Tag: 1689 London Baptist Confession

What Does God Know, and When Did He Know It?

I continue my lonely march through the section on God’s decree (Chapter 3) from the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. By way of reminder:

  • This is an unapologetically Calvinist and Reformed document.
  • Baptists have historically been well-represented in both Calvinist (i.e. “Particular Baptist”) and Arminian (i.e. “General Baptist”) camps. To suggest otherwise is foolishness.
  • My comments are on the text of the confession, particularly on what those who wrote it and confessed it (and still confess it) believed.

Here is the next excerpt:

Paragraph 2:

Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions,[1] yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.[2]

This is a short one, but vitally important. God knows everything that can or will happen. Got it. This isn’t exactly news. Every Christian ought to agree, unless you believe in the heresy of open theism. The confession reads God knows everything “upon all supposed conditions.” I take this to mean God knows everything that will happen, to the degree that He even knows the circumstances and context in which a given event will happen. The crux is what, exactly, you mean when you say “God knows everything.”

  • Does He know it because He’s like some kind of ninja chess player, seeing 40 moves ahead and plotting accordingly?
  • Or, does God know all things because He determined all things?

There is a very wide and impassable gulf between these two poles. They’re different. They impact how you read and apply the Bible. What does this confession say about this? It says option #1 (above) is wrong. Dead wrong. Deader than a doornail. Incorrect. God did not decree anything because He looked down the corridors of time and foresaw it. He also did not decree something because He foresaw the circumstances and conditions which would produce it.

Let’s get personal, and draw some practical implications from this document:

  • God doesn’t save Fred Smith because He saw that, 500 years hence, Fred would repent and believe the Gospel. This is wrong, according to the confession.
  • God doesn’t bless Jessica Ravenclaw with a ninja-like skill with numbers so she can be an accountant wizard because He foresaw it would be a good fit for her.

In other words, God was not passive when He determined the course of the world. He didn’t break out cosmic performance evaluations and assign talents, abilities, roles, status, or eternal salvation from damnation based on something He foresaw or foreknew. There is no crystal ball. God did not see or learn something about somebody, which then led Him to determine future events based on this information. No. No. Double no.

This is what the 1689 London Baptist Confession is saying. This is what Reformed theology says. It is very important to understand this. We’ll tackle more soon. For now, let me remind folks of this very important fact:

  • If you want to know what a particular group or denomination actually believes, look to their creeds and confessions. Don’t ask Pastor Google or your neighbor. They’re usually wrong.

Until next time . . .

Notes:

[1] Acts 15:18

[2] Rom 9:11,13,16,18.

Some Thoughts on God’s Decree

Last week, I posted the relevant article from the 1689 London Baptist Confession about God’s decree. Don’t be frightened by the word “decree.” The nifty Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) provides the definition “foreordaining will.” It means God has determined what happens in this world.

Now, any Christian would probably agree with that statement in general. Its when we move beyond vague statements to brass tacks that we begin to have problems. Some of the reasons why Christians have developed creeds and confessions are because (1) they wanted a comprehensive document which could be used as a teaching tool for new believers, and (2) they wanted to lay out their systematic theology in a comprehensive and thorough way, in a binding document which could be used as a standard for orthodoxy.

  • By the way, if you want to understand what a particular group of Christians actually believe, look to that group’s creed or confession. Forget Pastor Google; he’s usually wrong. 

Thus, we have the 1689 London Baptist Confession, and it’s section on God’s decree. I will reproduce the excerpt from last week, with some brief comments. These comments are not necessarily my own views; I’m simply explaining what I understand the creed to mean:

  1. 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;[1] yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;[2] 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;[3] in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.[4]

Remarks on Paragraph 1:

  • God decided what would happen before creation itself (“from all eternity”)
  • These decisions were free and voluntary (‘by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will”). There is nothing which can bind or constrain God from doing what He wants, in accordance with His holy character and attributes.
  • Once God decided what would happen in creation, that decision was set in stone and irrevocable (“freely and unchangeably”). This usually makes Christians wince, and it isn’t long before charges of “fatalism” are issued. The folks who wrote this confession of faith understood that. Behold what cometh next . . .
  • Yet, despite this, God did not create sin and does not partake of sin (“neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein”). He has nothing to do with sin. He is the exact opposite of sin.
  • More than that, this does not result in fatalism. Do you see this? Calvinists do not believe in fatalism (“nor is violence offered to the will of the creature”). Men and women are not compelled or forced to do evil. They do it because they want to. Period. Men and women have free will to sin, and they choose to do it. Every. Single Day. Free. Will. Do. You. See. This? How, then, does God’s decree come to pass? Behold . . .
  • God’s will is done through secondary causes (“nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established”). He often does not act directly. He acts through intemediaries upon intermediaries. Jesus was executed by the people who wanted to kill Him. Yet, He “was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God,” (Acts 2:23).
  • By operating this way, in a way far above our own capacity to understand or fathom, God shows Himself to be far wiser than any of us, His creatures, could ever be (“in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things”). He also proves that His will actually will be done, and nothing can thwart it (“and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree”). If God be for us, who can be against us?

Notes:

[1] Isa. 46:10; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 6:17; Rom. 9:15,18

[2] James 1:13; 1 John 1:5

[3] Acts 4:27,28; John 19:11

[4] Num. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5

Baptist Confessions of Faith – God’s Decree

I am beginning a series where I will post excerpts from various Baptist Confessions of Faith. I agree with some, and disagree with others. Regardless, I’ll post them anyway. I’m beginning this series by taking a look at what Baptists have said down through the years about God’s decree – or lack thereof!

This excerpt is from the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 3 – God’s Decree. It will be immediately clear this is a Particular Baptist (i.e. Calvinist) document. It is largely a recitation of the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, with Baptist flavor added. This excerpt is verbatim from the 1647 Westminster Confession.

I, personally, am in complete and total agreement with this statement on God’s decree. Here it is:

Paragraph 1

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;[1] yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath fellowship with any therein;[2] 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;[3] in which appears His wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing His decree.[4]

Paragraph 2

Although God knoweth whatsoever may or can come to pass, upon all supposed conditions,[5] yet hath He not decreed anything, because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.[6]

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,[7] to the praise of His glorious grace;[8] others being left to act in their sin to their just condemnation, to the praise of His glorious justice.[9]

Paragraph 4

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.[10]

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 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,[11] without any other thing in the creature as a condition or cause moving Him thereunto.[12]

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;[13] wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,[14] are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,[15] and kept by His power through faith unto salvation;[16] neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.[17]

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;[18] so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise,[19] reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility,[20] diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.[21]

Scripture References

[1] Isa. 46:10; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 6:17; Rom. 9:15,18

[2] James 1:13; 1 John 1:5

[3] Acts 4:27,28; John 19:11

[4] Num. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5

[5] Acts 15:18

[6] Rom. 9:11,13,16,18

[7] I Tim. 5:21; Matt. 25:34

[8] Eph. 1:5,6

[9] Rom. 9:22,23; Jude 4

[10] 2 Tim. 2:19; John 13:18

[11] Eph. 1:4, 9, 11; Rom. 8:30; 2 Tim. 1:9; I Thess. 5:9

[12] Rom. 9:13,16; Eph. 2:5,12

[13] 1 Pet. 1:2; 2; Thess. 2:13

[14] 1 Thess. 5:9, 10

[15] Rom. 8:30; 2 Thess. 2:13

[16] 1 Pet. 1:5

[17] John 10:26, 17:9, 6:64

[18] 1 Thess. 1:4,5; 2 Pet. 1:10

[19] Eph. 1:6; Rom. 11:33

[20] Rom. 11:5,6,20

[21] Luke 10:20