Not By Will Or By Might, But By Mercy

If you speak with me about God for any length of time you'll find out that I believe that He decrees all things to occur by his own authority, according to the counsel of his own will, which he says will stand.

The westminster confession says this of God's Eternal Decree: Chapter 3, it's in it's entirety at the bottom of the post.

 

I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass;[1] yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,[2] nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.[3] II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions;[4] yet has He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.[5] III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels[6] are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.[7] IV. 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.[8]

 

As I read this morning in Psalms, 22:30-31

Posterity will serve Him; it will be told of the Lord to the coming generation. They will come and will declare His righteousness, to a people who will be born, that He has performed it.

So you see, God is the performer of faith. We are not. God instills faith in us, for he grants it by his own gift to us, thereby making Him the Author of it. Furthermore, He perfects it and finishes it, by the sustaining work of the Holy Spirit, in which we have been marked/sealed until the day of judgement. You will say to me, how then does he hold me into account, for who resists His will? Who are you oh man so speak back to God? You will not tell the potter he has no right over the clay or that he doesn't know what he's doing will you? ~ Paul in his letter to the Romans, on the chapter 9 and of the verses 16 and following.

Are you saying that people desire to go to Heaven but God rejects them?

No!

The scriptures say that if you confess and believe you will be saved!

What then can be reasoned by this?

Simply that man in his first estate, truly and irrevocably of his own volition hates God, even though he can be taught language that seems to suggest an understanding of the precepts of the Lord God Almighty. Even a child who is wholly disobedient to parents can utter correctly the words "I'm sorry" so as to avoid the certain and necessary punishments of them. Yet none would stand in defense of this child as having uttered words as being as weighty as believing them to be true and certain. This is the same effect of so called believers who have been utterly decieved by the soft-peddaling of the scriptures and even so called false teachers. The making wide of the road that leads to salvation, calling the True God of Heaven, a God of Love before He is God. That even his first natures of justice and authority, divinitiy and omnicience must be abrogated by his second natures of mercy, loving kindness and grace. Foolishness! 

This has created the situation where we have people saying some of the same things that we say, participating with us in worship, wholly wearing the uniform of Christianity and yet, we're ill equipped to reason in the matter of what clearly seems to be out of place. That is, apostate believers who deny Christ by their actions, yet are in no way held to the minutest level of accountability.

Don't judge we're told. You don't see a yellow stripe up their back do you? Would a court convict you of being a Christian? 

We do not judge by unrighteoussness, but by ungodliness. For we are all unrighteouss. Godliness is one who is lawful. One who desires the richness of God's words, to be taught his precepts, and to desire obedience. One who LIVES by FAITH! The saved man does not desire autonomy from the living God! No! He desires to be ruled by God! Even to the furthermost reaches of his own will; to be governed without prejudice.

Narrow is the way that leads unto salvation and there are few that find it. I say read your Bibles and pray that God would lead you, by His Spirit into all truth.

 

 

 

 

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The confession in it's entirety.

I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass;[1] yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,[2] nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.[3] II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions;[4] yet has He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.[5] III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels[6] are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.[7] IV. 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.[8] V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto 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, has chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory,[9] out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto;[10] and all to the praise of His glorious grace.[11] VI. As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto.[12] Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,[13] are effectually called unto faith in Christ by His Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified,[14] and kept by His power, through faith, unto salvation.[15] Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.[16] VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extends or withholds mercy, as He pleases, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praised of His glorious justice.[17] VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care,[18] 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.[19] So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God;[20] and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.[21]