Chapter VIII: The Divine Decrees

1. The Divine Decrees in General

The decree of God is His eternal plan or purpose, in which He has foreordained all
things that come to pass. Since it includes many particulars, we often speak of the
divine decrees in the plural, though in reality there is but a single decree. It covers all
the works of God in creation and redemption, and also embraces the actions of men, not
excluding their sinful deeds. But while it rendered the entrance of sin into the world
certain, it does not make God responsible for our sinful deeds. His decree with respect
to sin is a permissive decree.

a. Characteristics of the decree. The decree of God is founded in wisdom, Eph. 3:9-11,
though we do not always understand it. It was formed in the depths of eternity, and is
therefore eternal in the strictest sense of the word, Eph. 3:11. Moreover, it is effectual, so
that everything that is included in it certainly comes to pass, Isa. 46:10. The plan of God
is also unchangeable, because He is faithful and true, Job 28:13, 14; Isa. 46:10; Luke
22:22. It is unconditional, that is, its execution does not depend on any action of man but
even renders such action certain, Acts 2:23; Eph. 2:8. Moreover, it is all-inclusive,
embracing the good and the wicked actions of men, Eph. 2:10; Acts 2:28, contingent
events, Gen. 50:20, the duration of man’s life, Job 14:5; Ps. 39:4, and the place of his
habitation, Acts 17:26. With respect to sin it is permissive.

b. Objections to the doctrine of the decrees. Many do not believe in the doctrine of the
decrees, and raise especially three objections. (1) It is inconsistent with, the moral
freedom of man. But the Bible clearly teaches not only that God has decreed the free acts
of man, but also that man is none to the less free and responsible for his acts, Gen. 50:19,
20; Acts 2:23; 4:27-29. We may not be able to harmonize the two altogether, but it is
evident from Scripture that the one does not cancel the other. (2) It makes people
slothful in seeking salvation. They feel that, if God has determined whether they will be
saved or not, it makes no difference what they may do. But this is hardly correct,
because man does not know what God has decreed respecting him. Moreover, God has
decreed not only the final destiny of man, but also the means by which it will be

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realized. And seeing that the end is decreed only as the result of the appointed means, it
encourages rather than discourages their use. (3) It makes God the author of sin. It may
be said, however, that the decree merely makes God the author of free moral beings,
who are themselves the authors of sin. Sin is made certain by the decree, but God does
not Himself produce it by His direct action. At the same time it must be admitted that
the problem of God’s relation to sin remains a mystery which we cannot fully solve.

2. Predestination

Predestination is the plan or purpose of God respecting His moral creatures. It pertains
to men, both good and bad, to angels and devils, and to Christ as the Mediator.
Predestination includes two parts, namely, election and reprobation.

a. Election. The Bible speaks of election in more than one sense, as (1) the election of
Israel as the Old Testament people of God, Deut. 4:37; 7:6-8; 10:15; Hos. 13:5; (2) the
election of persons to some special office or service, Deut. 18:5; I Sam. 10:24; Ps. 78:70;
and (3) the election of individuals unto salvation, Matt. 22:14; Rom. 11:6; Eph. 1:4. The
last is the election to which we refer in this connection. It may be defined as God’s
eternal purpose to save some of the human race in and by Jesus Christ.

b. Reprobation. The doctrine of election naturally implies that God did not intend to
save all. If He purposed to save some, He naturally also purposed not to save others.
This is also in harmony with the teachings of Scripture, Matt. 11:25, 26; Rom. 9:13, 17, 18,
21, 22; 11:7, 8; 2 Pet. 2:9; Jude 4. Reprobation may be defined as God’s eternal purpose to
pass some men by with the operation of His special grace, and to punish them for
their sin. It really embodies a twofold purpose therefore: (1) to pass some by in the
bestowal of saving grace; and (2) to punish them for their sins.

It is sometimes said that the doctrine of predestination exposes God to the charge of
injustice. But this is hardly correct. We could speak of injustice only if man had a claim
on God, and God owed man eternal salvation. But the situation is entirely different if all
men have forfeited the blessings of God, as they have. No one has the right to call God
to account for electing some and rejecting others. He would have been perfectly just, if
He had not saved any, Matt. 20:14, 15; Rom. 9:14, 15.

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To memorize. Passages pertaining to:

a. God’s decree in general:

Eph. 1:11. “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 will.”

Ps. 33:11. “The counsel of Jehovah stands fast forever, the thoughts of His heart to all
generations.”

Isa. 46:10. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are
not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”

b. Predestination:

Eph. 1:11, cf. above under a.

Ps. 2:7. “I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me. Thou art my Son; this day have I
begotten Thee.”

Eph. 1:4, 5. “Even as He chose us in Him 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.”

Rom. 11:5. “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the
election of grace.”

Rom. 9:13. “Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Rom. 9:18. “So then He hath mercy on whom He will, and whom He will He hardens.”

For Further Study:

a. Is foreknowledge the same as foreordination or predestination? Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29;

11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2.

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b. How does the Bible indicate that Christ was also an object of predestination? Ps. 2:7;
Isa. 42:1; 1 Pet. 1:20; 2:4. In what sense is this to be understood?

c. What indications have we that the angels were also objects of predestination? 1 Tim.
5:21. How should we conceive of this?

Questions for Review:

1. What is the divine decree?

2. Why do we sometimes speak of ‘decrees’ in the plural?

3. What are the characteristics of the decree?

4. What is the nature of God’s decree respecting sin?

5. What objections are raised against the doctrine of the Decrees?

6. What can be said in answer to these?

7. How is predestination related to the decree in general?

8. Who are the objects of predestination?

9. How must we conceive of the predestination of the angels and of Christ?

10. In what different senses does the Bible speak of election?

11. What does reprobation include, and what proof is there for it?

12. Does the doctrine of predestination involve injustice on the part of God? If not, why
not?

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Chosen  and  
Predestined  

David Feddes
 “the  elect”  =  “the  chosen”  
•  Political election: people choose leader
•  Biblical election: Leader chooses people
And he will send out his angels with a loud
trumpet call, and they will gather his elect.
(Matt 24:31)
Who shall bring any charge against God's
elect? (Rom 8:33) The elect obtained it,
but the rest were hardened. (Rom 11:7)
I endure everything for the sake of the
elect. (2 Timothy 2:10)
Appointed,  chosen,  book  of  life  
As many as were appointed to eternal life
believed. (Acts 13:48)
God chose you from the beginning to be
saved through sanctification by the Spirit
and belief in the truth. (2 Thess 2:13)
The dwellers on earth whose names have
not been written in the book of life from
the foundation of the world will marvel to
see the beast. (Revelation 17:8)
 Covenant  of  Redemption  
In eternity before creation, each Person of
the Trinity committed to do His part to save
and bless certain humans.
•  Father: choose persons, devise plan, give
a people to the Son, send Son as their
representative, give Son all authority
•  Son: become a man, obey the Father
perfectly, suffer and die, gather a people
•  Spirit: empower Jesus’ ministry, apply
Christ’s benefits to his people
 All  that  the  Father  gives  me  
“All that the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do
my own will but the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I
should lose nothing of all that he has given me,
but raise it up on the last day… No one can
come to me unless the Father who sent me
draws him… It is the Spirit who gives life; the
flesh is no help at all.” (John 6:37-39, 44, 63)
 My  Father’s  Hand  
You do not believe because you are not
part of my flock. My sheep hear my
voice, and I know them, and they follow
me. I give them eternal life, and they will
never perish, and no one will snatch
them out of my hand. My Father, who
has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one is able to snatch them out of
the Father's hand. I and the Father are
one.” (John 10:26-30)
 I  chose  you  
“All that I have heard from my Father I
have made known to you. You did not
choose me, but I chose you… I chose
you out of the world, therefore the world
hates you. (John 15:15-16,19)
 You  gave  them  to  me  
Father, glorify your Son that the Son may glorify
you, since you have given him authority over all
flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have
given him… I have manifested your name to the
people whom you gave me out of the world.
Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and
they have kept your word…  I am praying for
them. I am not praying for the world but for
those whom you have given me, for they are
yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine,
and I am glorified in them. (John 17:1-10)
 Covenant  of  Redemption  
In eternity before creation, each Person
of the Trinity committed to doing His part
to save and bless certain humans.
•  Father: planner, director, designer
•  Son: producer, worker, purchaser
•  Spirit: distributor, transporter, persuader
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in
him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as
sons through Jesus Christ, according to the
purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his
glorious grace, with which he has blessed us
in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of his
grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all
wisdom and insight 9 making known to us
the mystery of his will, according to his
purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as
a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all
things in him, things in heaven and things
on earth.
Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an
inheritance, having been predestined
according to the purpose of him who works
all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in
Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word
of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and
believed in him, were sealed with the
promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the
guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire
possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
 “He  chose  us  in  him”  
•  He: God the Father is the source, and it
all depends on Him. Blessed be He!
•  chose: picked, selected based on His
good pleasure, not our choices
•  us: unimportant, unholy, undeserving,
dead in sin apart from His grace
•  in him: in Christ; God chose to see us in
light of Christ’s merit and to pour out on
us the love He has for His Son.
 Before  the  foundation    
of  the  world  
God saved us and called us to a holy
calling, not because of our works but
because of his own purpose and grace,
which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the
ages began, and which now has been
manifested through the appearing of our
Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel. (2 Tim 1:9-10)
“In  love  he  predestined  us…  having  
been  predestined  according  to  the  
purpose  of  him  who  works  all  things  
according  to  the  counsel  of  his  will”  
•  In love: All depends on God’s love and
grace, not our qualities or actions.
•  predestined: decided and planned in
advance our destination/destiny
•  all things according to the counsel of his
will: every detail serves his purpose
Threefold  purpose  for  choosing  
•  High: “holy and blameless” as result of
“redemption through his blood…
forgiveness… wisdom and insight”
•  Higher: “adoption as sons through Jesus
Christ” with “inheritance” of “every
spiritual blessing in heavenly places”
•  Highest: “to the praise of his glorious
grace… to the praise of his glory… to the
praise of his glory.”
 Blessed  in  the  Beloved  
… his glorious grace, with which he has
blessed us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)
The glory that you have given me I have given
to them, that they may be one even as we
are one, I in them and you in me, that they
may become perfectly one, so that the world
may know that you sent me and loved them
even as you loved me… that the love with
which you have loved me may be in them,
and I in them. (John 17:22-26)
 “according  to  the    
riches  of  his  grace”  
•  God gives not just “out of” His riches, but
“according to” his riches. The size of the
gift matches the size of God’s riches.
•  “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual
[Spirit-] blessing in the heavenly places”
•  “In him we have obtained an inheritance,
having been predestined”
•  “Will he not also with him graciously give
us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
 Eternal  secret  revealed  
… making known to us the mystery of his
will, according to his purpose, which he set
forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of
time, to unite all things in him, things in
heaven and things on earth. (Eph 1:9-10)
… a secret and hidden wisdom of God,
which God decreed before the ages for our
glory… these things God has revealed to us
through the Spirit. (1 Cor 2:7,10)
 Sealed  with  the  Spirit  
In him you also, when you heard the word
of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and
believed in him, were sealed with the
promised Holy Spirit, who is the
guarantee of our inheritance until we
acquire possession of it, to the praise of
his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
•  Seal: authenticity, ownership, protection
•  Guarantee: earnest payment
 Father’s  choice  is  evident  
in  Spirit-­‐driven  response  
to  the  gospel  of  Jesus  
For we know, brothers loved by God, that
he has chosen you, because our gospel
came to you not only in word, but also in
power and in the Holy Spirit and with full
conviction. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5)
As many as were appointed to eternal life
believed. (Acts 13:48)
 Bless  and  praise  God,    
from  whom  all  blessings  flow!  
Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
in Christ with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenly places, even as he chose
us [and] predestined us … to the praise
of his glorious grace… to the praise of
his glory… to the praise of his glory.
How vast the benefits divine
which we in Christ possess.
We are redeemed from sin and shame
and called to holiness.
’Tis not for works that we have done;
these all to Him we owe.
But He of His electing love
salvation doth bestow.
To Thee, O Lord, alone is due
all glory and renown.
Aught to ourselves we dare not take
nor rob Thee of Thy crown.
Thou was Thyself our surety
in God’s redemption plan.
In Thee His grace was given us
long e’er the world began.
Safe in the arms of sovereign love
we ever shall remain.
Nor shall the rage of earth or hell
make Thy sure counsel vain.
Each one of all the chosen race
shall surely heaven attain.
Here they will share abounding grace
and there with Jesus reign.
Chapter XIII: Man in the Covenant of Grace
For the sake of clearness we distinguish between the covenant of redemption and the
covenant of grace. The two are so closely related that they can be and sometimes are,
considered as one. The former is the eternal foundation of the latter.

1. The Covenant of Redemption

This is also called “the counsel of peace,” a name derived from Zech. 6:13. It is a
covenant between the Father, representing the Trinity, and the Son as the representative
of the elect.

a. The scriptural basis for it. It is clear that the plan of redemption was included in
God’s eternal decree, Eph. 1:4 ff.; 3:11; 2 Tim. 1:9. Christ speaks of promises made to
Him before He came into the world, and repeatedly refers to a commission which He
received from the Father, John 5:30, 43; 6:38-40; 17:4-12. He is evidently a covenant head,
Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15: — 22. In Ps. 2:7-9 the parties of the covenant are mentioned and
a promise is indicated, and in Ps. 40:7, 8 the Messiah expresses His readiness to do the
Father’s will in becoming a sacrifice for sin.

b. The Son in the covenant of redemption. Christ is not only the Head but also the
Surety of the covenant of redemption, Heb. 7:22, A surety is one who takes upon himself
the legal obligations of another. Christ took the place of the sinner, to bear the penalty of
sin and to meet the demands of the law for His people. By so doing He became the last
Adam, a life-giving spirit, 1 Cor. 15:45. For Christ this covenant was a covenant of
works, in which He met the requirements of the original covenant, but for us it is the
eternal foundation of the covenant of grace. Its benefits are limited to the elect. They
only obtain the redemption and inherit the glory which Christ merited for sinners.

c. Requirements and promises in the covenant of redemption. (1) The Father required of
the Son that He should assume human nature with its present infirmities, though
without sin, Gal. 4:4, 5; Heb. 2:10, 11, 14, 15; 4:15; that He should place Himself under
the law to pay the penalty and to merit eternal life for the elect, Ps. 40:8; John 10:11; Gal.
1:4; 4:4, 5; and that He should apply His merits to His people by the renewing operation

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of the Holy Spirit, thus securing the consecration of their lives to God, John 10:28;
17:19-22; Heb. 5:7-9. (2) And the Father promised the Son that He would prepare for
Him a body, Heb. 10:5, would anoint Him with the Holy Spirit, Isa. 42:1; 61:1; John 3:34,
would support Him in His work, Isa. 42:6, 7; Luke 22:43 would deliver Him from the
power of death and place Him at His own right hand, Ps. 16:8-11; Phil. 2:9-11, would
enable Him to [s]end the Spirit for the formation of the Church, John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13,
14, would draw and preserve the elect, John 6:37, 39, 40, 44, 45, and would grant Him a
numerous seed, Ps. 22:27; 72:17

2. The Covenant of Grace

On the basis of the covenant of redemption God established the covenant of grace.
Several particulars call for consideration here.

a. The contracting parties. God is the first party in the covenant. He establishes the
covenant and determines the relation in which the second party will stand to Him. It is
not so easy to determine who the second party is. The prevailing opinion in Reformed
circles is that it is the elect sinner in Christ. We should bear in mind, however, that the
covenant may be viewed in two different ways: (1) As an end in itself, a covenant of
mutual friendship or communion of life, which is realized in the course of history
through the operation of the Holy Spirit. It represents a condition in which privileges
are improved for spiritual ends, the promises of God are embraced by a living faith, and
the promised blessings are fully realized. So conceived, it may be defined as that
gracious agreement between God and the elect sinner in Christ, in which God gives
Himself with all the blessings of salvation to the elect sinner, and the latter embraces
God and all His gracious gifts by faith. Deut. 7:9; 2 Chron. 6:14; Ps. 25:10, 14; 103:17, 18.
(2) As a means to an end, a purely legal arrangement for the realization of a spiritual
end. It is evident that the Bible sometimes speaks of the covenant as including some in
whom the promises are never realized, such as Ishmael, Esau, the wicked sons of Eli,
and the rebellious Israelites who died in their sins. The covenant may be regarded as a
purely legal agreement, in which God guarantees the blessings of salvation to all who
believe. If we think of the covenant in this broader sense, we can say that God
established it with believers and their children, Gen. 17:7; Acts 2:39; Rom. 9:1-4.

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b. The promises and requirements of the covenant. Every covenant has two sides; it
offers certain privileges and imposes certain obligations.

(1) The promises of the covenant. The main promise of the covenant, which includes all
others, is contained in the oft repeated words, “I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed
after thee,” Jer. 31:33; 32:38-40; Ezek. 34:23-25, 30, 31; 36:25-28; Heb. 8:10; 2 Cor. 6:16-18.
This promise includes all others, such as the promise of temporal blessings, of
justification, of the Spirit of God, and of final glorification in a life that never ends. Job
19:25-27; Ps. 16:11; 73:24-26; Isa. 43:25; Jer. 31:33, 34; Ezek. 36:27; Dan. 12:2, 3; Gal. 4:4, 5,
6; Tit, 3:7; Heb. 11:7; Jas. 2:5.

(2) The requirements of the covenant. The covenant of grace is not a covenant of works;
it requires no work with a view to merit. However, it does contain requirements and
imposes obligations on man. By meeting the demands of the covenant man earns
nothing, but merely puts himself in the way in which God will communicate to him the
promised blessings. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that even the requirements
are covered by the promises: God gives man all that He requires of him. The two things
which He demands of those who stand in covenant relationship to Him are (a) that they
accept the covenant and the covenant promises by faith, and thus enter upon the life of
the covenant; and (b) that from the principle of the new life born within them, they
consecrate themselves to God in new obedience.

c. The characteristics of the covenant. The covenant of grace is a gracious covenant,

because it is a fruit and manifestation of the grace of God to sinners. It is grace from
start to finish. It is also an eternal and inviolable covenant, to which God will always be
true, though men may break it. Even in its widest extent it includes only a part of
mankind, and is therefore particular. If its New Testament dispensation is called
universal, this is done only in view of the fact that it is not limited to the Jews, as the
Old Testament dispensation was. This covenant is also characterized by unity. It is
essentially the same in all dispensations, though the form of its administration changes.
The essential promise is the same, Gen. 17:7; Heb. 8:10, the gospel is the same, Gal. 3:8,
the requirement of faith is the same, Gal. 3:6, 7, and the Mediator is the same, Heb. 13:8.
The covenant is both conditional and unconditional. It is conditional because it is

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dependent on the merits of Christ and because the enjoyment of the life it offers
depends on the exercise of faith. But it is unconditional in the sense that it does not
depend on any merits of man. And, finally, it is testamentary as a free and sovereign
disposition on the part of God. It is called a ‘testament’ in Heb. 9:16, 17. This name
stresses the facts, (1) that it is a free arrangement of God; (2) that its New Testament
dispensation was ushered in by the death of Christ; and (3) that in it God gives what He
demands. The covenant of grace differs from the covenant of works in that it has a
mediator. Christ is represented as the Mediator of the new covenant, 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb.
8:6; 9:15; 12:24. He is Mediator, not only merely in the sense that He intervenes between
God and man to sue for peace and to persuade to it, but in the sense that He is armed
with full power to do all that is necessary for the actual establishment of peace. As our
Surety, Heb. 7:22, He assumes our guilt, pays the penalty of sin, fulfills the law, and thus
restores peace.

d. Membership in the covenant. Adults can enter the covenant as a purely legal
arrangement only by faith. And when they so enter it, they at the same time gain
entrance into the covenant as a communion of life. They therefore enter upon the full
covenant life at once. Children of believers, however, enter the covenant as a legal
arrangement by birth, but this does not necessarily mean that they also at once enter it
as a communion of life, nor even that they will ever enter it in that sense. Yet the
promise of God gives a reasonable assurance that the covenant life will be realized in
them. As long as they do not manifest the contrary we may proceed on the assumption
that they possess the new life. When they grow up, they must accept their covenant
responsibilities voluntarily by a true confession of faith. Failure to do this makes them
covenant breakers. From the preceding it follows that unregenerate persons may
temporarily be in the covenant as a purely legal relationship, Rom. 9:4. They are
recognized as covenant children, are subject to its requirements and share its
ministrations. They receive the seal of baptism, enjoy the common blessings of the
covenant, and may even partake of some special operations of the Holy Spirit. If they do
not accept the corresponding responsibilities, they will be judged as breakers of the
covenant. The different dispensations of the covenant. (1) The first revelation of the
covenant is found in Gen. 3:15, which is usually called the protoevangel or the maternal

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promise. This does not yet refer to the formal establishment of the covenant. (2) The
covenant with Noah is of a very general nature as a covenant with all flesh. It conveys
only natural blessings, and is therefore often called the covenant of nature or of
common grace. It is closely connected, however, with the covenant of grace. It is also a
fruit of the grace of God and guarantees those natural and temporal blessings which are
absolutely necessary for the realization of the covenant of grace. (3) The covenant with
Abraham marks its formal establishment. It is the beginning of the Old Testament
particularistic administration of the covenant, which is now limited to Abraham and his
descendants, Faith stands out prominently as its necessary requirement, and
circumcision becomes its seal. (4) The covenant at Sinai is essentially the same as that
established with Abraham, but now takes in the whole nation of Israel, and thus became
a national covenant. Though it strongly stresses the keeping of the law, it should not be
regarded as a renewed covenant of works. The law increased the consciousness of sin,
Rom. 3:20, and became a tutor unto Christ, Gal. 3:24. Passover was added as a second
sacrament. (5) The new covenant, as revealed in the New Testament, Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:8,
13, is essentially the same as that of the Old Testament, Rom. 4; Gal. 3. It now breaks
through the barriers of particularism and becomes universal in the sense that its
blessings are extended to people of all nations. Its blessings become fuller and more
spiritual, and baptism and the Lord’s Supper are substituted for the Old Testament
sacraments.

To memorize. Passages bearing on:

a. The parties of the covenant:

Gen. 3:15. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Ex. 19:5, 6a. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then shall ye be mine own possession from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine:
and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.”

Jer. 31:31-33, “Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that

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I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them,
saith Jehovah. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will
I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Acts 2:39. “For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto Him.”

b. Its promises and requirements:

Cf. Gen. 17:7; Ex. 19:5; 6a; Jer. 31:33 under a. above, for the essential promise.

Gen. 15:6. “And he (Abraham) believed in Jehovah, and He reckoned it to him for
righteousness.”

Ex. 19:5. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then
ye shall be mine own possession from among all peoples.”

Ps. 25:14. “The friendship of Jehovah is with them that fear Him; and He will show
them His covenant.”

Ps. 103:17, 18. “But the lovingkindness of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting
upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children; to such as
keep His covenant, and to those that remember His precepts to do them.”

Gal. 3:7, 9. “Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham....
So then they that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

c. Characteristics of the covenant:

Eternal. Gen. 17:19b. “And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting
covenant for his seed after him.” Isa. 54:10. “For the mountains may depart, and the
hills be removed; but my lovingkindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall my
covenant of peace be removed, saith Jehovah that hath mercy on thee.” Isa. 24:5. “The

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earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the
laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.”

Unity. Gal. 3:7, 9 under b. above. Rom. 4:11. “And he received the sign of circumcision, a
seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision; that
he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that
righteousness might be reckoned unto them”

Testamentary. Heb. 9:17, 18. “For a testament is of force where there hath been death; for
it doth never avail while he that made it liveth. Wherefore even the first covenant hath
not been dedicated without blood.”

d. The Mediator of the covenant:

1 Tim. 2:5. “For there is one God, one Mediator also between God and men, Himself
man, Christ Jesus.”

Heb. 7:22. “By so much also hath Jesus become the Surety of a better covenant.”

Heb. 8:6. “But now He hath obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as He is
also the Mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises.”

For Further Study:

a. Can you name some special covenants mentioned in the Bible? Gen. 31:44; Deut. 29:1;
I Sam. 18:3; II Sam. 28:5.

b. Can you name instances of covenant breaking? Gen. 25:32- 34, cf. Heb. 12:16, 17; Ex.
32:1-14; Num. 14; Num. 16; Judg. 2:11 ff.; I Sam. 2:12 ff.; Isa. 24:5; Ezek. 16:59; Hos. 6:7;
8:1; 10:4.

c. Did the giving of the law change the covenant essentially? Rom. 4:13-17; Gal. 3:17-24.

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Questions for Review:

1. What is the covenant of redemption? By what other name is it known, and how is it
related to the covenant of grace?

2. What scriptural evidence is there for it?

3. What is the official position of Christ in this covenants?

4. Was it for Christ a covenant of grace or a covenant of works?

5. Whom does Christ represent in this covenant?

6. What did the Father require of Christ, and what did He promise Him?

7. What distinction do we apply to the covenant of grace?

8. How does this affect the question, who is the second party in the covenant?

9. What is the all-embracing promise of the covenant?

10. What does God require of those who are in the covenant?

11. What are the characteristics of the covenant?

12. In what sense is the covenant unbreakable, and in what sense breakable?

13. How can you prove the unity of the covenants?

14. In what sense is it conditional, and in what sense unconditional?

15. Why can it be called a testament?

16. Where do we find the first revelation of the covenant?

17. What was the nature of the covenant with Noah?

18. How did the covenant with, Abraham and the Sinaitic covenant differ?

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19. What characterized the New Testament dispensation of the covenants?

20. What is the position of Christ in the covenant of grace?

21. How can adults become covenant members?

22. How do children of believers enter the covenant?

23. What is expected of them?

24. Can unregenerate persons be members of the covenants?

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 The  Chosen    
and  the  Hardened  
Romans 9:1-23

David Feddes
 A  Missionary’s  Burden  
Romans 9:1 I speak the truth in Christ--I
am not lying, my conscience confirms it in
the Holy Spirit-- 2 I have great sorrow and
unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I
could wish that I myself were cursed and
cut off from Christ for the sake of my
brothers, those of my own race, 4 the
people of Israel.
• Conviction: salvation only in Christ
• Compassion: grief over perishing people
 A  blessed  heritage  
Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the
divine glory, the covenants, the receiving
of the law, the temple worship and the
promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and
from them is traced the human ancestry
of Christ, who is God over all, forever
praised! Amen.
Has  God’s  gospel  failed?    
No,  not  all  in  the  chosen  
family  are  chosen.  
It is not as though God's word had
failed. For not all who are descended
from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because
they are his descendants are they all
Abraham's children. On the contrary,
"It is through Isaac that your offspring
will be reckoned.”
 Children  of  the  promise  
8 In other words, it is not the natural
children who are God's children, but it
is the children of the promise who are
regarded as Abraham's offspring.
9 For this was how the promise was
stated: "At the appointed time I will
return, and Sarah will have a son."
 Unconditional  election  
10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children
had one and the same father, our father
Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born
or had done anything good or bad--in order
that God's purpose in election might stand:
12 not by works but by him who calls--she
was told, "The older will serve the younger."
13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but
Esau I hated."
 Is  God  unfair?  
14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust?
Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will
have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I
will have compassion on whom I have
compassion.” 16 It does not, therefore,
depend on man's desire or effort, but on
God's mercy.
•  “Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
that in the course of justice, none of us
should see salvation.” (Shakespeare)
 Hardening  
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I
raised you up for this very purpose, that I
might display my power in you and that my
name might be proclaimed in all the
earth." 18 Therefore God has mercy on
whom he wants to have mercy, and he
hardens whom he wants to harden.
 How  can  God  blame  us?  
19 One of you will say to me: “Then why
does God still blame us? For who resists
his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to
talk back to God? “Shall what is formed
say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you
make me like this?’” 21 Does not the
potter have the right to make out of the
same lump of clay some pottery for noble
purposes and some for common use?
• The first word belongs to God the Creator.
• The final word belongs to God the Judge.
 Wrath  and  mercy  
22 What if God, choosing to show his
wrath and make his power known, bore
with great patience the objects of his
wrath--prepared for destruction? 23 What
if he did this to make the riches of his glory
known to the objects of his mercy, whom
he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even
us, whom he also called, not only from the
Jews but also from the Gentiles?
 Straight  answers  
1.  Does the unbelief of some mean that
God’s gospel failed? No, the gospel saves
those whom God has chosen.
2.  Is God unfair? No, under law we are all
doomed. God freely chooses to show
either wrath or mercy; either choice is fair.
3.  Can God blame the hardened? Yes, the
Creator is supreme; we’re not. God judges
us for our choices; we can’t judge Him for
His choices.
Fuller  picture  (Romans  10-­‐11)  
1.  Responsible to accept the gospel
2.  Responsible to spread the gospel
3.  Israel is not totally rejected
a.  A Jewish remnant chosen by grace
b.  An era of Gentile conversion
c.  A vast future conversion of Jews
4.  No group can claim superiority: only
through humble faith are we saved
5.  Adore God’s mystery and majesty
 Mystery  and  majesty  
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom
and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or
who has been his counselor?”
"Who has ever given to God, that God
should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him
are all things. To him be the glory forever!
Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)
Persevering  and  
Producing  

David Feddes
 Different  Results  
•  Ignoring or rejecting the Word
•  Immediate joy in receiving the Word, but
shriveling when the heat is on.
•  Hearing but not maturing because the
Word is choked by cares and pleasures
•  Hearing, understanding, growing to
maturity, and producing fruit.
Can someone be saved but then be lost?
A  true  believer  cannot  be  lost.  
Eternal  life  cannot  die  away.  
“And this is the will of him who sent me,
that I should lose nothing of all that he
has given me, but raise it up on the last
day. For this is the will of my Father, that
everyone who looks on the Son and
believes in him should have eternal life,
and I will raise him up on the last
day.” (John 6:39-40)
 Imperishable,  inseparable  
“I give them eternal life, and they will
never perish, and no one will snatch them
out of my hand. My Father, who has given
them to me, is greater than all, and no
one is able to snatch them out of the
Father's hand.” (John 10:26-30)
Nothing will be able to separate us from
the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:38-39)
 Perseverance  of  the  saints  
(eternal  security)  
All those who are truly born again will be
kept by God’s power and will persevere as
Christians until the end of their lives. Only
those who persevere to the end have truly
been born again. (Wayne Grudem)
Does the parable of the soils contradict
perseverance of the saints, or confirm it?
A  reborn  heart  understands,  
perseveres,  and  produces  
As for what was sown on good soil, this
is the one who hears the word and
understands it. (Matthew 13:23)
But the seed on good soil stands for
those with a noble and good heart, who
hear the word, retain it, and by
persevering produce a crop. (Luke 8:15)
 Why  results  differ  
To you it has been given to know the
secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it has not been given. For to the
one who has, more will be given, and he
will have an abundance, but from the
one who has not, even what he has will
be taken away. This is why I speak to
them in parables, because seeing they
do not see, and hearing they do not hear,
nor do they understand. (Matt 13:11-13)
 Why  results  differ  
I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
that you have hidden these things from the
wise and understanding and revealed them to
little children; yes, Father, for such was your
gracious will… no one knows the Son except
the Father, and no one knows the Father
except the Son and anyone to whom the Son
chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:25-27)
Many are called, but few are chosen. (22:14)
Four  kinds  of  hearts  
•  Hard hearts: path
•  Shallow hearts: rocky soil
•  Cluttered hearts: thorny soil
•  Noble hearts: good soil
 Hard  hearts  
When anyone hears the word of the
kingdom and does not understand it, the
evil one comes and snatches away what
has been sown in his heart. (Matt 13:19)
•  Hardened by anti-Christian education
and entertainment
•  Hardened by skepticism and cynicism
•  Hardened by years of church and Bible
•  Hardened by repeated stubbornness
 Shallow  hearts  
This is the one who hears the word and
immediately receives it with joy,  yet he has no
root in himself, but endures for a while, and
when tribulation or persecution arises on
account of the word, immediately he falls away.
(Matt 13:20-21) …they believe for a while, and
in time of testing fall away” (Luke 8:13)
• Feel-good faith, instant gratification
• 5% of crusade converts join & stay in church
• 70% leave church by age 22; 80% by age 30
 Going  deeper  
Deeper relationships: "Though research is
ongoing, it is already revealing a promising
pattern: youth involved in intergenerational
relationships in church are showing promise
for stronger faith in high school and beyond.”
(Leadership, Sept. 2009) Yet the article
neglects parents and home discipleship.
Deeper gospel: Plant real seed (Scripture), and
cultivate depth (real conversion). Why chase
big (but short-lived) numbers in shallow soil?
 Cluttered  hearts  
The cares of the world and the deceitfulness
of riches choke the word, and it proves
unfruitful. (Matt 13:22)
...choked by the cares and riches and
pleasures of life (Luke 8:14)
•  Worries, hassles, arguments, busyness
•  Family, TV, toys, studies, job, golf
Facebook, friends, finances, shopping
•  No space to study and live the gospel
 Noble  hearts  
This is the one who hears the word and
understands it. He indeed bears fruit and
yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another
sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matt 13:23)
The seed on good soil stands for those with
a noble and good heart (Luke 8:15).
• Understands gospel and counts cost
• A good heart has been made ready
 Soil  preparation  
•  The seed on good soil stands for those
with a noble and good heart. (Luke 8:15)
•  Break up your unplowed ground and do
not sow among thorns. (Jeremiah 4:3)
•  Break up your unplowed ground; for it is
time to seek the Lord. (Hosea 10:12)
•  Rid yourselves of all offenses you have
committed, and get a new heart and a
new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:30-31)
 Given  new  birth,  
 guarded  by  God  
According to his great mercy, he has caused
us to be born again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable,
undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for
you, who by God's power are being guarded
through faith for a salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
 Chosen  to  bear  fruit  
•  You did not choose me, but I chose
you and appointed you to go and bear
fruit—fruit that will last (John 15:16).
•  But the one who looks into the perfect
law, the law of liberty, and perseveres,
being no hearer who forgets but a
doer who acts, he will be blessed in
his doing. (James 1:18)
Persevering  and  producing  
If you are not persevering and producing,
you were never truly born again.
•  But the one who endures to the end will
be saved. (Matthew 10:22, 24:13)
•  For we have come to share in Christ, if
indeed we hold our original confidence
firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:14)
•  If we endure, we will also reign with him
(1 Timothy 2:12).
 Keep  on  keeping  on  
Therefore do not throw away your
confidence, which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so
that when you have done the will of God
you may receive what is promised… But
we are not of those who shrink back
and are destroyed, but of those who
have faith and preserve their souls.
(Hebrews 10:35-39)
God  preserves.  We  persevere.  
His divine power has granted to us all
things that pertain to life and godliness…
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent
to make your calling and election sure, for if
you practice these qualities you will never
fall. (2 Peter 1:3,10)
Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling, for it is God who works in you,
both to will and to work for his good
pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)
God’s Golden Chain
By David Feddes

Imagine for a moment that you're stuck, really stuck. You somehow got your vehicle into
some deep mud, and you got bogged down. You gun the engine several times, trying to get out,
but your wheels just spin and sink deeper. You're stuck, and there's no way to get yourself out.
Then just as you're shaking your head and wondering what to do next, a truck pulls up.
It's a four-wheel drive. You see the big tires; you hear the engine growl: "Rrrooom, Rrrrooom.”
Yes! This is exactly what you need. The driver of the truck hops out and says, "Need some
help?" And you say, "Do I ever!"
The driver reaches into his truck and grabs a paper chain. He hands one end of the paper
chain to you, along with a piece of tape, and he says, "Here, tape this end to your vehicle, and I'll
tape the other end to my truck."
Now how do you feel? Can you count on that paper chain to pull you out? Of course not!
The truck may have a four-wheel drive, big tires, and a powerful engine, but if your only
connection to it is a paper chain, it doesn't matter how strong the truck is.
You need a strong connection.
If you're stuck in mud, you don’t just need something with enough power to pull you out;
you also need a strong connection to that power. That’s also true spiritually. If you're stuck in the
mud of sin, you need something with enough power to pull you out and you need a strong
connection.
Jesus has more than enough power to pull you and me out of the sin we sink into. Jesus’
blood poured out on the cross has astonishing power to rescue from sin, and his resurrection
from the dead has infinite life-giving power. But as great as the power of Jesus is, it won't help
us, it won't pull us out of our mess, unless we're connected to Jesus by an unbreakable chain.
Is there any such chain? Yes, thank God, there is. It's not a paper chain strung together
from our own flimsy efforts. It's a chain in which each link has been forged by God himself. In
Romans 8:29-30 the Bible says, "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to
the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he
predestined he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."
Foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified--these are all links in "the golden chain of our
salvation," as one historic statement of faith puts it (Canons of Dort).
When you look at Romans 8:29-30, you don't have to be a grammar expert to see who
does everything. God foreknew; God predestined; God called; God justified; God glorified. God
is the subject of all these verbs. God is the one who does it all.
You see, God didn't just send Jesus to die and rise again and then hope that somebody
might somehow link up with Jesus. God wasn't about to let the final effect of his Son's death and
resurrection depend on a flimsy chain of what we decide to do. No, God decided to forge the
chain himself, an unbreakable chain that links sinful people to an all-powerful Savior.
Let's look at God’s golden chain in more detail.

Foreknew
Let's begin with the words, "Those God foreknew." God knows everything. He knows
every atom and molecule. He knows every thought going through your mind right now. He
knows everything that has ever happened in the past; he knows everything that's happening right
now; and even more amazing, he knows everything that's going to happen in the future. Is that

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what the Bible means when it speaks of “those God foreknew”? Does it mean God looked into
the future and saw the actions and qualities of certain people?
No, it’s true that God knows the future and knows all about everybody long before they
are born, but that doesn't capture what the Bible means when it speaks of those God foreknew.
The Bible often speaks of "knowing" in a way that involves more than being aware of some fact.
Knowing often means choosing.
For example, in Amos 3:2 God says to his Old Testament people, Israel, "You only have
I chosen of all the families of the earth." The word translated "chosen" is actually just the
Hebrew word for known. "You only have I known," God says to Israel. Does this mean Israel
was the only nation God knew anything about? Of course not. God knew about all the other
nations. But he knew Israel in a special way. He singled Israel out. He set his love on Israel. He
chose Israel.
The most striking example where "knowing" means "choosing" is found in 1 Peter 1:20.
There our translation says that Jesus "was chosen before the creation of the world." In the
original language, the word translated "chosen" is the very same word translated as "foreknown"
in Romans 8:29. Literally, Jesus was "foreknown" before the creation of the world. Does that
mean only that God looked ahead and saw that Jesus would come? No, it means much more than
that. God didn't just know it; he made it happen. He chose Jesus to be his supreme revelation and
the source of salvation for his people.
In a similar way, when the Bible speaks in Romans 8:29 of those whom God foreknew,
it's not just speaking of people God knew about ahead of time. God knows about everybody
ahead of time, and this verse is talking about some particular people, not about everybody in
general whom God knows about. “Those God foreknow” means “those God chose ahead of
time,” people on whom he set his special love and purpose. Ephesians 1:4 declares that God
"chose us in Christ before the creation of the world."
On what does God base his choice? Well, it's not based on anything he sees in us. God
didn't look into the future and say to himself, "It looks like this person will be well-behaved, and
that person is going to respond to me the way I want, so I think I'll choose them." If that were the
case, then God would never have chosen anybody. We're all sinners. Of ourselves we don’t have
the ability to respond to God the way we should.
The apostle Paul, who wrote Romans 8, knew all too well that God's choice isn't based
simply on looking to see how we respond to him. As a young man, Paul heard the message of
how Jesus died and rose again to save his people from sin, and his only response was to hate the
name of Jesus and go around killing Christians. If God chose people based on how he saw them
reacting to the message of Jesus, he would never have chosen Paul. But he did choose Paul, and
eventually he changed Paul’s heart so that Paul ended up believing in Jesus and living for him.
Paul’s story has been repeated countless times: people who would never choose Christ on
their own end up putting their faith in Christ because God made a choice to save them. In the
Bible Jesus tells his people plainly, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). This
doesn’t make us robots who don’t make a choice. Every Christian does choose the Lord Jesus,
but any choice we make for the Lord flows out of his choice of us.
If you know Jesus as your Savior, rejoice that God chose you. That’s exciting—but it’s
also humbling. We might like to think that we choose God, but God’s choice comes first. We
might think that if God chooses us, it's because of something he sees in us. But God doesn't base
his choice on anything in us.
In fact, God often chooses people you and I might not choose. You might not like people

2
of a certain race, but in Christ God chooses people from every tribe and language and people and
nation. You might not choose criminals; you'd rather lock them up and throw away the key. But
God chooses people in prison, even murderers and people on death row, and stirs them to repent
of their sins and to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "God chose the lowly things
of this world and the despised things... so that no one may boast before him" (1 Corinthians 1:28-
29).
None of us can brag that God chose us because of our qualifications. If God has chosen to
save you, it’s not because he saw something impressive in you but only because of his love. And
why does God love? Because he loves. There is no further explanation. God loves, not because
any of us is so loveable, but simply because God is love.
God's choice rises out of God himself; it doesn't depend on us. And it's a good thing, too.
If it depended on us, the whole chain that connects people to Christ would be ruined. The first
link in the chain would be flimsy, manmade paper, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest
link. However, God's choice doesn't depend on us but on him, so the first link in God’s golden
chain is as strong as God himself. God foreknew--he set his mind and purpose on people--based
only on his love.

Predestined
Let’s look at the next link in God’s golden chain. "Those he foreknew," says the Bible,
"he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers." What does "predestined" mean? It means that when God chooses people,
he also decides in advance what he is going to make of them, what their destiny will be. And
what is that destiny? “To be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” In simpler words, the destiny
is to be like Jesus.
That's why it would be silly to say, "Predestination means that if God has chosen me,
then I can sin all I want. It doesn't matter what I do." Of course it matters! God doesn't just
decide whom to choose; he also decides what to make of them. He decides their destination. And
that destination is to be like his holy Son Jesus. Predestination is just a big word for the fact that
God has a perfect plan all worked out for making people who aren't anything like Jesus into
people exactly like Jesus.
God does this, says the Bible, so that Jesus might be the firstborn among many brothers.
God didn't send Jesus gambling that a few people might believe in him and the Christian religion
might catch on here or there. God wouldn't let the sacrifice of his dear Son turn out to be
ineffective. God wanted Jesus to be the first of many, not just a few, and so he didn't leave the
outcome to chance or to mere human decision. He predestined and planned for people from all
over the world to be saved through Christ and to become like him, so that Jesus might be
glorified as the first and foremost member of a huge family of brothers and sisters.

Called
The third link in God’s golden chain, after foreknew and predestined is called." God's
choosing and predestination don't stay hidden in the heights of heaven or in the mists of eternity.
That word called refers to something that happens in the here and now. God touches people on
earth, right here, right now, and calls them into faith in Jesus Christ.
What does the Bible mean when it speaks of those whom God called? Well, at one level,
there's a general call of God that goes out to people everywhere. The gospel call goes out to
countless people attending churches, or hearing of Christ on radio or television, or reading the

3
Bible or listening to a neighbor speak of Christ. This general call of the gospel can be heard by
anyone within earshot.
But in Romans 8 God's call refers not only to that general call but also to an inner,
individual call by which God opens your heart and mind in a very special way so that you know
God is calling you personally. Jesus said that a shepherd "calls his own sheep by name and leads
them out... his sheep follow him because they know his voice" (John 10:3-4).
The Bible book of Acts includes many examples of people who heard the voice of the
good shepherd calling their name. When Acts describes people putting their faith in Jesus and
becoming part of the church, you might expect it to say that "people wanted a relationship with
God" or that "the church was attracting more and more people." At a certain level it would be
true enough to say those things, but what does the Bible say? It says, "The Lord added to their
number those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47) The Lord added to their number! His inner,
effective call saved them and drew them to his church.
The apostle Paul preached Christ in a certain city, and some people believed his message.
Today someone might report on that by saying, "A number of people made decisions for Christ."
But what does the Bible say? "All who were appointed to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48).
Sure, these people made decisions and chose Christ, but why? Because God had made a decision
and had chosen them. "All who were appointed to eternal life believed."
Acts 16 mentions a Greek businesswoman named Lydia who became a Christian. A news
reporter describing the scene might have said, "Paul spoke and Lydia found him convincing, so
she decided to become a Christian." But how does the Bible describe it? It says, "The Lord
opened her heart, to respond to Paul's message" (Acts 16:14). Sure, Paul preached. Sure, Lydia
made a decision to respond. But it was God's Holy Spirit who opened Lydia's heart, and she was
responding not just to the voice of Paul but to the call of Jesus, her shepherd.
In the Bible, Paul wrote to some Christian friends and said, "We know, brothers, loved by
God, that he has chosen you." How did Paul know God had chosen them? Did he have a special
vision from God that revealed they were chosen? Did he get a sneak peak at a secret list of God's
chosen? No, but Paul still knew these people were chosen, he said, “because our gospel came to
you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction...
you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6). The
powerful, inner call of God had transformed them. That was proof that they were indeed among
those who were chosen and loved by God.
When God calls you, eternity touches time. God's Spirit opens your heart. The gospel
message hits you right between the eyes. You hear God's Word and you say, "That was speaking
directly to me." You realize that God is calling you by name. You repent of your sin. You trust in
Jesus. And as you trust him, you discover that you have been loved with an everlasting love, that
you were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
That is why I can preach with confidence. If the results of my preaching depended only
on my ability to change people or on their ability to change themselves, I'd give up. Why should
anybody listen to me? How can people stuck in their own sin pull themselves out? But I know
that whenever I preach the gospel of Jesus crucified and risen, God is at work. I know that I am
God's instrument, that among those who hear me are people God has chosen and predestined to
be like Christ, and that the Holy Spirit will transform them through his powerful inner calling.
This awareness also encourages me to pray for the salvation of others. I wouldn’t pray for
someone else’s salvation if I thought everything was up to that person. Why pray if everything is
up to the person and God can’t do anything more to change the person’s heart? But God can

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change even the deadest, most stubborn heart by his inner call, and so I keep praying that he will
do exactly that.
Maybe you're a Christian with loved ones who show no interest in Christ. Maybe you're
tempted to give up on them and stop praying for them because you figure they'll never change
anyway. Well, if it were up to them, they wouldn't change. But since it's up to God, he may yet
change them. And your prayers may well be part of God's eternal plan to bring that about. So
keep on praying to the God whose inner call can change anyone.

Justified
The next link in God’s golden chain is especially beautiful: "those God called, he also
justified." This word justified means that when God calls you and moves you to repentance and
faith in Christ, he forgives all your sins—past, present, and future sins--and declares you to be
forever right with him. Let that good news sink in. Justified! Forever right with God!
Justification is not probation. What’s the difference between justification and probation?
Well, in the legal system, a judge will sometimes tell a convicted offender, "I'm not going to
punish you for this violation. Instead, I'm putting you on probation. If you behave yourself, fine.
But if you get into trouble again and violate your probation, then I'm going to throw the book at
you." Now, is that how God deals with us? Does God say, "Okay, I'm willing to forgive you and
overlook your past sins. But if you ever commit another sin, you'll be right back where you
started"?
No! The Bible doesn't say, "Those he called, he put on probation." It says, "Those he
called, he justified." Justified! When you trust in Jesus, every last sin, past, present, and future is
nailed to his cross and forgiven. You don't fall away from salvation every time you commit a sin.
Long before you were ever born, God knew every sin you'd commit, but God chose you anyway
and called you into a living faith in Jesus Christ. You are justified by faith, and no sin of yours
can undo that. When you trust Jesus, you're not on probation. You are justified. You are right
with God, and nothing can ever change that.
Does this mean it's okay for Christians to wallow in sin? Of course not. We've already
seen that God's purpose is to make his people like Jesus. But when God justifies us through faith,
we can be sure that we are right with God, even when there are some wrongs that still need to be
cleaned up in our lives.
Take the apostle Peter, for example. Jesus told Simon Peter that he would deny his Lord
three times and that Satan was out to get him. "But," Jesus added, "I have prayed for you, that
your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32).
Satan wanted Peter, but Jesus wouldn't let that happen. Jesus had already prayed for Peter, and so
even though Peter's faith would waver, it wouldn't fail completely. Peter's destiny was secure.
Notice that Jesus didn't say, "Peter, if you turn back to me after you fail." He said, "When you
have turned back, strengthen your brothers." It was certain that Peter would turn back to Jesus.
His Savior was making sure his faith wouldn't fail, and that meant Peter could not lose his
salvation.
Justified means that you are right with God, that your standing is based on Jesus, and that
nothing can separate you from his love or keep you from the destiny God has for you.

Glorified
Romans 8:30 says, "Those he justified, he also glorified." That’s the final link in God’s
golden chain. Notice that it doesn't just say, "Those he justified, he will glorify." No, “those he

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justified, he also glorified”--past tense. It's already done. As the Bible puts it, "God raised us up
with him and seated us in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 2:6). God has linked his people to
Christ with a bond so unbreakable that whatever has happened to Christ has as good as happened
to us, and so our glorification is absolutely certain.
Most of us have seen cliffhanger scenes on TV shows or in the movies. One person is
dangling over the edge of a cliff or a tall building, trying desperately to hold on to someone else.
In order to increase the suspense, the camera zooms in on the fingers slipping and the grip
weakening.
Maybe that's how you picture your situation. Maybe you feel like you don't have any
footing, and you're dangling in midair by your fingertips, trying to hang on to God. Maybe you
feel like your faith is getting weaker and weaker, and you're afraid you'll lose your grip and let
go of God entirely. But what if it's not your grip on God that keeps you safe but his grip on you?
Once you belong to Jesus, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that can break his grip on you or
snatch you out of his hand.
After describing God’s golden chain of being chosen, predestined, called, justified, and
glorified, the apostle Paul exclaims as the end of Romans 8, "What then shall we say in response
to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him
up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring
any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that
condemns? Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of
God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble
or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death
nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."