A Faith to Confess: The Baptist Confession
of Faith of 1689
Rewritten in Modern English
©1975, Carey Publications, Ltd.,
75 Woodhill Road, Leeds, U.K., LS16 7BZ
FROM all eternity God decreed all that should happen in
time, and this He did freely and unalterably, consulting only His
own wise and holy will. Yet in so doing He does not become in
any sense the author of sin, nor does He share responsibility for
sin with sinners. Neither, by reason of His decree, is the will
of any creature whom He has made violated; nor is the free
working of second causes put aside; rather is it established. In
all these matters the divine wisdom appears, as also does God's
power and faithfulness in effecting that which He has purposed.
Num. 23:19; Isa. 46:10; John 19:11; Acts 4:27,28; Rom. 9:15,18; Eph. 1:3-5,11; Heb. 6:17; Jas. 1:13; 1 John 1:5.
God's decree is not based upon His foreknowledge that, under
certain conditions, certain happenings will take place, but is
independent of all such foreknowledge.
Acts 15:18; Rom. 9:11,13,16,18.
By His decree, and for the manifestation of His glory, God
has predestinated (or foreordained) certain men and angels to
eternal life through Jesus Christ, thus revealing His grace.Others, whom He has left to perish in their sins, show the terrors of His justice.
Mat.25:34; Rom.9:22,23; Eph.1:5,6; 1Tim.5:21; Jude4.
The angels and men who are the subjects of God's predestination are clearly and irreversibly designated, and their number is unalterably fixed.
John 13:18; 2 Tim. 2:19.
Before the world was made, God's eternal, immutable
purpose, which originated in the secret counsel and good pleasure
of His will, moved Him to choose (or to elect), in Christ, certain
of mankind to everlasting glory. Out of His mere free grace and
love He predestinated these chosen ones to life, although there
was nothing in them to cause Him to choose them.
Rom. 8:30; 9:13,16; Eph. 1:4,9,11; 2:5,12; 1 Thess. 5:9; 2 Tim. 1:9.
Not only has God appointed the elect to glory in accordance
with the eternal and free purpose of His will, but He has also
foreordained the means by which His purpose will be effected.
Since His elect are children of Adam and therefore among those
ruined by Adam's fall into sin, He willed that they should be
redeemed by Christ, and effectually called to faith in Christ.
Furthermore, by the working of His Spirit in due season they are
justified, adopted, sanctified, and 'kept by His power through
faith unto salvation'. None but the elect partake of any of these
great benefits.
John 6:64; 10:26; 17:9; Rom. 8:30; 1 Thess. 5:9,10; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1Pet. 1:2,5.
The high mystery of predestination needs to be handled with
special prudence and caution, so that men, being directed to the
will of God revealed in His Word and obeying the same, may
become assured of their eternal election through the certainty of
their effectual calling. By this means predestination will promote
the praise of God, and reverential awe and wonder. It will encourage humility and diligence, and bring much comfort to all who sincerely obey the gospel.
Luke 10:20; Rom.11:5,6,20,33; Eph. 1:6; 1 Thess.1:4,5; 2 Pet. 1:10.
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