Lesson 25 February 8, 2004
Summary of the Issues Re: THE DIVINE DECREE: [Continued]
16.
From these desires of God, He worked out other Decrees as to the habitat
of these finite beings and how He would create or manufacture them. Gen 1
17.
So God is the Primary Cause of the fact that other volition exists
besides His own, but is not the Primary Cause of the decisions made by that Volition.
18.
Being Omniscient, God foreknew every decision that each creature would
make. Rom
19.
So His Plan, based on Grace, accounted for all these decisions, whether for or
against Him
20.
Stating what will happen before it does, does not imply Primary
Cause.
21.
The term "Divine Decrees" should therefore be extended only to
His Primary Causes.
22.
Being Omniscient, His Plan would account for all secondary and tertiary
causes
- Truth is a Primary Cause; response to Truth would be a Secondary
Cause of God;
23.
The fact that creatures are the Primary Cause (PC) of their decisions
makes them solely accountable for their decisions. Jn 3:16,18,36
24.
But God, in his plan, always desires the highest and best for His creatures. 2 Pt 3:9; 1 Tm 2:4
25.
Yet whatever course of action His creatures choose will still demonstrate
God's Essence. (+R/J in Blessing or
Cursing)
26.
The way that God "controls" the events of history is by things
other than your volition:
a. Weather, natural phenomena, life, death, health, other matter.
b. He administers blessing and discipline according to His timing. (Always the case - cf
Abraham's Land & the Flood)
c. God's direct intervention in history is for blessing or Divine Discipline
or both.
List of direct intervention into
human history.
(1) The Flood Gen 6-7
- Discipline of the antediluvian civilization (6:5)
thoughts were evil continually.
(2) The
plagues of
(3) The
crossing of the
(4) The
First Advent of Jesus Christ, the virgin conception
(5) The
Rapture of the Church
- blessing
for the church age saint since it is the point they receive their resurrection
body, preparation for eternity with Him
(6)
The Second Advent
- Christ returns to establish His
millennial rule and reign on the earth
(7) The
Millennium
- the
promised blessing for the nation