Worshiping a Sovereign Lord: Benjamin Keach's Catechism, Q11: The Decrees of God

Q. 11. What are the decrees of God?
A. The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 11:36; Dan. 4:35)

Scripture Proofs

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. (Eph. 1:11)

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Rom. 11:36)

All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
     and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
     and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
     or say to him, “What have you done?” (Dan. 4:35)

The idea of God's decrees and fore-ordinance is a very interesting one. Philosophically speaking, the idea that God ordains everything that happens makes a lot of people very uncomfortable, especially when they witness the horrors of evil. (This is usually called the Problem of Evil.) But the idea is Biblical, so we as Christians must accept it to be true.

The answer given, that "the decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass" is somewhat of a direct quote of Ephesians 1:11, which says that God "works all things according to the counsel of his will." The key words for our purposes are "all things." God very literally brings about all things that come to pass.

The next Scripture proof given says that "From him and through him . . . are all things" (Rom. 11:36). All things are from him and through him. It couldn't be much clearer than that.

The Bible also flies in the face of anyone who would say that mankind can defeat, or even stall, God's purposes. "He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him 'What have you done?'" (Dan. 4:35). This verse emphasizes God's total sovereignty over the whole universe; he works all things in heaven among the angels and on earth among man. Not only that, but God is so sovereign and great that man has no right or reason to question what he does. Paul echos this idea - with particular emphasis on God's sovereignty over man - when he says, "Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" (Rom. 9:20, 21).

So, does this mean that God wills that which goes directly against his commands? In one sense, yes, but in another sense, no. Theologians have distinguished between God's precepts (his laws and commands) and his decrees (that which he causes to happen). In some way, despite the fact that God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree in the garden, he sovereignly ordained that he would do so. But we must remember that, while God does this, he does it in such a way that he is not the author of sin¹. "God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one" (James 1:13). God did not create sin. How this all works out is not fully explained in the Bible so far as I know; it remains in the hidden counsel of God. We must simply trust him in this.