Lesson 24 February 4, 2004
There is a problem we
should address and that has to do with the approach many take as they evaluate
the Divine Decree of God and distort or misapply the sovereignty of God in that context.
Summary of the Issues
Re: THE DIVINE DECREE:
1.
A problem exists in understanding
the relationship between the
Sovereignty of God and Volition.
a. Sovereignty should be understood to mean that God has absolute
control over the outcome of all
things.
b. Volition, however, indicates that moral creatures have the perfect ability of
Free Choice.
c. The Misapplication is that God must control Volition to control the
outcome.
d. Must recognize that many down through the years have misunderstood the
Sovereignty of God.
2. Sovereignty originates from the concept of
Rulership:
Psa. 103:19; 1 Chr 29:11; Dt
4:39
a. Rulers pronounce decrees, make statutes and give commands. Esther 2:8;
b. The compliance with these laws involves the volition of the creature
involved. Gen 3
c. There is punishment (consequences)
if they are not carried out. Dn 3:8ff
Ezek 28:15-16 (Satan)
d. Where volition is not involved, the decree of God is fact. Gen 1:3
3.
God in Eternity Past chose to manifest His Essence to Glorify
Himself. Ps 24:7-10; 29:1-2; Eph 1:14
4.
This decision to manifest His glory is called the Divine Decree (sg.) all other aspects of His will are designed to fulfill
this objective, to manifest His essence.
5.
From an infinite number of possibilities (God's infinity applied to His
Omniscience), He decided to do so by creating Matter, Creatures, Space and
Time.
6.
Space was created so that matter could be distinguished.
7.
He chose to create other beings in a manner consistent with His Essence:
a. There is not, never was, and never can be a Being greater than God.
b. So, of necessity, any being that He created would have to hold a lesser
status than Him, man now is lowest in power and ability.
c. God did not need further glorification of Himself by Himself.
d. Not that He needed further glorification of Himself by any creature, but
He chose to do so.
e. So all that proceeds from God must be Finite in nature.
8.
In order to glorify Himself, He had to design a means for fellowship
with His creatures - that was compatible with His Essence.
9.
Since God is the Greatest, He had to design a Plan whereby the lesser
creatures He would create would have this fellowship with Him and it would be on the basis of
Grace.
a. Grace reaffirms the Perfection of the Greater; 2 Tm 1:9
b. And it also allows for being glorified by the lesser.
10.
God could have created a computer-like being that had been programmed
only to glorify Him, but would this have given Him maximum glory?
11.
So for God's Greater Glory, He chose to make creatures with the ability
to choose. Gen 1:26
12.
The Perfect ability to choose must carry with it the ability to say
"No," so He allowed them that option. [even JC, Jn 8:54]
13.
This provides the means with which to produce His Greater Glory;
14.
And to manifest more of His Essence in a Greater Sense. Lk 6:32-36
15.
Therefore the sequence that flows from the Divine Decree would be:
a. God chose to manifest His Essence to Glorify Himself.
b. He selected Matter, Creatures, Space and Time as the means with which to
do it.
c. He chose to create other beings in a manner consistent with His Essence.
d. To Glorify Himself, He had to design a means for fellowship with His
Creatures that was compatible with His Essence.
e. Since of necessity these Creatures had to be lesser than Himself He would
have to deal with them in grace in order to have fellowship with them.
f. To Glorify Himself to the Maximum, He
decided to make creatures with the ability to reject Him, i.e. having
Volition, like Him. Gen 1:26