Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
How the order of the Divine Decrees brings glory to God.
Friday, January 11, 2002
Point 3. The Logical Order of the Divine Decrees - Lapsarianism.
Lapsarianism deals with the logical order of the divine decrees.
1. God decreed the creation of all mankind with free will in the status of perfection for two reasons: to resolve the prehistoric angelic conflict, and to bring many sons into glory.
2. God decreed to permit the fall of mankind through the function of his own determination, his own volition, as the extension of the angelic conflict into human history.
3. God decreed to provide eternal salvation for all mankind under the doctrine of unlimited atonement.
4. God decreed to leave the reprobate (those who reject Christ as Savior) to their just condemnation. 5. God decreed simultaneously in eternity past both election and predestination for believers only.
The plan of God has to do with God gathering into one all-inclusive plan, all the objects of salvation, whether in heaven or on earth in Christ, EPH 1:9-10.
EPH 1:9-11 “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him”
The mysterious purpose or plan which had been hidden for ages in God, now made known to His saints, EPH 3:4-11.
The order of the divine decrees is based upon God being glorified and all His attributes bringing glory to Himself.
The decrees of God are His eternal purpose according to the counsels of His own will whereby for His own glory He has foreordained whatever comes to pass.
JOB 42:2 “I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of Thine can be prevented.”
ISA 46:10-11 “My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure; Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”
ROM 8:28 - we are called according to His purpose.
ROM 9:11 “for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His election might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls,”
EPH 3:11 “This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,”
2TI 1:9 “He has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,”
ISA 25:1 “O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will give thanks to Thy name; For Thou hast worked wonders, Plans {formed} long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”
JER 29:11 “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for prosperity and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”
The purpose and the plan of God has to do with God glorifying Himself not glorifying us.
ISA 43:13 “Even from eternity I am He; And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?” ISA 43:20-21 “The beasts of the field will glorify Me; The jackals and the ostriches; The people whom I formed for Myself, Will declare My praise.”
John 21:18-20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go. Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"
1CO 6:20 “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
1PE 4:16 “But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God,”
The intent of some definite end or object to be accomplished.
COL 1:16 “For by Him all things were created, {both} in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him.”
The choice of appropriate means.
The effectual application and control of those means to the accomplishment of the expected end.