. It naturally draws from him praise: “Oh the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgment and his ways pass tracing out, for of him and through him and under him are all things be the glory forever.” When Paul thought about what God had done in his decree all he could do is praise God. And when we think of what God has done in mercifully choosing us to eternal life, when we think of what we deserved, and just the opposite which he has graciously given us, what else can we do but humble ourselves and worship Him.

Finally the third thing this paragraph tells us that we should do with these truths is that we should be humbled and consoled by them. Notice the last line of paragraph 7: “And of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.” These truths should humble us. To think of what God has done in choosing us should bring us to our knees. These truths should make us more diligent in our service for him. Who would not want to give all to such a God who has given so much to us? These truths should console us. No matter what we face in this life, with his unchangeably decree God has foreordained his people to eternal life. And if there is evidence that we’re among his elect, if the means of obedience to the gospel is evident in us, no matter what happens in this life, nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. And we should do what Jesus said to his disciples in Luke chapter 10 and verse 20, if these things are true of us we should rejoice that our names have been written in heaven.